Business-to-business relationships are often based on word-of-mouth, reputation, and trust. Your peers are there in good numbers, wearing sharp suits, sipping hot coffee, and exchanging business cards. However, in the midst of all this, how do you know who the right people are to connect with for your business? That’s where LinkedIn comes into the scene.
LinkedIn, the search engine of the business world, is a popular social media platform providing a digital space for thousands of connections to build professional relationships. It boosts professional presence and allows you to target your audience specifically, filtering for you the right people to strike up conversations with.
But does it help with lead generation? If yes, how can you make it work for you? Let’s find out.
LinkedIn: A platform that B2B marketers trust
The 2024 B2B Brand and Communications Survey by Forrester covered around 100 marketers from B2B companies. It found LinkedIn as the unrivalled leader so far as establishing connections between different players of the B2B segment was concerned. Almost all the marketers covered in the survey mentioned that they have an official handle for their organisation on the platform, in addition to their handles.
Almost 87% of these marketers mentioned that they have paid relationships with the brand, indicating LinkedIn’s prowess in driving business for the individual brands. 89% of business-to-business marketers are actively using LinkedIn for lead generation. 62% of these people affirm that it is effective for lead generation.
Does LinkedIn really work as a lead source in India?
Yes, it does. However, leveraging it is not that easy, and certainly requires effort. According to the above data, nearly nine out of ten B2B marketers utilise LinkedIn for lead generation. HubSpot reports that LinkedIn is 277% more effective in generating leads compared to other social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
Let’s understand what makes LinkedIn the top platform for generating B2B leads in India.
As of September 2024, there were approximately 142.4 million LinkedIn users in India. Most members were within the 25-34 age group, representing approximately 9.7% of the country's total population, comprising a significant portion of small business owners, startup entrepreneurs, decision-makers, senior management, business leaders, and professionals.
This percentage reflected a set of the most active users, seeking solutions to their business problems. Hence, if you are in the business of selling products and services that can help these individuals solve their technology, marketing, consulting, fintech, education, training, or manufacturing-related problems, LinkedIn would surely be your best bet.
What you post or share on LinkedIn can become the base for conversations with connections or prospective buyers. It's like being present at a networking event and yet remaining silent, letting your posts and shares do the talking for you. The art of generating leads on LinkedIn should not revolve around vanity metrics. It will not get you anywhere. You will need to offer genuine and valuable insights that catch the attention of your connections. You must showcase domain authority to build credibility. And, you have to keep doing that consistently.
Don’t expect instant leads. It is a gradual process of creating an environment that allows leads or prospective buyers to flow in organically. Of course, with LinkedIn ads and paid strategies, you can boost the flow with inorganic traffic.
How to leverage LinkedIn for B2B lead generation?
LinkedIn, in plain language, is to remain linked or connected for professional conversations. Let's see how to utilise it for B2B lead generation.
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Optimise your business and personal profile
Whether it's your business or personal profile, you need to ensure that it accurately describes you. However, remember that it is not your biography, but a pitch.
Tips to make your pitch work
- Complete the profile. Incomplete profiles denote a lack of professionalism.
- No autogenerated URLs. Create a custom URL that showcases the brand.
- Make your headline benefit-driven. For example, “Helping SMEs automate finances with simple tools.”
- Complete the About Us section. Keep it factual and real.
- Optimise with the right keywords in the Specialities and Overview Section. Remember, LinkedIn is like a search engine.
- Highlight the hero offerings- products and services.
- Feature credible recommendations, testimonials, and reviews. This is for impressing your B2B buyers.
- Write an engaging summary that showcases what you solve, not just what you do.
- Add relevant experience and featured posts.
- Ensure the People section is complete so that prospective leads know whom to get in touch with.
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Build a laser-focused network
Don’t just connect with anyone and everyone on LinkedIn. Go slow and focus on targeted connections.
Target:
- Decision-makers (CXOs, Heads of Departments)
- Business owners in your niche.
- Mutual connections with potential value.
For this, you need to:
- Identify the right people. Use LinkedIn’s search filters or Sales Navigator to find these people.
- Don’t simply send a connection request. Personalise it.
- Don’t overdo. Be professional and relevant.
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Post content that speaks to your audience
Ensure your posts provide value to the reader. Content is where trust is built.
- Share bite-sized tips relevant to your industry.
- Solve problems or give solutions to challenges.
- No generic messages. Ensure your messages are authentic and genuine.
- Tell stories of how you helped a client (without overselling).
- Comment on industry news and trends. Don’t be scared to express your thoughts.
- Choose the right time to post. Tuesdays to Thursdays are the right days. Early mornings, mid-mornings, and early afternoons are the most productive times for posting.
Consistency matters more than perfection. Even two posts a week can make a difference.
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Engage, engage, and engage
Imagine someone waving at you daily and never stopping to chat. It can be quite annoying at times. This mistake should not be repeated on LinkedIn.
The focus must be on engagement, not just posting.
- Like and comment on other posts.
- Respond to comments on your posts.
- Join relevant LinkedIn groups and participate.
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Establish your brand/business as a thought leader
Thought leadership works well on LinkedIn. Decision-makers tend to believe opinions and ideas expressed by such leaders. How can you do this?
- Share insights and expert opinions on industry-related matters.
- Initiate conversations on topics of mutual interest.
- Keep posting authoritative-quality content.
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Use the power of DMs
Direct messages are powerful when done right. Avoid generic sales pitches.
Try this:
- Mention a common interest or connection.
- Highlight a challenge the potential lead might be facing.
- Offer a free insight or ask if they’d be open to a quick chat.
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Use LinkedIn tools smartly
Use a few built-in tools on LinkedIn that can give you an edge.
For example -
- LinkedIn sales navigator - Allows you to filter leads by company size, industry, seniority, and more.
- LinkedIn analytics - Helps track profile views, post engagement, and optimise your approach.
- Lead gen forms - For those running ads, these let you collect leads without sending people off-platform.
LinkedIn isn’t just another social media channel; it’s your digital business lounge. However, don’t treat it like a vending machine where you push a few buttons and expect leads to fall into your lap. Building real influence, trust, and meaningful conversations takes time, patience, and consistency.
Whether you are a startup founder or a marketing head, your success on LinkedIn lies in showing up as a problem-solver, not just a seller. Keep your profile sharp, your content insightful, your outreach warm, and your intent genuine. Focus on nurturing relationships, not just extracting leads.
When done right, LinkedIn doesn’t just help you find leads, it helps the right leads find you.
