LinkedIn Prospecting Tip: Using LinkedIn Messaging

LinkedIn recently added some functionality into their messaging functionality that will allow you to dramatically increase your likelihood of booking more meetings and closing more business.

What LinkedIn has now included is the ability to look at a 2nd level connections profile and see who the are connected to that you are connected to.

Why is this important? It will allow you the ability to leverage your first level connections to make introductions into second level connections. This is the ultimate referral process.

If you are not using referrals to grow your business, then look at these statistics and see if it will change your mind.

?   According to WOMA - only 11% of sales people have a formalized referral process

?   Referrals account for 65% of all sales

?   Referrals generate 14% more revenue

?   Close at double the normal Close rate

?   Close in 1/4 of the time

When you add all of these factors together then you can gain a 120 times higher sales rate compared to other sales people

How to use the 2nd Level Connection Functionality in LinkedIn

Here is the process that you can use to get referrals through LinkedIn’s new messaging functionality:

1. Use the search bar in the upper left hand corner and type in a name, company or title - You will be taken to a LinkedIn results page

2. You can do some further refining by searching on the different parameters like company, title, location, etc. by using the different options available on the right hand side of the search results

3. When you see someone of interst - Click on their profile

4. Click on the Messaging window in the lower right hand side

5. Look at the “Connections to PERSONS NAME” and Click on “View All” if you have more than 2 connections - This will bring up a list of all the connections that you share with that person

6. Click on your first level connection that you want to get an introduction from and a message will pop up

7. Send them a message asking for an introduction - See the message I use below.

Message to Use:

Hello FIRST NAME,

I hope all is well. I was hoping you could help me out.

I am taking a new XXX solution to different companies right now and I was hoping that you can help me out by making an introduction to PERSON from XYZ Co. I see that you are connected to them on LinkedIn.

My solution helps companies like XYZ Co by doing (Insert Benefit).

Do you know “PERSON YOU WANT TO BE CONNECTED WITH” well enough to introduce me?

If so, here is an intro you can use:

Subject Line - 

Introduction to Chris Hamilton

Email Body - 

Hello XXX, 

A friend of mine reached out to me to see if I could introduce the two of you.

His name is Chris Hamilton and I have known him for a while.

Chris helps companies (REDUCE COSTS / INCREASE REVENUE / ETC) with PRODUCT OR SERVICE.  

He tells me that companies can typically INCREASE REVENUE by XX% or REDUCE COSTS by XX%.

He was hoping to get introduced to you and I wanted to check with you first before connecting the 2 of you.

Do you mind if I connect the 2 of you?

Regards,

XXX

My Results Using This Process

Typically I am getting up to a 40% response rate from the people that I ask for a connection request from. Of those I am seeing about a 50% acceptance rate or about 20% overall.

This is amazing considering that success rates from cold calling is often 2% or less.

I find that you get better results if you send an email to a person directly. 

You can find your connections email address by clicking on their profile and clicking on the “Show More” link under “Contact and Personal Info”. You will see your contacts email address there.

#marketing #linkedin #sales