The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn Search: 7 Hacks to Find Prospects
Numerous effective methods exist for identifying high-quality potential clients on LinkedIn.
However, it appears that these days, everyone is employing identical outreach strategies on the platform.
If you’ve ever had a salesperson reach out to you claiming to have found your profile in a LinkedIn group, only to immediately try to sell you something, then you understand what I’m referring to.
Let me clarify. Utilizing LinkedIn groups to discover potential leads is an effective strategy for generating leads.
We have experimented with this approach and have had a moderate to high success rate in finding leads. However, nowadays people are quick to recognize a sales pitch.
If you are looking for fresh techniques to find your best potential customers on LinkedIn, you are in the right spot.
We will discuss lesser-known strategies that are not utilized to their full potential. It is likely that your competitors are not using them either, and you can employ these tactics to find highly qualified leads.
Here are some lesser-known strategies for finding people on LinkedIn:
- Explore “People also viewed”
- Check your competitors’ networks
- Endorsements for specific skills
- Check who commented on relevant content
- Look at user interactions
- Set up a search alert using Sales Navigator
- Company-specific hashtags
Are you ready? Let’s dive straight in!
1. Explore “People also viewed”
Starting with this useful trick, you can easily discover potential prospects and leads by simply clicking on the majority of profiles. Yet, it is commonly overlooked by most individuals.
Visit any LinkedIn profile and look at the ‘People also viewed’ section on the right side. Expand the list of potential prospects by clicking on ‘Show more’. This is an extremely uncomplicated LinkedIn tactic, but it’s a great way to start if you are unfamiliar with your prospects.
You can utilize this method to uncover leads, potential clients, business proprietors, freelancers, and more. So, even if you are searching for a specific SaaS solution for growth hacking, all you need to do is click on a person’s profile. Then, LinkedIn will automatically generate a list of relevant prospects on the right side of their profile.
It would be best if the person whose profile you are viewing closely matches your ideal candidate, so that your search results will show the exact individuals you are seeking!
Please note that some users have enabled the ‘People also viewed’ privacy option in their settings. While not all profiles will have this section, you can still check as it will only take less than a minute.
2. Check your competitors’ networks
Do you have a keen eye on what your competitors are up to? Knowing your competitors can present several chances for growth and success.
For instance, by examining their advertising approach, you can identify areas they overlook and incorporate them into your own strategy. By filling these gaps, you can meet the needs of your customers.
Furthermore, studying your competitors can lead to discovering new prospects and opportunities. Here’s how you can explore your competitors’ connections and identify high-quality leads to engage with:
Set Your Profile to Private Mode
Before diving into your rivals’ networks, make sure not to leave any trace behind. Your goal is to avoid appearing in their “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” section and tipping them off that you were snooping around.
To achieve this, adjust your Profile Viewing Options: Simply click on your profile picture at the top right and navigate to “Settings & Privacy”. Look for the “Visibility” tab on the left and then select “Profile Viewing Options”.
You will see screen that looks like the following:
Decide how you want your profile to appear – either as an “Anonymous LinkedIn Member” or “Someone at”. The “at” will typically be your University.
Now you can begin exploring the networks of your competitors!
Check out their profile
Prior to examining the individual members of their network, it may be beneficial to analyze the newsfeed content of your competitors.
- Are there any intriguing content concepts that can serve as a source of inspiration?
- What projects are they currently involved in?
- Are they running an engaging campaign?
- Are there any industry events they are hosting or attending that you should take note of?
- What kind of results are they achieving?
- Are their posts generating a high level of engagement?
Consider these questions and strive to gain a better understanding of their approach to LinkedIn strategy. It’s possible they are employing a different approach that you had not considered before to connect with and find prospects on LinkedIn!
Look through their connections
It’s quite simple to browse through someone’s connections – just a click away! Underneath their profile photo, you’ll find the count of their connections. Click on that count and you’ll be taken there.
However, the greatest advantage of this method is that once you access their connections, you will have access to the same filters and options available in LinkedIn Advanced Search. By clicking on “All filters”, you can pinpoint the specific prospects you are seeking.
This feature can be incredibly valuable if the rival you are investigating has a vast network consisting of thousands of individuals.
By narrowing down these search results, you will be able to save a significant amount of time.
You have the ability to personalize almost every aspect including education, current company, and areas of interest. You can also input your own keywords to locate individuals with specific criteria, similar to the Advanced Search feature on LinkedIn.
However, obtaining these outcomes is just the initial phase – now is the moment to begin seeking potential clients with Salesloop!
In your message to connect, be sure to note that you are in the same field as your competitor, as your prospect is already acquainted with it.
3. Endorsements for specific skills
Endorsements for skills may not seem like a fruitful source of leads, but you would be mistaken – there is value to be uncovered here!
The fact is, only active users on LinkedIn can endorse skills. What does this mean?
When you review the endorsed skills of your competitors or connections, you will come across active users. These are individuals who use LinkedIn regularly, participate in discussions, and may be open to hearing about your offerings. They can be the qualified prospects you are seeking to find.
And, if you approach this in the right way and connect with those relevant to your industry, you may discover some high-quality leads! Simply go to the profile of the person whose endorsements you want to examine, scroll down to endorsements, and you will see this:
Notice how we selected a not so popular LinkedIn profile, however, even here you can see skills endorsements. The most exciting part is that by clicking on any of the numbers, a new window appears with a list of individuals who have endorsed these skills. This could exceed hundreds, in our case it is 3!
4. Check who commented on relevant content
Assessing the pages of your competitors may once again prove to be beneficial in this regard. However, a more successful approach could involve identifying an influential figure in your industry with a large following and examining their posts.
It is likely that they will have numerous comments from individuals who are actively interested in the subject matter.
Navigate to “See all activity” and choose “Posts” at the top of the screen to view the content shared by the influencer/prospect you have selected. Click on “comments” beneath any of their posts to discover numerous potential leads!
5. Look at user interactions
If you consistently share content (which we always recommend), it’s likely that you have a large number of people engaging with your posts.
If you’re not receiving interactions, you can improve your content strategy or consider utilizing LinkedIn advertising – but let’s not get distracted.
So, how can you take advantage of these interactions and convert them into valuable leads? You can do this manually: set aside time each day to review your profile and see if there are any new engaged users.
6. Set up a search alert using Sales Navigator
Are you interested in learning how to find individuals on LinkedIn without any physical effort? Setting up a search alert in Sales Navigator could be the solution you’re seeking to find the leads.
One of our favorite activities is setting up search alerts to receive new leads while we’re busy with other tasks or even asleep!
It’s easy:
- Log into your Sales Navigator
- Use the Advanced search to identify potential prospects – experiment with different options!
- Select the “Save search” option located in the top right corner of your screen
- Assign a name to your search and, in the “Alert” section, specify how frequently you want to receive notifications for new results related to that search.
By doing this, you’ll ensure a continuous stream of new leads that closely match your specified criteria.
7. Follow company-specific hashtags
Are there any companies that you follow on LinkedIn for their content?
Even if you’re not personally interested in a company, there are still advantages to following their updates. How so? By connecting with individuals who share an interest in the company’s message.
We’re not just talking about their existing followers – you can also find people who are interested in similar content but haven’t necessarily followed the company.
This can be achieved by tracking hashtags. Take a look at the company’s page and see if they have specific hashtags that they consistently use. Click on these hashtags and start following them!
You will have immediate access to content from your specific industry and individuals who share an interest in these subjects.
FAQs to find relevant prospects and leads
Q: What is LinkedIn prospecting?
A: LinkedIn prospecting is the process of using the professional networking platform to identify and connect with potential leads and prospects for business purposes.
Q: How can I use LinkedIn to find prospects?
A: You can use LinkedIn search, LinkedIn groups, and LinkedIn events to find prospects. Additionally, using LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help you to filter and identify potential leads more effectively.
Q: What are some practical hacks for using LinkedIn to find prospects?
A: Some practical hacks include optimizing your LinkedIn profile, using Boolean search operators, leveraging LinkedIn posts and messages, and actively participating in relevant LinkedIn groups and events.
Q: How can I optimize my LinkedIn profile for prospecting?
A: To optimize your LinkedIn profile for prospecting, ensure that it is complete and engaging, use relevant keywords, showcase your expertise, and engage in sharing valuable content related to your industry or expertise.
Q: What are some effective ways to find prospects on specific LinkedIn events?
A: You can find prospects on specific LinkedIn events by actively engaging with participants, leveraging event-specific hashtags and discussions, and using the opportunity to connect with relevant individuals during or after the event.
Q: How can LinkedIn groups help me find relevant prospects?
A: LinkedIn groups can help you find relevant prospects by allowing you to connect and engage with individuals who share similar professional interests, industry affiliations, or job roles, thus making it easier to identify potential leads.
Q: What are some key practices for effective LinkedIn sales prospecting?
A: Key practices for effective LinkedIn sales prospecting include targeting specific leads, personalizing your messages, using the advanced search features, focusing on building relationships, and consistently engaging with your network.
Q: What is the role of Boolean search in LinkedIn prospecting?
A: Boolean search operators can be used on LinkedIn to refine and narrow down search results based on specific criteria, such as job titles, company names, or skills, thereby allowing you to find more targeted prospects.
Q: How can LinkedIn messages help in prospecting efforts?
A: LinkedIn messages can help in prospecting efforts by allowing you to directly communicate with potential leads, send personalized messages, and initiate conversations that can lead to building relationships and converting prospects into clients or partners.
Q: How can I find and optimize my lead list using LinkedIn?
A: You can find and optimize your lead list using LinkedIn by using filters and search criteria to identify potential leads, regularly updating and refining your list, and using the insights gained from prospecting to continuously improve and optimize your lead list.
Q: How can sales reps use LinkedIn search engine to find b2b sales prospects?
A: Sales reps can use LinkedIn’s search engine to find b2b sales prospects by using specific keywords related to their industry, targeting specific job titles and company sizes, and utilizing advanced filters to narrow down their search results.
Q: What are some tips for finding the exact prospects on LinkedIn for social selling?
A: To find the exact prospects on LinkedIn for social selling, it’s important to use advanced search filters, target prospects who are active on LinkedIn, and use LinkedIn groups to find relevant people who fit your ideal customer profile.
Q: How can LinkedIn search help in the prospecting process if you don’t know your prospects well?
A: LinkedIn search can help if you don’t know your prospects well by allowing you to find out what they’re interested in, what they post on LinkedIn, and what groups they’re part of. This information can help you personalize your outreach and establish common ground with prospects.
