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Sales Hack: Work Your Network to Get Into a Prospective Customer's Tribe

Warm Up Your Cold Emails

In the world of sales, cold emails often go unnoticed. Think about your average employee, with an inbox stuffed with emails from vendors and interdepartmental meetings. They’re not going to give your cold email the time of day. However, leveraging your network can significantly improve your chances of closing deals. Warming up your email outreach by referencing someone you both know is one of the most powerful ways to close deals. This blog post will guide you through the process of utilizing LinkedIn connections, filtering searches by client persona industries, and asking for strategic introductions. Learn how to navigate these steps effectively to get your foot in the door and connect with the right decision-makers.

Leverage Your Connections

Utilize LinkedIn for Filtered Searches

Go on LinkedIn and start doing filtered searches of your connections' connections. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

  1. Connect with Everyone at Your Company:
    • Start by connecting with everyone at your company on LinkedIn. This allows you to see their connections and identify who they might know at the companies you’re targeting.
  2. Filter by Client Persona Industries:
    • Identify industries relevant to your product, and then filter your LinkedIn search by those industries.
    • Add an additional filter by 2nd degree connections to return a list of prospects connected to people you’re already connected with on LinkedIn.
    • Manually search through each of your leadership team’s LinkedIn connections to cast a wider net of potential companies and contacts to add to your sales prospecting list.

Ask for Introductions

When leveraging LinkedIn connections:

  1. Ask Your Team for Introductions:
    • Check with your boss and other leaders if they know LinkedIn connections well.
    • If they do, ask if you can use their name in an outreach note to that person.
  2. Use Soft Intros for Further Connections:
    • If the LinkedIn contact gets you into the right company but isn’t in the right department or the direct decision-maker, that’s okay! You’re one step into the tribe.
    • Just like you asked your leader if you could use their name to warm up your outreach to the company, you can ask this new person the same question.
    • Do your research and let them know the name and title of the person you’re trying to speak with. Ask if you can use their name as a reference when you reach out to that person using a LinkedIn message or email.

Closing Thoughts

Leveraging your network and utilizing strategic introductions can transform the way you approach sales. By using LinkedIn to its fullest potential, filtering searches to find the right contacts, and asking for warm introductions, you can navigate the complex landscape of sales with greater ease and success. Remember, the key to effective networking is persistence and building genuine connections. Keep refining your approach, and you'll see your efforts pay off in closed deals and stronger professional relationships. Stay tuned for more insights and strategies to help you excel in your sales journey.

Stay Connected for More Business Growth Hacks!

Follow my blog for more tips and strategies to sell more faster and grow your brand. Got a specific question or challenge? Send me an email at lisa.steele.a@gmail.com, and I’ll cover it in an upcoming post!