LinkedIn can 'form part of effective sales strategy'

Business networking sites such as LinkedIn can play a part in an effective sales strategy and can help firms' lead generation efforts, it has been suggested.

Brian Carroll, chief executive of InTouch and author of Lead Generation for the Complex Sale, said LinkedIn has slowly developed into a useful lead generation tool for marketers and salespeople who are looking to building lasting relationships with prospects.

Writing in Marketing Profs, he pointed out that in order to take full advantage of the lead generation benefits of LinkedIn, firms should create a polished and personally branded profile on the site that clarifies exactly what their business does and what their strengths are.

"Your profile should be compelling - the headline will automatically be displayed as the last job you've had, unless you change it manually," Mr Carroll explained.

"Also, your email address should be at the end of the summary area or in the contact field labelled 'public'. And don't be afraid to update your status as often as necessary."

Businesses were then urged to connect with current and past contacts, focusing on relationships based on trust.

Industry specialist Amber Riviere recently commented on Web Worker Daily that small firms should make lead generation their topmost priority.

Written by Julian Poulter