Finding Your Prospects on LinkedIn
by Kathy Bernard
Locating potential customers on LinkedIn is easier than you might think.
Start by clicking the magnifying glass in the LinkedIn search box and then clicking “People.”
Next click “All Filters” to narrow your search by entering the probable job title of the people you want to reach. For example, “CEO” or “Purchasing.” If you target a specific industry for your business, type that industry in the Industries box, and if you’re searching locally, put your city name into the Locations box.
Click “Apply” and search through the results. If you don’t get good results, refine the filters until you do. Invite your prospects to connect. Once they accept, you can send them LinkedIn InMail messages for free, and you can usually find their email address and sometimes their phone number when you click “See contact info” on their profile.
If you have a free account, note that LinkedIn allows only 60 searches per month before it severely limits your search results. The moral: Use “All Filters” and make each search count!
Kathy Bernard (kathy@wiseru.com), CEO of WiserU.com, is a St. Louis-based LinkedIn expert/trainer who equips businesses to maximize LinkedIn for sales, marketing or fundraising.