/Businesses Need to Rethink LinkedIn Lead Generation Strategy, Expert Advises
– Social selling expert Dean Seddon emphasizes clarity in sales strategy is crucial for lead generation on LinkedIn.
– He identifies content, newsletters, and events as the key components of an effective lead generation system.
– Unrealistic expectations about immediate results can hinder businesses from leveraging LinkedIn effectively.
– Consistency in messaging and follow-up conversations are essential in nurturing leads over time.
Businesses struggling to generate leads from LinkedIn may be misdirecting their focus, according to social selling expert Dean Seddon. He asserts that consistent lead generation hinges on three main components: content, newsletters, and events, all centered around a clear commercial proposition.
Speaking on the matter, Seddon, the founder of the social selling training company Maverrik, advises businesses to shift their perspective away from blaming the LinkedIn algorithm. “The three big reasons people don’t get leads on LinkedIn are that they’re unfocused on what they’re selling, unfocused on who would buy it and unfocused on why,” he said. “It is rarely the algorithm.”
Many businesses post frequently on LinkedIn, hoping to see leads materialize, but Seddon warns that without a cohesive strategy linking all efforts to a commercial objective, companies risk generating activity without cultivating real demand. “You can post five times a week, grow your network and spend hours on LinkedIn, but if all of those activities aren’t connected to the same commercial objective, you’re creating activity rather than creating demand.”
Another consideration is that visibility does not automatically translate into sales. Seddon suggests businesses should answer four essential questions to ground their approach: What are we selling? Who is going to pay for it? Why will they pay for it? How much will they pay? Answers to these questions should guide everything, from the profiles salespeople manage to their content strategies and follow-up interactions.
Seddon advocates for a three-pronged approach to LinkedIn lead generation:
1. **Content**: Instead of seeking viral posts, businesses should focus on consistently delivering valuable content that speaks to the challenges and desired outcomes of their ideal clients. “People put enormous pressure on individual LinkedIn posts,” he said. “The objective is to consistently talk about the things your potential clients care about so that when they have that problem, they associate you with solving it.”
2. **LinkedIn newsletters**: Seddon notes that newsletters provide an opportunity to build a dedicated audience that can receive notifications of new editions. He sees newsletters as valuable touchpoints that can foster meaningful conversations with subscribers, leading to potential business opportunities.
3. **LinkedIn events**: Hosting regular events can help nurture leads. Seddon highlights that consistent engagement over time is more fruitful than relying on singular events to drive immediate sales. “It’s not about one event. It’s about rhythm,” he explained, noting that many leads come from those who attend multiple events.
Seddon urges businesses to avoid immediately pitching services to those who express interest through engagement, focusing instead on relationship-building through conversations. “Social selling doesn’t mean waiting around hoping somebody eventually sends you a message asking to buy,” he commented. He emphasizes the importance of asking questions and understanding potential clients’ needs before discussing sales opportunities.
He also cautions against unrealistic expectations regarding the speed of revenue generation from LinkedIn. Allowing between 90 and 180 days for a cohesive strategy to yield results is vital, as leads often develop over time rather than instantaneously. “Inbound leads very rarely happen because somebody saw you once,” said Seddon.
Overall, he encourages businesses to embrace a systematic approach to LinkedIn that prioritizes meaningful conversations and measurable outcomes over superficial metrics. “If you know what you’re selling, understand why somebody would buy it, and consistently create content, conversations, and opportunities around that problem, you don’t need another hack,” he concluded.
