5 LinkedIn Lead Generation Tips for Business Consultants (with Examples)

Selling your business consulting services can be tough sometimes.

It’s getting harder and harder to get replies from your prospects via cold emailing or cold calling, so you have to innovate to attract more potential customers.

One way of doing this is to rely on LinkedIn, and you’re probably already using it.

But guess what? You’re probably doing it wrong.

Here are 5 tips to nail your LinkedIn lead generation.

Tip 1: Don’t use LinkedIn automation softwares

The first thing you might tell yourself as a business consultant is, "Oh, I don't have time to do everything, so let me automate LinkedIn lead generation."

On paper, it doesn’t sound bad at all.

But in practice, you should NOT use LinkedIn automation tools because:

1. It can get your LinkedIn account banned pretty easily, especially if you don’t use LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
2. People are used to automated messages now; it’s not 2015 anymore. You will get ghosted and ruin your reputation as a business consultant.
3. You usually don’t even know how to make it work manually, so starting with automation will get you bad results because you don’t know what works first.
4. One example of not using automation software would be to manually select leads that you want to connect with so that you don’t build the wrong audience.

Tip 2: Engage before reaching out to prospects

You need to like AND comment on the LinkedIn posts of your prospects before reaching out.

Commenting is very important because you’ll stand out from the crowd quickly. Take the time to comment before sending a connection request (1), before your first message (2), and before a LinkedIn message follow-up (3).

Here’s some examples:

1. Before Connection Request: Like and comment on their post. For example, "Great insights on market trends, Jane! Looking forward to connecting."
2. Before First Message: Engage again. "I loved your recent post about leadership, Jane. It really resonated with me."

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3. Before Follow-Up Message: Stay active. "Your latest article on innovation was spot on, Jane. Thanks for sharing such valuable content."

TIP 3: Improve your Linkedin inbox management system

The LinkedIn inbox is clunky, it just is.

So, it won’t help you manage your leads correctly. You need to adopt a better LinkedIn inbox system that will allow you to manage your conversations like a champ.

That way, you’ll be able to filter your leads and segment them by priority, so you can follow up rapidly without scrolling for eternity to find the right conversation. This will help you move leads faster in your sales pipeline software and close deals much more quickly.

Here’s how to improve your LinkedIn inbox management system:

• Use Third-Party Tools: Integrate tools like CRM extensions that sync with LinkedIn to streamline your lead management.
• Create Message Templates: Save time by using templates for common messages, allowing for quick and consistent communication.
• Set Reminders: Use LinkedIn’s reminder feature or external tools to schedule follow-ups and ensure no lead falls through the cracks.
• Label Conversations: Categorise your messages by tags such as ‘hot lead,’ ‘follow-up needed,’ or ‘awaiting response’ to prioritise your actions.
• Archive and Delete: Regularly clean up your inbox by archiving or deleting old messages that are no longer relevant to keep your workspace clutter-free.

TIP 4: Use a CRM software for business consultants

Even when you’re small, every business consultant should be using CRM software. A good example of that is Breakcold Sales CRM.

This kind of CRM will help you add leads from LinkedIn with just one click. You’ll also be able to auto-sync all your LinkedIn conversations directly into the CRM. Such tools are ideal because they also integrate with email while having a CRM integration with LinkedIn.

If you’re not convinced by Breakcold, you can always look at this comparison to find the best CRM for consultants.

When it comes to Breakcold, some of their customers have experienced great success in the consulting space, as seen with Adam Judeh, who is running OPSFX, an Operations Development Consultancy.

Tip 5: Post content on LinkedIn at least 3 times a week

Finally, one of the best tips to generate leads like a true champion on LinkedIn is to post content there at least a couple of times a week.

Your goal should be to share the bottom of the funnel content (BOFU), middle of the funnel content (MOFU), and top of the funnel content (TOFU) so that you attract different types of people at various stages of their customer journey.

Here’s an example schedule for posting content:

1. Monday (TOFU): Share an industry trend or news article with your insights. For example, "Exciting times in the tech industry! Here's how AI is transforming customer service."
2. Wednesday (MOFU): Post a case study or testimonial from a satisfied client. For example, "Our client XYZ saw a 50% increase in productivity after implementing our solutions. Here’s their story."
3. Friday (BOFU): Share a product demo or a detailed blog post about your services. For example, "Discover how our new software feature can streamline your operations. Check out our latest blog post."

Posting three times a week should be a good start. Ideally, posting five times a week would be optimal to stay top of mind. As you engage with leads in the inbox, LinkedIn’s algorithm will push your posts more to them, increasing your visibility and engagement.

By consistently sharing a mix of TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU content, you'll attract and nurture leads effectively, guiding them through their customer journey and ultimately driving more conversions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, generating leads on LinkedIn is easy if you follow the basics which are posting on LinkedIn a couple of times a week (1), don’t use any LinkedIn automation tools (2) and use a CRM system (3).