LinkedIn can be a great network to generate leads and increase sales when utilized properly. The benefit of investing time on this social network for business owners can be very rewarding, especially for people looking to engage on a business-to-business level. We have compiled a list of three steps to find and engage with new prospective clients on LinkedIn.

1. Complete Your Profile – Before taking the steps to proactively connect with new people and increase lead generation, you will first want to ensure that your profile is complete and constructed in a way that has an allure. Here are a few things to keep in mind when completing your profile:

• Your profile picture is important as it is basically your brand on LinkedIn. If possible, use a professionally taken photo to make the right first impression. You should also take the time now to set up a background picture for your profile as well.
• Write an “Attention Getting Headline” that quickly informs visitors of your primary skills or services.
• Complete the section with all of your experience and credentials. When writing the descriptions, be sure to use keyword-rich content. This will help you stay relevant in user search as well.
• Write an engaging and impressive summary explaining your skills and “mission statement” that clearly represents what you have accomplished and what your motive is on LinkedIn.
• Ensure your contact information is updated and that there is a clear call-to-action letting visitors know how to get in touch with you.

2. Build Your Foundation – The second step in the process of developing your LinkedIn to be a lead generation tool is to start building an audience to talk to. This can be achieved in the following ways:

• Import your email address books to find your existing connections. LinkedIn supports Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail, AOL, and other email services.
• Browse the “People You May Know” interface and connect with whomever you would like to be a part of your network.
• Join “groups that your prospective clients would join. This gives you the opportunity to connect with highly targeted prospects and join the conversation.
• Use “Advanced Search” to find connections with the ideal demographics that you are looking for in your prospective clients, and ask them to connect with you.

3. Start Interacting – Now that you have a professional and complete profile, and have started to build a foundation of connections and prospects, you can start converting leads. Here are some tactics to get the conversation started and engage with the right people:

• When you find a prospect that you would like to reach out to, you can do your due diligence by first reviewing their profile. This will give you knowledge about them and make that first call a “warm call” and not a “cold call”.
• Use InMail to send a message directly to the decision makers who can be tough to reach through the “gatekeepers”.
• Start-up conversations and join pre-existing conversations in your groups to stay relevant and establish an authority in your field.
• Post regular content relevant to what you specialize in and what you want people to know about you, your products or your services. This will also keep you “top of mind” and help establish you as an expert.

By following these steps you will be well on your way to building new relationships with prospective clients, and with the right follow up, MAKE NEW SALES!