With more than 875 million users and roughly 60 million company profiles, LinkedIn is the world’s largest online network for professionals. At its heart, the platform allows individuals to discover employment opportunities and grow their professional networks.

But it’s not just a tool for personal gain. LinkedIn is a powerful resource for businesses to build their brand and uncover potential customers. Of the platform’s 875 million-plus users, research suggests around 65 million of them are major decision-makers within their companies. So, if you’re looking to find new customers, LinkedIn is the perfect place to start. And we have four solid tips to help your business stand out.

Your LinkedIn profile offers prime real estate. It provides a golden opportunity to attract customers’ attention and make an excellent first impression. Depending on your role and influence within your company, both your business page and individual page should be optimised to take full advantage of the sales opportunities they provide. Where to start? The first step with either profile is to deliver the basic info as well as upload high quality imagery and graphics.

For a business page, it’s a striking cover photo and company logo. In the case of a personal profile, you’re aiming to provide a headshot along with a supporting background graphic – ideally connected with your company. Now it’s time to get creative. The ‘Overview’ section is the spot to sell your business. On a personal page, it’s the ‘About’ section in which you have the chance to ‘sell’ your individual expertise while weaving in relevant info that promotes your brand’s products and/or services – without being too salesy. What makes a good LinkedIn profile? Well, let’s hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. See a summary of LinkedIn’s favourite small business pages as well as personal profiles that it loves. In short, your business and individual profile should convey personality, authenticity, and highlight your brand’s unique selling point or competitive offering that is superior to your competitors, in the eyes of customers.

Once your eye-catching profile is live, it’s time to start hunting for prospects. Do you have clear buyer personas? They’re incredibly helpful to direct your lead-generation efforts. When you deeply understand your customers, their challenges, and why you make their life better, it’s easier to connect with them in the right voice. Nailing the voice of the customer is like using a magnet to attract your target audience and instantly showing that you understand them.

In case they’re not flocking in droves, try leveraging advanced search techniques. They’re an effective way to uncover the right professionals and companies that can keep your pipeline full of prospects. It all starts with a connection request, so be sure to craft something punchy and powerful to maximise acceptance rates. Work that 300-character limit to leave a lasting impression and help carry the conversation forward. If you’re looking to boost your exposure, consider LinkedIn advertising. With a wealth of great targeting options, finding the right audience is never more than a few clicks away. Ads can be tailored to suit specific job titles, industries, and locations, so you can be seen by the audience you desire.

Once you’ve made those connections, it’s time to start engaging with them. Have you planned a messaging sequence to create an easy flow of conversation? Try including questions to gain insight into your new acquaintances and assess their appetite for your services. You can also share relevant information and offer ways for them to gain more information by including a direct call-to-action. Don’t forget to join the conversation! Comment on others’ posts and interact with users to establish and grow your network and build rapport.

Join relevant industry groups or find out where your prospects ‘hang out’, so you can learn more about their world. Don’t forget to post to your own profile/s on a regular basis. Here you can share topical news and insights, educational content, or free resources that demonstrate your subject authority and engage your ideal customers – with the aim that they’ll keep coming back for more. Time-saving tip: Create a post on your business page and then repost it on your personal page or vice versa.

There is a serious science to using LinkedIn as part of your marketing strategy to achieve growth. After all, marketing relies on attracting an audience to help build that pipeline. It’s a great platform to expand your professional reach, share your wealth of industry knowledge, and spark conversations that lead to amazing outcomes.

Doing it right means harnessing the chance to showcase your offering, build your networks, uncover prospects, meet new people, learn new ideas, and stay up-to-date with the world around you. Showing up professionally on LinkedIn gives you an opportunity to be a part of the action. And like all things in life, you get back what you put in. Participating, connecting, and sharing are all habits that will increase brand awareness and build the top of the funnel. More leads mean more growth potential for your business.

If you’re curious about leveraging LinkedIn for growth, we can help. Drop us a line at hello@huntandhawk.com to get started. We’ll help you build your profile, expand your network, and generate leads.

While you’re at it, follow the team at Hunt & Hawk on LinkedIn.