How to Network for Sales Leads

I used to sell to small businesses. Think 5-40 employee headcount. Often family owned shops or very early stage startups. Ever since I started my career in sales, I tried to do different stuff. Just consistently tried to stand out from everyone else. One morning, I told myself I was going to drive to 10 of my prospects offices. Yes, they were there. I sold to plumbers, machine shops, printing shops, startup in the co working office down the street, etc. I went into my DM (district manager’s) office and asked her if I could spend 500 dollars to book 6 meetings. She said, go for it. Here is what I did: Step 1 - Went to LinkedIn, for the ones that even had an account and found out where they went to college. Example: State College, PA For those that didn’t have a profile, I went with where their business was located or sometimes their about section on their website would say something about where they grew up etc. Example: Cary, NC. Step 2 - Wrote down all the cities and logged into Etsy. Typed in: “Downtown Cary, NC map” “Downtown East Lansing, MI map” Step 3 - Purchase and download the maps of all 10 locations. Step 4 - Head to local print shop and get the maps printed on really good paper. Step 5 - Head to Michael’s or your local store where you can find some cool picture frames. Step 6 - Put those maps in the frames. Step 7 - Take out a piece of paper and write a quick hand written note about why you want a meeting with them. Step 8 - Get in the car with your 10 addresses plugged into Waze or Google maps. Step 9 - Turn on some rap music and spend 5 hours dropping off these custom gifts, delivered by hand. Step 10 - If it’s morning, call the office and ask the receptionist what their favorite spot is for breakfast and bring in some treats. Step 11 - Tell your boss that you booked 6 meetings for the wild cost of 297 dollars. P.S. - additionally I would add a book about the importance of human capital management, which I would have dog eared pages that made since for each business with little sticky notes added. That was the extra touch 😉

I set 9 meetings in 2 hours last week using this strategy 👇 Engaging Previous Champions Here's why this works: - I've trained 3,500+ reps across dozens of sales teams in the last 5+ years - The avg. rep/leader changes jobs every ~2 years - That's dozens of new opportunities every year with people I've already done business with Your previous champions may not be ready to do business with you right away. But they're great to network with, ask for referrals, get introductions to others in the org, etc. Scale this across an entire org of reps and you'll see massive returns. Here's how to execute this strategy: ✅ Keep a list of every stakeholder in your deals I use LinkedIn Sales Nav for this. I have two lists: → Champions & important stakeholders in deals I won (and lost) → Every rep/manager I engaged with during the trainings ✅ Monitor the list every week/month This is where Sales Nav helps. Keep a lookout for: → Job changes → Promotions into leadership positions → Content they're posting → Company triggers (growth, contraction, new products, etc.) ✅ Nurture the relationship It's important to give before you ask. Make a habit of doing this a few times every quarter. This isn't complicated. → Send over helpful content → Make an introduction to a peer (this is super high value) → Like/comment on their posts ✅ Make the ask When appropriate, make the ask. → Ask for a meeting to catch up, share insights, see if there's an opportunity, etc. → Ask for an introduction to a mutual connection Pro tip: Get to a texting relationship with every champion. This type of outreach gets way easier when you can text. ~~~ This takes a decent amount of work to set up. But once you get to 1-2+ years at a company, you'll build a big network of previous buyers. Selling gets way easier when you can get intros and referrals from previous champions. How do you nurture relationships with previous champions? Let me know in the comments. #sales

Most sellers do referral prospecting backwards. Smart referral prospecting is NOT asking your warm network "Is there anyone in your network who might find value in taking a look at our Legal Time Tracking software?" You're almost always going to hear "Hm, nobody immediately comes to mind, but let me think about it." (They're not gonna think about it) Asking someone to scan through their entire mental rolodex of every single person they know isn't going to get you good referrals. You're asking for too much of the referrer.  -- Here's how I do outbound referral prospecting: 1. Start with the end in mind. Identify the prospect you want to talk to. (If you don't start with the end in mind, you're going to get a bunch of random non-ICP or out of territory intros, if you get any at all) - 2. Find mutual connections who actually know your target prospect. I like mutuals who have shared work history (you can find this in Sales Nav). If that fails, I'll look for shared membership in trade association groups or folks who have spoken on a panel/event together. - 3. Ask your shared contact for permission to make the introduction. Here's what I send: 𝘕𝘈𝘔𝘌, 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩? 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 30 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵'𝘴 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘕𝘈𝘔𝘌 𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘊𝘔𝘌. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵, 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯? - 4. If your referrer says yes, ghostwrite them a message in THEIR voice. This helps remove as much friction as possible for the person who is making the introduction. Don't worry about including pleasantries in the message you draft (Ex. "Hope you have been well since our days working together at ACME!). I've found that most people delete the pleasantries you write on their behalf so it's not a good use of your time. - 5. If someone makes a referral for you, send them a thank you note + a gift. Seems obvious but this goes a long way. - 6. If you start to find success with outbound referral prospecting, consider adding an "outbound referral blitz" to your weekly prospecting cadence. -- Anything else you'd add re: prospecting for referrals?

3 Things I Do to Turn My Network into a Source of New Leads Every Day. There is no lack of GTM experts on LinkedIn, teaching the "best" methods to sell your product or service. What if lead generation doesn’t always mean finding brand-new contacts? Sometimes, your next client is already within reach—in your 'Go To Network' of family, friends, past clients, and professional connections. GTN > GTM!!!!!! Here’s how I tap into my existing network daily to create fresh opportunities: 1. I Reach Out to 3-5 People Every Day. Each day, I dedicate a few minutes to connecting with people in my network, one-on-one. This isn’t about making a “sales” call but rather a check-in. Maybe I’ll congratulate someone on a new job, catch up with a past client about their home, or just say hello to a colleague. Little, authentic touchpoints help me stay top-of-mind without feeling pushy. 2. I Use “Connection Types” to Keep Outreach Interesting and Relevant. To avoid repetitive outreach, I rotate between different types of messages: Personal Check-Ins: A friendly message to see how someone is doing, or just to catch up. Value-Adding Messages: I’ll share an interesting trend or a quick tip with someone who may be interested. Milestone Celebrations: Birthdays, anniversaries, promotions—recognizing these moments strengthens the connection. 3. I Track It All in One Place. Keeping track of my daily outreach means I don’t accidentally ignore parts of my network. Whether it’s a CRM, a notebook, or a simple spreadsheet, I log my connections and set reminders to follow up periodically. This way, my outreach feels consistent and intentional, building strong, trust-based relationships over time. The best part? This “Daily Outreach Habit” only takes 10-15 minutes each day, but it creates a reliable flow of leads through natural, warm conversations. Remember: You don’t have to go to the market for new leads—you already have them in your network!

Sellers often mistake connections for relationships. Here are 5 ways you can build high-impact relationships, whether they’re specific to an opportunity, or they’re part of your greater network. ✅ Map out the relationships you have for a specific opportunity. I do an exercise with clients where we build out their relationship ecosystems and buying roles in an opportunity. This will give you a picture of strengths and gaps. Mapping your relationships doesn’t need to be time-consuming; it will pay off by helping you accelerate progress and reduce risks in your opportunities. ✅ Assess for gaps and get beyond the typical silos. You might be building relationships only where you’re most comfortable. Your success will be in getting beyond your comfort level; you can do that by assessing and filling in relationship gaps. In mapping your relationships you’ll see patterns. For example, you may see a pattern where you’re selling only one product or solution to one type of role. You’re siloed and likely missing many other relationships. This is especially important if your growth strategy includes expanding different products or services within your client base. ✅ Build your strategic alliances. This one strategy has made a significant difference in both the quality of my relationships and the quality of the opportunities I’m able to create. Do you have alliances outside of your organization, with other providers serving like clients? A way to begin is by creating a list of the tangential providers who sell non-competitive products or solutions to your clients and verticals. From there you can assess which ones are the most promising and begin building those relationships. ✅ Focus on deepening relationships with current clients. In the quest to always earn net-new clients, deepening relationships with current clients is often forgotten. But this can be the best source of continual, high-quality opportunities. One strategy is to create a list of your top ten clients and then create a relationship map for each one. See where you can uncover new relationships and new ways to serve that client. You’ll amplify your success with a client where you already have trust and credibility. ✅ Aim higher in the organization. You might be used to working in the middle of an organization, and in many cases that may be where your decision-makers are. But you can (and should) build awareness and relationships at the higher levels of an organization. Ways you might start this process include introductions on LinkedIn, sharing of research and insights that can improve their business, or a request for a higher-level leader to join your next account review or project meeting. To get started, choose one of your top clients and begin working through at least one or two of these strategies with that client in mind. It will undoubtedly open more relationships and also opportunities to serve your client and win high-value business. #ModernSeller #Sales #Relationships

I’ve helped 100+ CEOs and entrepreneurs turn LinkedIn into a lead-gen machine. Most struggle with low engagement & zero conversions. To avoid this trap, here's my 5-step roadmap on how to network effectively and turn LinkedIn into a revenue machine: 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: Stop Scattering Your Energy Most people think: “I need to connect with everyone to grow.” That’s a mistake. To achieve real networking success: • Define your ideal connection – Who do you need to know? Who needs your expertise? • Prioritize decision-makers – Don’t just connect with peers; go after buyers. • Engage with top voices in your industry – This gets you seen by their audience. 🔹 Start here and avoid wasting time on random connections. 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: Don’t Stop at 50 Requests—It’s a Numbers Game Now you have two options: • Send a few requests and wait for magic to happen • Go big, track responses, and refine your outreach There’s no wrong answer, but if you’re serious about growing, you need volume + strategy. ✔ 100+ connection requests per week ✔ 30%+ acceptance rate = you’re on the right track ✔ Keep tweaking your message for better results Networking is a game of persistence. 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: Connect, But Go Beyond 'Thanks for Connecting' Focus on two core pillars: 1. Your First Message Matters • Skip generic intros—lead with value • Ask an engaging question to spark a real convo • Find common ground fast (industry, mutual interests) Once you master this, focus on: 2. The Follow-Up Formula • 80% of deals come AFTER the 3rd+ follow-up • Keep it casual but intentional (not salesy) • Offer useful insights, not just “Hey, checking in” Most people stop at one message. You shouldn’t. 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: Build Social Proof While You Network Mistake: Talking about yourself too much. Easy fix: Use content to back up your credibility while you network. Here’s how: • Post insights from your conversations (without naming names) • Share behind-the-scenes of working with clients • Showcase what you’re learning + how it helps others Your profile should do the selling for you. 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: Make LinkedIn Work for You 24/7 This final step is how you: • Turn cold outreach into warm inbound leads • Position yourself as an authority • Build relationships that lead to high-value opportunities 🔹 Want more deep-dive insights on LinkedIn networking & lead-gen? I’m sharing exclusive strategies in my newsletter today. Get it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eCuasuC9 🚀

The $1M networking hack SDRs should know before we enter 2025 There's a simpler way to crush your numbers. I've spent years in the trenches of sales, and I've seen the landscape shift dramatically. The traditional SDR playbook is crumbling before our eyes. Cold calls? Prospects screen them. Mass emails? Deleted on sight. Talk time metrics? A relic of the past. It's time for a radical pivot. Here's what actually moves the needle: 1) Grow your network relentlessly    - Send at least 15 personalized connection requests daily    - Engage authentically with industry peers    - Attend virtual and in-person events 2) Make introductions easier      - Connect people in your network who can benefit each other    - Be the go-to person for valuable connections    - What goes around, comes around 3) Leverage your network (ethically)    - Ask for intros to decision-makers    - Share insights and opportunities freely    - Build a strong reputation as a trusted advisor 4) Track new KPIs    - Connection requests sent/accepted    - Network growth (daily/weekly/monthly)    - Warm intros facilitated/received and closed The future of sales isn't about hammering prospects with calls and emails. It's about building a web of relationships that generates opportunities organically. This takes time and patience. But the payoff? A sustainable pipeline of warm leads that actually want to talk to you. Start doing it today, so you won’t regret it next year.

LinkedIn friends, I wanted to share a concept with you that I shared with one of my clients: Don't be a one-way street.... It's a very simple concept: eliminate self-interest. I know it sounds off, but you must become more collaborative. Both the selling and buying centers should have aligned interests. Selling center, you should become a trusted advisor. It's been interesting to see what salespeople are trying to do for the sale and others trying to be problem solvers. Here are some ways of ensuring that you are not a 'one way street' but become a trusted advisor in the sales process. - Foster Two-Way Communication: Encourage prospects to share their thoughts, needs, and concerns. Actively listen and respond thoughtfully rather than dominating the conversation with your sales pitch. This approach helps you understand the client's needs and tailor your solutions accordingly. - Understand Customer Needs: Make a concerted effort to genuinely understand your prospects' challenges, needs, and goals. This understanding should guide how you present your product or service, ensuring that you address their specific situation rather than offering a generic solution. - Provide Value First: This is the most important thing. Think of demonstrating your value and how you can be a problem solver. This could be in the form of helpful information, insights, or solutions that address the prospect's immediate concerns or objectives. Demonstrating value upfront can build trust and credibility, making prospects more open to the sales conversation. - Be Consultative, Not Transactional: Position yourself as a consultant or advisor rather than just a salesperson. This means offering advice, sharing expertise, and suggesting solutions that best meet the prospect's needs, even if it means recommending a lesser sale or acknowledging when your solution might not be the best fit. - Follow Up Thoughtfully: Rather than sending generic follow-up messages or pressuring for a sale, tailor your follow-ups based on what you've learned about the prospect's needs and your previous interactions. Thoughtful follow-ups show that you're paying attention and care about helping them find the right solution. - Encourage Input/Feedback: Ask for feedback throughout the sales process, including after a sale has been made or lost. This shows that you value the prospect's opinion and are committed to continuous improvement. Feedback can also provide insights into how you can serve them better in the future. - Build a Relationship, Not Just a Client List: Aim to build long-term relationships with your prospects, regardless of whether they make a purchase. Showing genuine interest in their success and staying in touch (without always trying to sell something) can turn one-time prospects into lifelong customers and advocates for your business. I hope this helps; I wanted to share this with you because this is what I have been seeing from my side of the table. We're here to help. 

Last night I was at dinner with an executive from one of the largest consulting firms in the world and shared the 3 main parts to consistently get warm intros and reduce sales cycles in preparation to come speak to his sales org this week. This Go-to-Network framework is simple not easy: 1.       Network Creation 2.       Network Activation 3.       Network Maintenance Duh, right? He asked a few powerful questions. - What about my reps that are super early in career and don’t have a network? - Doesn’t it take a while to build, and then even longer to gain trust before you can “activate”? The secret. A reframed thinking and perspective. Everyone has a network. Regardless how small, everyone has someone they know. I explained to him how the study of the 6 degrees of separation came about and shared with him a few things that I did early in my career to start building a network. 1.       Make a list of everyone I know and keep in touch with. a.       Family, friends, college buddies, previous co-workers, ANYONE 2.       Make a list of the industries, roles, and geographies you want to know people in. Add any additional categories you want. 3.       Ask people on your list who they know in each category and for a warm intro. 4.       Set up no agenda meetings to simply learn from your new contact. Most people love to help, share, and educate others. 5.       Repeat with your new contact and ask who they know. I shared that just like investing monetarily, the earlier you start the better. The best time to start this process is yesterday, and the next best time is today. There is a compounding effect. Have reps spend 10% or less of their time doing this when starting to keep things stable but just start changing the culture. The real secret: When you maintain the small but current network you have, it becomes your network creation strategy. Imagine what would happen if you met just a few new people every week in the categories you are interested in.

Networking gets a bad rap for being “inauthentic”. I think that’s wrong, as long as you do it like this. My simple advice to be a better networker: 1. Be radically generous. Offer your help, advice, and time freely without expecting anything in return. Approach every conversation with a genuine desire to support the other person's goals. You'll be amazed how this pays dividends down the line. 2. Master the art of virtual networking. In a remote-first world, virtual networking can work really well. The key is resisting the urge to multi-task. Close those tabs, put your phone away, and be fully present. Treat Zoom chats with the same respect as in-person meetings. 3. Get curious about people's stories. Don't just ask about someone's job title. Probe deeper to understand their motivations, challenges, and aspirations. Seek to uncover the "why" behind their work. You'll form much richer connections. 4. Be a super-connector. Always look for opps to connect people who might be able to help each other. Notice the challenges people mention and write them down. Think about who in your network has expertise there. Playing matchmaker is a great way to add value. 5. Keep your networking muscles strong. Networking is like any skill — you have to keep practicing or you'll get rusty. Commit to reaching out to at least one new person a week, even if it's just for a quick coffee chat. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. 6. Follow-up when you say you will. At the end of a great conversation, always ask if you can follow up (and make sure you actually do it!). I like to send myself a quick email with notes right after a good meeting to make sure key points stay fresh. 7. Invest in a personal CRM. Whether it's a dedicated tool like Folk or just a spreadsheet, having a system to track your connections is a game-changer. Note down key details about each person so you can pick up right where you left off. Networking doesn't have to be sleazy or salesy. Just approach your interactions with generosity, curiosity, and a desire to help others. What other networking advice has worked well for you?