How to Use LinkedIn for Sales Prospecting

If you are in a sales role and you aren’t using the Sales Navigator Relationship Explorer correctly, you are wasting time. I was showing this to an account executive last week and he found a perfect prospect and a possible approach within 30 seconds of researching a new account. This applies to everyone from enterprise salespeople to entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and service providers who need to find new business. Because the Relationship Explorer takes advantage of LinkedIn’s data and AI to surface the best paths in when you are looking at a new account. The key is effective use of the Personas search filters. Take a moment and create a few of these filters. Resist the urge to put C-Suite in all of them, and instead think about the individuals that you would really like to engage with (and that would be open to engaging with you). Then, whenever you look at a new account, plug that Persona into the Relationship Explorer and see what comes up. Not only will you see the top 8 suggestions that Sales Navigator has for you, it will share possible paths into the conversation. For example, the individual might be new to their role, have a shared connection or Teamlink relationship, have just posted on LinkedIn, or you might share a past employer or organization. The AE I was talking to uncovered a Head of Data Science (a perfect prospect) who had just started in their role. A few minutes on their LinkedIn profile uncovered a treasure trove of information that the AE could use to customize their outreach. This was using a Persona that they had developed for another account, so it took literally seconds. You won’t always have this homerun, but why not start here and see if you can let the system do the work for you? #deepsales #salesnavigator #linkedin #socialselling Becky Brown Anthony Carlson Alexander Beck Anna Roper Sander Huysmans Jori Besteman Alexander Low Amari Gonzalez Tom Latourette

Last week I spoke with an enterprise AE at F100 company who closed over $5M in 2023 (3x his quota). The surprising part? He generated 90% from Linkedin. Here’s what the enterprise social selling playbook looks like: 1. Community: Successful sales reps are constantly enhancing their community on Linkedin. They invite key prospects, customers and other stakeholders to their network. As an AE or Exec, it helps to stay in the same domain over time so you can engage with the same community but across different employers. The compounding effect of your network is exponential. 2. Content: Engage frequently with your community. Stay ahead of the curve and ensure your content reflects that. Not all content has to be original and unique. Most Linkedin users are looking to consume content that will help them be better at their job today. Share best practices, success stories and recommendations. If you stay in the same domain, the quality of your content will grow as you build trust within your community. 3. Signals: Get a good understanding of the triggers and signals that impact demand in your target segment. Use these signals to focus your attention on select individuals as they become active. 4. Offer Help: Be mindful of any request for assistance within your community. If you are going to stay in the same domain for long, expect your community to do the same. Offer to assist even if it does not directly help your business. Chances are these interactions will lead to deep relationships in the long run. 5. LinkedinOps: This is often an ignored part of social selling. For the same reason that Inbound leads perform so well (because they are warm), somebody that visited your profile also has a relatively high probability to respond in the first 24hr. It’s the job of LinkedinOps to run all active engagers through an ICP filter and then follow up on good fit candidates. 6. Outreach: I have seen some successful reps use personalization tools to find the right messaging or conversation opener for Linkedin outreach. It makes sense to do an outreach with the good-fit engaged audience within 24-48 hrs of the engagement. Don’t hesitate to ask for referrals. 7. Tracking: Track engagements and metrics. Score and rank your audience every week for good fit top engagers. Your top engagers are the ones who will likely take your call. Your LinkedinOps can help you with analytics. 8. Convert: Know when and how to move your conversation outside Linkedin. Linkedin is great for capturing demand signals or for generating trust. Look for the right moment to share a calendar link or an email to move the conversation to a different platform. TAKEAWAY: Your buyers are already on Linkedin. With a little discipline and LinkedinOps, you can close revenues while enhancing your brand and handling objections at scale. I've been helping GTM teams for 15+ years. Never before have they had access to such a powerful platform. Take advantage.

I was asked today a very simple question, How can I #prospect better on #LinkedIn? This simple question does not have a simple answer. So I did what I always do and made my list, went to #askSSL.ai and used my” Brynne Avatar” who is already trained in my voice, with my content, and my prohibitions oand spent about 20 minutes crafting and editing the following: ⸻ How to Prospect Better on LinkedIn Without Sounding Like a Sales Pitch Prospecting on LinkedIn isn’t about sending more messages. It’s about starting the right conversations with the right people in the right way. The professionals who succeed treat LinkedIn as a relationship platform, not a cold-calling tool. Here’s how to shift from pitch-based outreach to conversation-driven social selling. 1. Transform Your Profile from a resume to a Resource If you are in a revenue-driven role, your LinkedIn profile should not be a resume. It should speak directly to the challenges and goals of your ideal buyer. Lead to your solution by offering insight and value that not just shows how you help but actually helps, earning you the right to get the conversion. 2. Engage Before You Reach Out Engagement builds visibility and credibility. Thoughtful comments on the right posts open doors. The more value you bring in public conversations, the more permission you earn to move to private messaging. 3. Reconnect with Existing Relationships Take inventory of your network. Revisit clients, prospects, and referral partners. Share something relevant. Ask a thoughtful question. Start conversations around topics that are meaningful to them. 4. Map Paths to Referrals Use LinkedIn and Sales Navigator to find mutual connections. Ask for introductions. Warm referrals often outperform any cold outreach. Most professionals want to help. You just need to ask the right way. 5. Write Like You Speak Skip the templates and formal language. Your message should feel like it belongs in a real conversation. The goal is not to sell. The goal is to earn a response. Bonus: use the native voice messaging or video messaging in the LinkedIn app to humanize the connections even more. 6. Use AI to Prepare Smarter Tools like askSSL or ChatGPT can help you write better outreach messages, create personalized content, and research your prospects. Use AI to support strategy, not replace it. Prospecting on LinkedIn is about earning the right to a conversation. That can come through valuable content, a warm referral, or thoughtful engagement. The key is to start trust-based conversations that feel helpful, not salesy. When you make them matter, you matter. How do you prospect better on LinkedIn? #sslinsights

I hear this twice a week, "LinkedIn Outreach doesn't work for me" - here's the hard truth about LinkedIn Outbound that everybody gets wrong: We've helped 700+ B2B companies launch LinkedIn Led Outbound campaigns over the past 6 years. I've spoken with 100's of other B2B execs wanting to use LinkedIn to drive more revenue. Here's the 5 non-negotiables of running LinkedIn Outreach, if you want it to work: (1) Target active LinkedIn users. Get LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Then use it to filter for decision makers in your ICP. Filter for specific Job Titles, Industry, Headcount, etc. Then turn on the filter "posted on LinkedIn". This will drive 80% of your results by focusing on the most active decision makers in your ICP. (2) Send 200 blank connection requests. Every week. No exceptions. 1st degree connections are the lifeblood of LinkedIn. This is what let's you send messages to someone for forever. It's also what will make it so your hand picked connections see every post you make on LinkedIn. Nurturing them for the long term. (3) Use InMails as a last resort. I see too many teams sending 20 InMails per week. Then they tell me LinkedIn Outreach doesn't work for them. When actually, they aren't even using the right LinkedIn messaging format to begin with. InMails are what you send if someone doesn't accept a connection request. Not what you lead with. (4) Track everything using Lead Lists & Saved Searches. The truth is, LinkedIn isn't great at tracking activity. But it doesn't need to be that way. You just need to get a little bit creative with your Sales Navigator Setup. Create 3 different Lead Lists. Connection Request Sent, Message Sent, & Responded. Now you have a mini CRM built into Sales Navigator to track all your activities. (5) Post content daily. LinkedIn's super-power is the ability to build an audience. Similar to a newsletter. But you get to handpick every single person. Imagine having a lead list of 10,000 diamond leads that you have exclusive access to. That's what LinkedIn is all about. No spam filters. Exclusive messaging to 1st degree connections. Killer results. If you need some guidance creating a LinkedIn Outbound strategy that actually generates new revenue, shoot me a DM - happy to point you in the right direction & share some immediate ideas.

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 🚀

How I built a LinkedIn lead machine that runs on autopilot (And how you can too): Most people overcomplicate LinkedIn lead generation. They: • Post constantly • Pray for inbound leads • Send cold DMs that get ignored Some try running ads too. But without a system in place, they just end up burning cash. I built a system that brings in 20-25 leads per month for my own business. And for my coach clients? They’re getting 60+ leads per month and filling their calendars with booked calls. The best part: Once it’s set up, it runs on autopilot. Here’s exactly how it works: Step 1: Start with LinkedIn Ads Forget boosting posts—that’s a waste of money. Instead, use Lead Gen Ads to capture emails from high-intent prospects without sending them to an external landing page. Step 2: Automate LinkedIn nurturing with Expandi Once someone opts in, they’re automatically added to Expandi, which handles LinkedIn outreach. First, they get a personalized connection request (automated, but looks manual). Once they accept, they go through a 5-message nurture sequence inside LinkedIn DMs. This warms them up and guides them toward booking a call. Step 3: Add email follow-ups At the same time, they’re placed into an email nurture sequence. This reinforces credibility with: • Case studies • Testimonials • Industry insights — keeping them engaged beyond LinkedIn. Step 4: Retarget like a pro Most leads won’t book a call immediately. That’s normal. So, we retarget them with ads that keep them engaged— Whether they’ve: • Watched a video • Interacted with a post • Clicked on an ad before Step 5: Use "HighLevel" to track & convert leads Leads don’t mean much if they fall through the cracks. That’s why everything flows into HighLevel (CRM). Every lead is tracked, categorized, and followed up with at the right time. Warm inbound leads get automated responses so no opportunity is missed. Everything is centralized, making it easy to manage conversations across LinkedIn, email, and inbound inquiries. Step 6: Optimize & scale The beauty of this system? It gets smarter over time. We test different messages, refine ad copy, and double down on what works. This is exactly how I generate my own leads. And I build the same system for my clients. If you’re a: • Coach • Consultant • Service provider ... tired of chasing leads and want a LinkedIn system that does the work for you, let’s talk. DM me the word "ADS" and let's see if we're a good fit. Thanks for reading. Enjoyed this? Follow Connor Bell for more.

Someone viewed your LinkedIn profile; now what? This is one of the best features of LinkedIn Premium. The "Viewed your Profile" feature. However, just like brick & mortar store; many people are window shoppers. They'll stop by. Check things out. And move on. Reality is; people are busy, they get distracted, they're shy, etc. Sometimes; you have to take the lead. Not everyone is going to DM you and ask to learn more or just book a call straight away. Wish it always worked that way, but it doesn't : ( Here's my outreach strategy for interesting profile viewers (i.e. can add value to my journey / fit my ICP) Step 1: Go to their profile. Spend 1-2 minutes scanning it. Look for common threads. You know when you're at a social gathering and you meet someone new? Then you both realize you have the same favorite band? Or both love fine cannabis? Or you both went to the same school? The connection immediately improves. LinkedIn is no different. Scan their profile for: - Where are they from? Any similarities? Know someone there? - What are they doing? Any value you can add? Any unique questions - Do you share some connections? Step 2: See if they post content. If they do; find a recent post & drop a thoughtful comment. This starts the positive feedback loop. Step 3: Slide into the DMs Here's an example from the other day. The guy I was DM'ing lived in St. Pete. --------------------------- "Hey XXX; I saw you're from St Pete. I absolutely love Central Ave & Green Bench Brewing down there; we visit the area often to XXXX" -------------------------- Response? ------------------------- "Yeah; I live on that street & go to that spot all the time" ------------------------- Conversation started naturally Started around a common thread. We agreed to stay in touch & that I'd connect when down in the area next. I'll strategically plan a meeting for later in the year. Then once we've connected; I'll pitch harder. It'll be a slow burn, but much more natural. Avoid phrases in your outreach like: "Hi, I hope you're well" (you don't even know them; this sounds fake AF) "Hi, I'm blah blah blah" (no one cares about you until they know you care) "Thanks for stopping by my profile" (kinda feels stalkerish; they know they stopped by) Step 4: Rinse & Repeat 3-5X a day or a week (depending on your growth goals) Watch your networking opportunities increase within 2-4 weeks. Likes / impressions do not pay the bills. Real conversations; off the platform do. What advice do you have to take a profile view to a booked call?