How to Get Clients With LinkedIn: Lead Gen 101

Generating leads on LinkedIn seems straightforward.

Set your filtering criteria in Sales Navigator, tweak your DM pitch for each prospect, and watch your calendar fill up. Simple, right? 

This approach is a near guaranteed route to disappointment. 

Companies using LinkedIn successfully have an integrated, multifaceted strategy. One that incorporates brand building, advanced targeting, follow-ups, and more. 

Why LinkedIn Is Your Fastest Route to B2B Clients

You likely use LinkedIn on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Many businesses do the same. 

Here are three recent stats that illustrate the opportunities on LinkedIn:

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  According to Semrush, LinkedIn receives 1.4 billion monthly visits and is the 26th most popular website worldwide. 

  
  
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  The platform now has over one billion members, 60 million of them decision-makers. 

  
  
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  More B2B businesses want to invest in LinkedIn over the next year, according to research by HubSpot. 

  
  

The platform is a valuable tool for B2B and B2C companies, from startups to enterprises. It’s used for hiring, professional networking, posting content, buying, selling, and even sharing the occasional meme.

As a result, the platform stores mountains of first-party data about companies, recent updates, and employees. LinkedIn Sales Navigator, the native sales platform, allows brands to access this data using built-in filters—including industry, job title, and company size—to drive targeted outreach. 

The 7-Step LinkedIn Client Pipeline 

B2B companies looking to make a lasting impact on LinkedIn must perfect their profile, audience engagement, and outreach messaging. 

Let’s break down LinkedIn best practices, with examples and step-by-step walkthroughs. 

1. Optimize Your LinkedIn Presence

LinkedIn has a giant user base. That makes it a goldmine for leads—and a hotbed of competition.

More often than not, potential clients will check your profile to verify your legitimacy and gather more information.

Think of your profile as your LinkedIn landing page. You wouldn’t leave your website incomplete, or worse, incorrect. 

Apply the same logic to your profile. It must be engaging and persuasive. It presents an opportunity to share social proof, explain benefits, and foster stronger connections. 

With that in mind, let’s look at the key components of a LinkedIn profile and how to optimize them to attract leads. 

Create a Visually Striking Banner

When a user lands on a LinkedIn profile page, their attention is first drawn to the banner—the image strip at the top of a profile. Make the most of this space by presenting your tagline or the most important element of your value proposition and visually showcasing your brand.

A very cute (but fitting) example is Walt Disney's LinkedIn banner, which captures Disney’s ethos and accurately represents the brand and its products. 

Mark Friend, Company Director at Classroom365, has relied on LinkedIn outreach for years and has a unique perspective on the platform. For him, banners are all about framing a brand in the right way: “Our banner image shows real photos from school installations. This puts us in context from the moment someone opens the page.”

Write a Clear, Benefit-Focused Headline

Next is the headline—the text under your company name. Here, you have an opportunity to explain what you do and who it benefits. 

Notion, for example, clearly tells visitors what it does in the headline “The connected workspace for your docs, projects, knowledge, and AI.”

Media Agency Group provides another example of a benefit-focused headline: “We create campaigns that connect brands with their target audiences.”

Both examples condense the benefit into a single, easy-to-read sentence. The headlines are clear, concise, and speak to the company’s target audiences. 

Avoid the following mistakes in your headlines:

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  Long words and complex language

  
  
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  Spelling and grammatical errors

  
  
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  Corporate jargon and tech-speak

  
  

Ask yourself, “Would a layman understand what you do right away?” If not, replace technical language with simple, accessible words—“utilize” with “use” and “fabricate” with “make,” for example. 

Add Detail and Social Proof to the About Section

The About section is your chance to add detail. Use it to share your unique selling point (USP), the pain points you alleviate, and the results you've delivered. 

A mixture of social proof and data from past campaigns is usually the best formula for maximum impact. For example, you might say something along the lines of “Trusted by 15,900 brands. Last quarter, we helped a client 5x their ROI in just three months by speeding up their sales workflows.”

Keep the writing as human as possible, with specific examples rather than generalities. And don’t forget LinkedIn search optimization—tactics that push your profile for relevant queries.

Follow these profile optimization guidelines to rank higher on LinkedIn’s search results page:

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  Build more connections 

  
  
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  Write engaging, relevant posts (we’ll dive into what that means later)

  
  
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  Integrate industry keywords naturally into your headlines, About section, and content

  
  
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  Complete all the different parts of your profile 

  
  
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  Stay active and post a minimum of once a month

  
  

Lastly, at the end of your about section, include a custom URL or email address with a call to action to encourage people to visit your website or contact your team. 

Add a Professional Profile Photo

A poorly lit selfie won't cut it on LinkedIn. Capture only your face and shoulders in the image and use a simple background. You should smile or have a natural expression. 

The profile picture of Artisan’s CEO, Jasper Carmichael-Jack, is simple, professional, and distinctive. 

LinkedIn Profile Checklist

Use this simple checklist—which covers all the points outlined above—to keep your LinkedIn profile current and engaging:

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  A visually striking banner 

  
  
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  A headline that clearly states what you do

  
  
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  Recent case studies and social proof (top clients) in the About section

  
  
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  A professional photo 

  
  
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  Relevant keywords

  
  

And don’t forget to complete all sections of your profile. Nothing says unreliable like a half-finished job, and you never know how deep prospects will go. 

Automate your outbound with an AI BDR

Meet Ava—your AI BDR who handles prospecting, outreach, and follow-ups, so your team can focus on closing.

Book a Demo

2. Identify & Target Ideal Clients

If you don’t know who you’re targeting, you’re shooting in the dark, wasting time and resources chasing B2B leads who are unlikely to convert. 

There are two essential steps for connecting with your ideal customer: defining your ICP and using Sales Navigator (or the search function if you’re not on a paid plan) in the right way. 

Define Your ICPs

To define your ICPs, you need to know your target market, and its various segments, in detail. These are the companies and individuals most likely to benefit from your solution. 

Your ICPs should include the following data points: 

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  Industry

  
  
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  Company size

  
  
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  Job titles (business owners, freelancers, or CEOs) of decision makers 

  
  
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  Trigger events (funding rounds, hiring, or moving offices)

  
  
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  Tech stack

  
  
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  Location

  
  

Most companies have multiple ICPs, with a dedicated campaign for each one. It’s not uncommon to target dozens of lead lists on LinkedIn at the same time. 

Use LinkedIn Search & Sales Navigator

If you’re not on a paid plan, you can use LinkedIn’s native search to find clients. Simply type a job title and industry from your ICP into the search bar. 

For instance, a company hoping to connect with CEOs of SaaS companies would input “ceo saas” into the search bar. A list of matching results will immediately appear. 

For the most accurate search results, you can add a Boolean operator, which tells the search engine exactly what you’re looking for. 

Use these Boolean operators for fine-tuned LinkedIn searches: 

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  OR broadens the search to include either term (e.g., CEO OR SaaS)

  
  
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  NOT filters results by excluding specific keywords (e.g., CEO NOT automotive)

  
  
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  AND narrows your search to include both terms (e.g., CEO AND SaaS, as seen in the example below)

  
  

There’s also a range of filters, including degree of connection, industry, location, and service category, to eliminate poor matches. 

But this free tool is quite limited. Signing up for LinkedIn Sales Navigator gives you access to 25 advanced search filters, including job title, geography, company headcount, workflow, and recent activity. 

It saves time by helping you organize and automate LinkedIn lead generation. You can create lead lists and save searches to find them easily and set notifications for when a new lead matches your search criteria. 

3. Personalize Connection Requests & First Touch Messages

Leads are 181% more likely to accept your InMail if they already follow your brand on LinkedIn, according to the platform’s own research. 

But when it comes to asking to connect, even minor errors deter leads. To avoid a low acceptance rate, your InMails and connection request notes should be personalized. A simple reference to their latest post or mention of a shared connection is often all that’s needed. 

Let’s break down the best practices for outreach on LinkedIn. 

1. Craft a 300-character Hook for Your InMail or Connection Request Note

The hook of your InMail or connection request note is your first impression. Make it count. 

Engaging messages are empathetic rather than pushy. Busy leads—the overwhelming majority—are also put off by rambling messages. Just like with cold email outreach, the best approach is to keep your messages short, sweet, and, most importantly, relevant. 

Reference any of the following points to personalize messages:

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  A mutual LinkedIn group or connection

  
  
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  A comment the lead shared on your recent post

  
  
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  An insight you liked from the lead’s post

  
  
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  A trigger event like a job change or funding round

  
  

These topics create common ground. From there, you can build rapport and engage the lead.

Marketing and Growth Advisor, Founder at ONSAAS, Irina Maltseva, who uses LinkedIn as “a primary growth channel,” emphasises the importance of finding shared ground. She says, “When I reach out to CMOs, COOs, and founders in my target market, I always send personalized connection requests that mention shared interests or mutual connections.” 

Irina also highlights the value of reaching out quickly after leads engage: “I treat LinkedIn communications with the same priority as client emails, responding promptly during business hours. I've found that quick and thoughtful messages often lead to immediate conversations about potential projects.”

So, what does an engaging first message look like?

Fill in the gaps in this template to write an engaging LinkedIn outreach message:

2. Send a Warm Thank-You DM

Once you’ve connected, you have an opening. But while you might be tempted to jump right into selling, it’s too early at this point. 

Instead, show gratitude and start a conversation. 

Say something along the lines of “Thanks for connecting! Sounds like you're doing some really cool things at [company name]. What do you think of the [recent industry event, company news, or relevant project the lead has spoken about].

Keep the question relevant and open-ended, rather than a yes/no answer. You want to spark conversation and strengthen the connection. That also means keeping language human, jargon-free, and conversational. 

4. Follow Up With Multi-Channel Outreach

If you rely solely on LinkedIn, your impact is limited. A multi-channel campaign allows you to build familiarity through different message formats, “working” the lead until you spark a response and they’re ready to move along your pipeline. 

For the best results, use a five-touch cadence, such as the one shown below: 

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   Day 0: LinkedIn DM with an introduction

   
   
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   Day 3: Follow up with a brief pitch and an offer to share more info

   
   
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   Day 5: Personalized email message 

   
   
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   Day 7: Phone call (for high-value leads)

   
   

Despite their ability to improve response rates, many sales teams avoid tracking messages across multiple channels because they find it challenging. A sales tool like Artisan, which is run by AI BDR Ava, paces and schedules personalized messages to target leads at exactly the right moment. 

5. Publish Valuable Content & Engage Daily

LinkedIn is the only social media platform for businesses and professionals. That gives you an unmatched opportunity to create content about your business journey, latest wins, and insights—without it feeling boring.

Before you start posting, however, you need a solid understanding of the algorithm so that your posts get seen by as many users as possible. Tactics such as posting regularly, creating high-value content, and encouraging engagement make a huge difference. 

1. Weekly Authority Posts

Posting regularly tells the algorithm that you’re committed to your content. But it doesn’t have to be daily. Weekly posts provide rhythm, showcase your expertise, and add value in a sustainable way. 

Use these tried-and-tested formats for LinkedIn posts:

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  How-to carousels: Carousels are image slide shows. Use them to create visual guides that show your prospect how to solve a problem. 

  
  
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  Quick wins: Share ideas that help your clients. In the example below, LinkedIn coach and expert Jasmin Alić offers three quick tips for improving LinkedIn profiles. 

  
  

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  Mini case studies: State a problem faced by your clients, your solution, and the expected outcome. Use real numbers or testimonials for credibility.

  
  

Always include a clear CTA on posts. For example, asking readers to comment with a specific word for more information or sharing a link to your lead magnet. 

And schedule posts for optimal times—most users are busiest on the platform from Tuesday to Thursday. And don’t be afraid to experiment with timing and content. Different posting styles work for different audiences. 

2. Daily Micro-Engagement

Don’t you love it when your posts get recognition? So do leads. 

Alongside your weekly posts, set aside five to ten minutes per day to engage with other users’ posts by commenting or reposting (or both). 

The more value you add, the more likely the poster is to remember you. For best results, avoid generic comments such as “Great post!” Sharing genuine insights and data sparks conversations that others want to join. 

Commenting is especially valuable because comments reach your second-degree network. When you engage with a first-degree connection’s posts, their network (your second-degree connections) will see the interaction on their feeds.

Automate your outbound with an AI BDR

Meet Ava—your AI BDR who handles prospecting, outreach, and follow-ups, so your team can focus on closing.

Book a Demo

6. Leverage Network & Social Proof

Research from Salesforce found that 81% of buyers have already selected a vendor before they ever speak with a sales representative. 

B2B buyers don’t want to take risks. The more badges of credibility you can pin on your shirt, the better. 

Building a strong network of connections, preferably in the hundreds or thousands, positions you as a trusted professional. 

Even better, supplement this with recommendations. When using LinkedIn as a B2B sales tool, ask for testimonials from past clients who are active on LinkedIn to bolster your credibility. 

Here’s a concise template you can use to send a quick, low-pressure message:

Where possible, send requests immediately after an interaction or project ends, such as when you leave a role or finish up a freelance contract. 

7. Use Artisan to Automate the Heavy Lifting

Managing LinkedIn outreach manually is challenging, even with an experienced sales team. But you don’t need to go it alone. Today’s sales tools are more than adept at automating messaging, removing much of the burden of traditional LinkedIn outreach. 

Artisan is an AI-first sales platform that automates 80% of the early and mid sales cycle. AI BDR Ava scrapes the web continually to enrich and update a contact database of over 300 million contacts. She then uses that data to automate personalized multichannel sequences, including on LinkedIn. 

You might be worried that automation means robotic, but Ava creates personalized messages that feel human. She’ll also use built-in deliverability tools to warm up leads, ensuring your messages reach inboxes. 

Additionally, Artisan’s analytics dashboard provides data about performance, response rates, engagement, and other key metrics. 

Ready to Land Clients with LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the biggest social media platform in the world for professionals. Getting it wrong isn’t an option. With a strong profile, social proof, and strategic outreach, you can start closing more deals on the platform. 

Artisan—powered by virtual BDR Ava—sends personalized messages and follow-ups that are rooted in verified data. This means you can find B2B leads quickly, strengthening your pipeline and maintaining a steady flow of closed deals. 

Automate your outbound with an AI BDR

Meet Ava—your AI BDR who handles prospecting, outreach, and follow-ups, so your team can focus on closing.

Book a Demo