LinkedIn is one of the world's most popular social networking sites and provides users with an opportunity to network with members of various industries and professions.
In addition to its value to member recruitment and professional development, LinkedIn gives investors a unique window into companies that they might not otherwise be able to inspect.
For entrepreneurs, marketers, and other professionals who want to leverage the power of LinkedIn for networking, engagement, and return on investment (ROI), here are a few reasons why LinkedIn outreach is a worthwhile use of your time.
Advanced Profile Strategies
LinkedIn is no longer just a way to connect with others in your industry - it’s also an important step in helping your business grow.
Potential investors are looking at a lot more than just your business when making investment decisions, and it pays to be able to present yourself in the best light possible.
Profile Strategy #1: Ensure Your Page is Optimized
Let's take a look at the fundamentals of optimization.
Optimization should be simple and straightforward. First and foremost, your profile should be completely up to date. You should be adding links to new assets and developing deep relationships with influential people in your industry.
Prove that you can provide value for them by adding relevant details like links to blog posts, social media posts, reviews, on topics that interest you and align with the type of entrepreneur you are.
Profile Strategy #2: Create a Personal Brand Around Thought Leadership
There are countless ways you can tap into the wisdom of the crowds. One of the easiest ways to do this is to create a personal brand around thought leadership. Think of your brand as an ambassador for your industry. You’re going to be sending out content that addresses and builds on the interests of your target audience, while also helping educate people about topics relevant to their own business or hobby.
This kind of content can be extremely powerful for building trust in your brand as well as gaining new fans who are eager to learn more about your expertise through related topics.
Profile Strategy #3: Leverage LinkedIn’s Upcoming Features
LinkedIn has released some great features recently that can affect the way your company’s brand is perceived. Utilizing these features can be very useful for finding new connections or getting to know someone better.
As a business, this gives you an edge in how your business appears in search results to new connections and potential investors.
Profile Strategy #4: Be Social and Engage with Users
The use of LinkedIn as a platform for networking and building your brand has become an integral part of building your brand.
Think of LinkedIn as an extension of yourself, rather than just a place to share links. Use it’s platform to connect in a more personal way to have engaged connections and ultimately gain more exposure on your projects.
Profile Strategy #5: Give Recommendations
The simplest form of referral is a recommendation from someone who has had some experience working with you. Many founders and employees are successful because of their recommendation system on LinkedIn.
Reviews and recommendations help build a relationship of trust that will benefit both you and your potential investor!
Advanced Outreach Strategies
Investing in startups is about finding people who share your interests, values, and lifestyle. The more people that know you and share your spirit, the easier it is for someone to get inspired and want to help you get this thing going. When you find these people, reach out and let them know about the idea for your startup.
Advanced outreach is best done through creating a list of the people you want to reach out to. Then, creating a messaging flow where you can automatically reach out to these people based on their interest level, etc. You need to make sure your message is action oriented and encourages your prospects to take an action it leads them towards (investing, converting, etc.). This will help you determine the best way to approach each person on your list.
LinkedIn has millions of members around the world, so it’s easy to find potential partners, investors, and co-founders from around the world.
The investing community on LinkedIn is one of the fastest-growing sectors. Whether you’re an investor looking to get in on the ground floor of a new company or a startup looking to attract outside capital, LinkedIn can be used to generate leads and connect people in ways that traditional forms of outreach cannot.
If you’re interested in making an impact in your next venture, then it’s time to start networking!
Watch the full webinar with our CEO Jason Fishman, and our Head of Business Development, Danny Shapouri here.