5 Ways to Generate Leads on LinkedIn

Finding leads through channels such as cold calling or cold emailing is part of every SDR's job and is a proven, solid method.

Another sales channel that you should consider is LinkedIn.

The platform is an excellent place for B2B lead generation and should be part of every SDR's cold outreach method. At SalesPipe, where we focus on B2B outsourced inside sales to ensure that our clients get enough qualified leads, we know that LinkedIn lead generation is crucial.

This article will provide five different approaches to succeed at social selling on the platform, for SDRs and Startups.

Let's dive in!

B2B lead generation on LinkedIn relies on a combination of reputation and activity.

You've nailed the activity part if you leave thoughtful comments on your prospects' articles, engage with their posts, and enjoy what they share.

One effective strategy is leaving thoughtful comments on your prospects' articles, actively engaging with their posts, and genuinely enjoying what they share. However, to truly establish yourself as a social seller, there's room for improvement.

First, consider updating your LinkedIn page by including your most recent roles and achievements. Additionally, investing in a professional headshot will elevate your online presence.

Here are some aspects to consider for optimizing your LinkedIn profile:

On LinkedIn, profiles with photos have a 14 times higher chance of being viewed.

Aim to include a photo first and foremost, as it is one of the simplest aspects of the profile that you may edit.

Your image needs to look polished without being stiff. Your profile will appear friendlier and more approachable if it includes a photo of you at your desk, in the office, or outside.

Remember to pick a recent, high-quality image that gives your customers reason to feel comfortable entrusting you with their company.

Even though LinkedIn is all about professionalism, it's crucial to let your clients or potential employers know who you are outside of the office.

For instance, you can highlight your title or employer in your LinkedIn headline while simultaneously providing information about extracurricular activities including parenting or volunteering. This improves your personability and gives potential customers something to talk about.

In combination with a clean and centered profile picture, there should always be a proper cover foto. The aesthetic could be clean, professional, fun, or creative.

There is no rule on what works - this is an opportunity to showcase your personality!

Did you know that you can adjust your LinkedIn cover photo yourself? Canva is a great tool for creating all kinds of graphics and profile photos, too.

Consider adding a logo, project snippet, motto, or even a family photo to your profile rather than keeping the standard blue gradient cover photo.

The purpose of the cover photo is to both give the reader a quick glimpse of who you are and entice them to continue reading your profile.

Write a three-paragraph summary. Each paragraph should be no more than three sentences long. Include any possible search terms in your content that you want to showcase.

First of all, recap the goal stated in your headline.

Be precise when describing your work, the projects you've taken on, the outcomes you've achieved, and the businesses you've collaborated with. Describe how you've achieved the goals outlined in your header's mission statement.

In the third paragraph, include a call-to-action that expresses why and how a potential buyer should contact you.

Don't forget to add two to four pieces of graphic information.

Post-eye-catching content that your buyer will find useful. Content like how-to guides, infographics, and current statistics is effective in piquing curiosity.

Although this section resembles a resume, you should still think about your chances when filling it out.

List your professional positions and titles, and briefly describe your responsibilities for each position.

Under the paragraph for each role, it's crucial to bullet point three to five major job responsibilities. Mention that you met your quota, but maintain the focus on the outcomes you assisted clients in achieving and the sales strategies and techniques you employed.

Social proof is a feature of the top LinkedIn profiles for sales.

You want and need reputable recommendations.

Although receiving praise from your workplace is good, only your peers should recommend you on LinkedIn. Additionally, you must have recommendations from authorities in your industry as well as clients you have assisted.

This demonstrates your ability to add value and your skill at forming connections.

Include official credentials such as Associate's or Bachelor's degrees in the Education and Licenses & Certifications areas of your profile, along with certificates from respectable organizations and approved institutions.

Adding these details to your LinkedIn profile lets you engage potential customers in conversation and establish your expertise as a sales professional.

If you consider these steps, your profile will be outstanding and shows that you have credibility.

Now that your image on LinkedIn is clear, let's talk about ways how to work to generate leads on LinkedIn.

Never simply write a pitch-slap message to someone. If you've been in the business for even a short time, you must know most of the people you want to pitch to.

This means you should pick something worthwhile and send it to the appropriate people.

Use LinkedIn's search features to locate the precise leads you're looking for.

To ensure you're aiming at the proper people, you can search by job title (CEO), industry (e-commerce), and location.

You can also look for certain companies that fit your customer profile and filter the employee list for the right contacts.

A great way to create the first contact is to use the LinkedIn Connection Message. Connect with your prospects by providing them with something by tailoring your title to something that resonates.

With each connection request, you can include a 300-word remark. Use this space to promote a free guide, webinar, whitepaper, or anything else that they could actually find helpful.

You can reach out to new prospects via a connection request and directly via LinkedIn In-Mail.

Despite being a professional social network, LinkedIn is still a social network.

So - be social!

Get your message out there by joining groups related to your industry, or starting one yourself. Look for questions on forums that you can respond to and interact with. Join courses that may be relevant to your industry.

Always naturally incorporate your company in your response while writing clearly and accurately. But avoid obsessing too much about your business. You can't pitch at this stage.

An effect that automatically occurs when you actively reach out to prospects via direct mail, connection request notes,s or groups is that more and more prospects follow you.

Additionally, actively posting and connecting with people from your industry will improve your social selling index, which plays a major role in reaching your audience.

Another good way to generate leads on LinkedIn is to offer value with your posts. You can give tips that prospects might find useful, or you can actively talk about your company and products.

Talking about success stories with clients from your company or the benefits they have since they work with your company are examples.

Try to write not too sales-y. Instead, focus on authentic and easy language to keep prospects engaged and entertained.

The networking aspect of LinkedIn is its key selling point, so you should take advantage of it for lead generation.

On LinkedIn, establish relationships with your present clients and customers. Find out about their industry connections - they can also be important to you.

Ask for referrals and references, or just find out how to get in touch with someone they know who fits your customer profile if you have LinkedIn connections with existing clients.

Such solicitations are considered to be less intrusive and invasive than cold contacting someone after discovering their phone number online. This is because at the end of the way, LinkedIn is a professional networking space.

Leads can view your profile, accept your request to connect, and view your shared connection as a seal of approval.

LinkedIn lead generation means being active and available on the platform.

Consistency is one of the key aspects of B2B lead generation.

The same rules apply to LinkedIn. If you log off after publishing an article once a week, you aren't creating a regular presence with your contacts.

Additionally, you should stay in regular contact with your leads. Disappearing in the middle of a conversation is unprofessional and does little to increase their interest in working with you.

Make sure to use LinkedIn's platform analytics to find out more about your audience's interests and the times when your posts are most popular. With that information, you can develop a strategy that will keep you active and visible on LinkedIn at all times.

And it'll stop you from being in front of your screen 24/7.


You now have a better understanding of LinkedIn's possibilities.

Be sure to include social selling on LinkedIn into your daily work as an SDR to be less dependent on other channels and book a nice extra amount of meetings.

One of the top sources for generating and nurturing B2B leads certainly is, and continues to be, LinkedIn.

If your social selling is savvy, you will find a lot of prospects who are ready to become your paying clients.

Try using LinkedIn for lead generation in your cold outreach strategy. Do it step by step and remember to be patient with getting the first results.

You can find more insightful tips and information on our LinkedIn page, so be sure to check it out!