How to Generate Leads From LinkedIn With No Ad Spend

LinkedIn is without a doubt the most popular and trusted platform for organic lead generation, and for good reason!

It’s no surprise that most businesses are flocking to LinkedIn for B2B lead generation with such massive numbers. To give you a competitive advantage, I’ll show you how to use this platform organically to find, nurture, and convert high-quality business leads while avoiding common pitfalls.

Here are some statistics that demonstrate why you should prioritise LinkedIn marketing:

What Is organic lead generation?

Organic LinkedIn lead generation is the process of finding potential customers, connecting with them, and nurturing those connections into paying customers without primarily using paid methods. This rules out methods like LinkedIn advertisements and related lead generation forms, but organic lead generation is no less effective!

By building meaningful relationships with potential customers and providing them with valuable content, you can increase your brand awareness, establish yourself as an authority in your industry, and ultimately boost your sales. Let’s now see how you can use LinkedIn to its full potential, followed by the common errors you must avoid.

10 top content tips

Let’s start with the best expert tips to help you acquire leads at little to no cost through the platform.

1. Create a compelling profile. Your LinkedIn profile is your first impression on potential customers, so make sure it’s excellent! Use a high-quality profile picture and header image, and fill out your summary and experience sections with relevant information. Remember to keep the tone professional and optimize your profile for search by including keywords.
2. Use search features to find prospects. LinkedIn has powerful search features that can help you find the right prospects for your business. Use filters such as location, industry and job title to narrow down your search. And if you want to get targeted results, consider spending a little on LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator.
3. Start building connections. The key to successful lead generation on LinkedIn is to build meaningful connections. Start by connecting with people you already know, such as colleagues and industry peers. Then use LinkedIn’s search feature to find potential customers and connect with them.
4. Craft personalized messages. When you send a message to a potential client, make sure it’s personalized and relevant to them. Mention something specific about their profile or business that caught your attention, and explain why you want to connect and how you can help them. Avoid generic messages that could be sent to anyone, or you’ll be just one of the many messages they ignore!
5. Provide value with your content. Sharing valuable content is a great way to establish yourself as an authority in your industry and build trust with potential customers. Share industry news, blog posts, and other valuable content for your target audience, and ensure you add your insights and commentary with it. Remember to strategically include video content, as 55.7% of marketers find that video content generates the highest conversion rate.
6. Check for buying impulses by searching hashtags. Use LinkedIn hashtags to find dissatisfied customers or people who asked for advice on their pain points. Write down everything you discover in your personalization spreadsheet to personalize the message for the outreach.
7. Comb through LinkedIn groups and target posts. Find the groups your Buyer Persona would be in, join them, and leverage them for LinkedIn lead generation by reaching out to its members or finding a post that demonstrates buying signal or intent. Similarly, you can find content that appeals to decision-makers and click the reactions or comments to find leads you can approach.
8. Generate leads from the event attendees list. Search for events your ideal audience attends, click the Attend button and check for the attendee’s list. Write down all your leads’ questions, concerns or comments to personalize your outreach later.
9. Use referral programs for LinkedIn lead generation. Referral programs can be surprisingly effective for organic LinkedIn marketing. Create a referral program for your current customers, and offer them an incentive to refer your service to people who might be interested in using it.
10. Generate leads from posts. Post content on LinkedIn as a thought leader to attract leads, gather LinkedIn profiles in one place, and outreach them manually or use LinkedIn automation and Email software to do it for you. You can also gate applicable content by asking for email or contact information to access it, generating leads.

What too avoid

It’s time to move on to the don’ts of lead generation on LinkedIn, so you don’t make the mistakes many aspiring LinkedIn marketers get lured into.

1. Don’t post too much content. It’s important not to post too much content on your LinkedIn page. While sharing valuable content is a great way to establish yourself as an authority in your industry, oversharing can come across as spammy and overwhelming to your followers.
2. Don’t use automated messages. Automated messages or excessive connection requests can be a huge turn-off for potential customers. Instead, take the time to personalize your messages for the best prospective clients. Mention something specific about their profile or business that caught your attention, and explain why you want to connect and how you can help them.
3. Don’t be too “salesy” with your messaging. LinkedIn is a professional networking platform, so maintain a professional tone in your messaging. Focus on providing value and building relationships, and avoid being too pushy or salesy, as that can irritate and repel potential leads.

Summing Up

By following the dos and don’ts outlined in this article and taking inspiration from successful competitor campaigns, you can now create a powerful LinkedIn lead-generation strategy for your business. This will help you grow your network, establish yourself as an authority in your industry, and generate new business opportunities.

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to create an impactful profile and chalk out a strategic and personalized approach to acquire the leads your business deserves from LinkedIn organically. All the best!