Have you ever walked down Perfume Alley in the mall? It’s that long stretch of land from one end of the department store to the other that feels like a battleground of perfume bombs. Having potent aromas sprayed in your face doesn’t exactly compel you to buy it, but a thoughtful experience with a salesperson and a sample bottle can. The same goes for connecting with people on LinkedIn. You want to make sure that you balance aggressiveness with true connection and finesse. Here are four ways to network with potential clients on LinkedIn.
Publish Blogs
Blog posts are perfect content for sharing on LinkedIn. They showcase your knowledge and personality and can lead people back to your site to learn more about you and your business. When you share your blog, you’ll want to do two things with it: share the link directly into the newsfeed and publish your blog within LinkedIn’s Pulse. Both of these techniques allow your blog to be seen by LinkedIn’s network. The only difference between the two is that one stays on your LinkedIn profile. This allows people to see your blog posts whenever they visit your page.
Participate In LinkedIn Groups
It can be a daunting task to find people that may be interested in your services. However, participating in LinkedIn groups can help ease this worry. There are groups for all kinds of professions and interests. From social media marketers to OBGYNs, you can easily search for groups that will help you connect with the people you’re looking for. Plus, when you start contributing to these groups, it brings your profile to the attention of others who may have otherwise not come across it.
Comment and Converse
Conversations online should be the same as offline: natural and nurtured. When you’re scrolling through your newsfeed, don’t be afraid to leave a comment on someone’s article or respond to someone else’s comment. Creating conversations and interacting with people is the key to truly connecting. The more people see your name, experience your personality, and view your opinions, the more your network will start to grow.
Leverage Your Network
You can also use LinkedIn’s search feature to find 2nd-degree connections; people who are connected with someone that you know. The message that you send them to connect will vary depending on what your goal is, but, generally, you want your message to be clear, friendly, and relevant to why you’re asking them to connect.
Just like finding friends that you connect with in life, finding the right people to connect with on LinkedIn can take time. It may not all happen at once, but it will happen.
