Let Me Prove It: LinkedIn is Still the Best Place to Find Clients

Skeptical about LinkedIn? I get it. Your inbox gets tons of messages and you don’t want to add the same content that already exists out there. Or maybe the thought of publishing content to LinkedIn just feels “icky” to you.

But, it’s a gold mine. It is still the best place to find your next client and create a sustainable pipeline. Skeptical? We hear you. But give me a chance to prove it.

We Hear Your Concerns About LinkedIn

Many people think LinkedIn is just a sea of spammy messages and self-promotion. Common complaints include:

Flooded inboxes: “My inbox is flooded with a bunch of BS messages that don’t actually work.”

Reluctance to self-promote: “I don’t want to write content because I don’t want to self-promote. It feels gross.”

Let's address these issues:

Inbox Flooded with Poor Messages:

Yes, many LinkedIn inboxes are full of notes, but 95% of these are poorly crafted messages that don’t hit on pain points and further, these messages are all about the sender. Nobody responds to these. However, quality messages that do hit on pain points and are all about the receiver do work. For example, I found my business coach through a cold LinkedIn DM, which was well-crafted and addressed my needs.

Reluctance to Self-Promote:

Many people feel they don’t have anything unique to add to LinkedIn. This is an imposter syndrome mindset. Nobody has your unique set of experiences, and your unique perspective is valuable. Your wins, your learnings, your mistakes, and your insights are different than everyone else’s. Even short, informal posts can spark engagement and build trust.

Now, Here’s Why You Should Use LinkedIn:

Existing Audience:

You likely already have an audience on LinkedIn. Even if you only have 500 to 1,500 followers, that’s significant. Your LinkedIn profile probably gets dozens of hits every week. Imagine starting a business and having a website that gets consistent traffic—it’s a gold mine.

Daily Profile Views:

Posting regularly can significantly increase your profile views. For example, I post every day, five to six days a week, and my profile gets about 250 to 350 views weekly. This visibility acts as a secondary landing page for your business.

LinkedIn’s Unique Features:

LinkedIn stands out from other social media platforms in several ways:

Proactive Follower Addition:

LinkedIn is the only social media platform where you can proactively add new followers. When you connect with someone and they accept, they automatically become your follower. This ensures your content appears in their feed, unlike platforms like Instagram or Twitter where following doesn’t guarantee a follow-back.

Easy Network Growth:

You can add 50 to 100 new connections each week on LinkedIn, and depending on your account, maybe even more. With a 30-40% acceptance rate, you’ll be adding 30 to 40 new followers weekly. Over a year, this can amount to over 1,500 new followers, significantly growing your network and professional reach! Further, this will benefit you professionally forever by having a larger network.

Optimizing Your LinkedIn Strategy

Have we convinced you? Good. Now, what to actually do on LinkedIn:

Identify Your Ideal Client Profile:

Determine the types of companies and decision-makers that would benefit most from your services. Example: “I’m best fit for companies with 30 to 100 employees in the B2B SaaS space, targeting owners, founders, partners, COOs, and CEOs.”

Use Tools and Resources:

Utilize tools like Mylance’s lead list or Sales Navigator to compile a list of potential connections. Consider using automation tools like Expandi or hiring a VA to help with connection requests.

Craft Effective Connection Requests:

Ready to take action? Here's a two-pronged approach:

1. Expand Your Network

• Identify Your Target Audience: Clearly define your ideal client profile. Who are you trying to reach? What are their challenges and pain points?
• Build a Targeted List: Use LinkedIn's search features to find decision-makers in your target industry.
• Craft Compelling Connection Requests: Personalize your connection requests to show genuine interest in the other person.
• Follow Up with Value: After connecting, send a follow-up message that offers value, such as a relevant article or a helpful tip.

When you follow up after you connect, you can write a simple, soft introduction: “Hey, I’m Bradley. I publish content here on LinkedIn and would love any feedback you have on it. Would love to connect and stay in touch.” 

Alternatively, use a slightly more direct approach:

“Hey, I’m Bradley. Pleasure to meet you!

Wanted to ask - how are your marketing efforts going? Are you personally managing a lot of the efforts or do you have someone else leading the charge?

As some quick background on myself, I’m a fractional CMO that works with founders like yourself. My priority is to be surgical with your marketing efforts, and leverage your current resources to maximize your reach.

I’m also here to remove marketing workload off a busy founder’s shoulders. ;)

Open to connecting sometime?"

This message hits on my pain points as a founder without a marketing lead, and clearly communicates his value-add. I did take his call!

2. Create Valuable Content

• Share Your Expertise: Offer insights into your industry, share your experiences, and provide practical advice.
• Be Consistent: Regular posting keeps you top-of-mind with your audience. Aim for at least 2-3 posts per week.
• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and messages. Building relationships is key to LinkedIn success.
• Use Visuals: Images and videos can increase engagement.

Remember, the goal isn't to be perfect. It's to be consistent. Even if your content isn't viral, it's still reaching your target audience and building your brand.

Overcoming Obstacles

You might encounter challenges along the way. Here are some tips:

• Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help: There are countless resources available to help you with LinkedIn, including online courses, coaching, and communities.
• Measure Your Results: Track your engagement metrics, lead generation, and client acquisition to measure your success.
• Adapt Your Strategy: What works for one person might not work for another. Be willing to experiment and adjust your approach as needed.

By implementing these strategies and overcoming challenges, you'll increase your visibility, attract qualified leads, and ultimately grow your fractional business.

Remember: LinkedIn is a long-term investment. Be patient, persistent, and consistent. The rewards will be worth it.

Final Thoughts

LinkedIn is still the best place for fractional executives and consultants to grow your business. By adding decision-makers as connections and sharing thought leadership content, you can significantly increase your profile views and generate new client sales calls from your LinkedIn activity.

That’s all for today! Hope you found value in this article. 

Mylance

This value-added article was written by Mylance. Mylance takes your marketing completely off your hands. We build the marketing machine that your Fractional Business needs, but you don't have time to run. So it operates daily, growing your brand, completely done for you.

Instead of dangling numbers in front of you, our approach focuses on precise and thoughtful input: targeted outreach to the right decision makers, compelling messaging that resonates, and content creation that establishes trust and legitimacy.

To apply for access, submit an application and we'll evaluate your fit for the service. If you’re not ready for lead generation, we also have a free, vetted community for top fractional talent that includes workshops, a rates database, networking, and a lot of free resources to support your fractional business.