Stop Pitching Cold: A Smarter LinkedIn Prospecting Strategy for Solo Consultants

If you're a solo consultant trying to land more clients on LinkedIn, you're probably doing one of two things:

1. Sending a bunch of cold DMs and hearing crickets.
2. Avoiding outreach entirely because you don’t want to sound salesy or desperate.

Either way, you’re missing the sweet spot — warm, human conversations that lead to real sales.

Let’s fix that.

You don’t need to spam 10,000 people. You don’t need to write clever sales scripts. You need a process that helps you build relationships, ask the right questions, and convert warm leads into discovery calls.

Here’s a simple 3-step DM strategy to do exactly that — plus a few bonus tips to keep the momentum going.

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Step 1: Start with a Magic Connection DM

First impressions matter. When you send that connection request, don’t just click "Connect" and hope for the best.

Send a clear, friendly message that tells them:

• What you do
• Who you help
• (Optional) Why you’re reaching out

This isn’t the time to pitch. Just be human, relevant, and specific.

Example: “Hi [Name], I help B2B consultants land clients with organic content and warm outreach. Came across your profile and would love to connect!”

Simple. Clear. And yes — it works.

Step 2: Warm It Up (This Is Where Most People Skip)

This is the part 99% of people get wrong. They connect, wait two seconds, and drop a pitch in the DMs.

No one likes that.

Instead, warm up your new connection by actually engaging:

• Comment on their posts (with something thoughtful, not just “Great post!”)
• React to their content
• DM them with genuine feedback or a question about something they shared

Your goal here: build trust and show up as a real human who cares. This can take a couple days — or weeks — don’t rush it.

Step 3: Explore the Problem

Once you’ve had a real interaction, move into a DM that explores their challenge — casually, without going full sales mode.

Start with a simple, non-threatening question:

• “What kind of projects are you working on right now?”
• “Saw your post on [X] — curious how that’s going for you?”

From there, you can connect the dots:

• Share something you or a client has experienced
• Mention a challenge you’ve seen others face
• Mention a connection who recently solved this problem
• Ask if they’ve run into something similar

This creates an actual conversation — not a pitch — and lets you qualify the lead without pressure.

Bonus Step: The Soft Offer

Now you’ve earned the right to invite them into a deeper conversation.

This is where you drop the soft offer — not “Do you want to buy my service?” but “Want to hop on a quick call to brainstorm?”

Keep it short, value-based, and low commitment.

Example: “I helped a client through that same challenge last month. Want to hop on a 15-min call and I’ll walk you through what we did?”

If they say yes, congrats — you’ve got a warm lead ready to convert.

Side Note: This conversation could end up turning into introducing them to someone else who could solve their problem, a community, or just a chat. The other person will signal if your offer is the right offer for them. We aren't selling here.

How to Keep the Conversation Going

Worried about what to say after that first connection call?

Here’s how to stay top of mind (without being annoying):

• Have an Ask + a Give ready for every call. Know how they can help you, and what you can offer in return.
• Offer value in follow-ups — connect them to a community, send a helpful resource, or invite them to a training.
• Use events as excuses to reconnect — “Hey, I’m hosting a workshop on X next week — want the link?”

Always lead with service. Be helpful. Make it easy for them to say yes.

TL;DR – The Lean LinkedIn Prospecting Formula

1. Connection DM – Be clear, human, and relevant.
2. Warm-Up – Comment, engage, build the relationship.
3. Problem Exploration – Ask about their challenges.
4. Soft Offer – Invite them to a no-pressure call.
5. Follow-Up – Serve, don’t sell.

15 minutes a day on LinkedIn is all it takes. No spam. No scripts. Just tiny, consistent actions that build big momentum.

Ready to turn conversations into clients?

If you want the exact templates, scripts, and a full walkthrough of this system, grab the LinkedIn Prospecting Workshop Replay.

It’s lean, tactical, and built for solo consultants who want warm leads — without sounding like a sales bot.

👉 Purchase the LinkedIn Prospecting Workshop Replay now.