5 LinkedIn Sales Tactics for Startup Growth

Today, the customer journey is mostly online, with 19 out of 24 touchpoints being digital. For startups, LinkedIn is essential.

With 93% of B2B marketers ranking it as the most effective for lead generation and a network of over 40 million decision-makers, it's clear why. But to truly succeed, you need to go beyond the basics.

Before diving into lesser-known but very practical sales tactics, let’s revisit the essential tools every startup should master.

LinkedIn Premium Business. Provides advanced insights and extended search capabilities to help you find and connect with prospects, while offering enhanced visibility into who's viewing your profile.

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator Professional. A powerful tool for individual sales professionals, offering advanced lead and company search, personalized lead recommendations, and CRM integration.

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator Team. Includes all features of the Professional plan, plus team collaboration tools, shared lead lists, and team performance tracking.

Once you’ve chosen the right sales tool, it’s important to complement it with additional strategies to maximize lead generation on LinkedIn. Don’t rely solely on one tool – combine it with tactics to enhance the customer journey and increase digital touchpoints.

💡 But first, make sure your LinkedIn profile and company page are in top shape. That’s why we’ve created the ultimate checklists: one to optimize your personal profile and another for your company page. A strong LinkedIn presence not only attracts leads but also boosts your credibility!

Official LinkedIn sales tools overview

🚀 Strategies to boost LinkedIn sales

• Create and engage with relevant content.

• Expand your network of connections.

• Send personalized invitation messages.

• Leverage LinkedIn's paid advertising.

• Collaborate with LinkedIn influencers.

Now that we’ve covered the LinkedIn essentials, it’s time to explore some lesser-known tactics that can deliver impressive results for your startup. These strategies have been thoroughly tried and tested by both our team and clients over the years, and we can confidently vouch for their effectiveness. Let’s dive into the details of each one.

TACTIC 1: LINKEDIN CONTENT THAT SELLS

LinkedIn offers 11 different content types – from text and images to polls and documents. Experiment to see what resonates with your audience. Each message can be adapted into various content formats, improving its impact.

Over the past five years, we’ve experimented with content on our own and clients' LinkedIn profiles. A strong hook is key – ensure the first sentence grabs attention. Share day-to-day photos or meetings, and add value by sharing resources like eBooks or data.

💡 Tip 1: promote wisely by incorporating your personal story. Don’t just post a picture or a banner – nobody likes bland promo posts. Instead, tell a story, highlight the value, and explore different angles to promote your products and services. You’ll be surprised by how much more engaging and effective this approach can be! We’ve spoken with copywriting and storytelling experts, and here’s what they recommend.

💡 Tip 2: take a selfie with each person you meet and send a follow-up message on LinkedIn with the photo. This personal touch can help create lasting connections and serve as a good reminder when reconnecting with the same person after some time.

💡 Tip 3: we also recommend trying out LinkedIn’s Thought Leader Ads, which allow content promotion directly from employees' profiles, enhancing credibility and trust. We find it particularly effective for building brand authority and fostering genuine engagement with target audiences.

TACTIC 2: MONITORING COMPETITORS ON LINKEDIN

As an admin of your LinkedIn company page, use the Analytics function to monitor your competitors' activity. Track trends and growth rates, and see how your company compares within the industry.

By analyzing which posts are gaining traction, understanding their content strategies, and observing audience engagement, you can:

• Get inspiration for content: identify what topics and formats are engaging audiences, and use this information to create similar or even better content for your page.

• Identify opportunities for differentiation: by seeing what competitors are doing, you can find gaps in their strategy that your brand can fill. If they are missing certain topics or not engaging with specific audience segments, this is your opportunity to stand out.

• Understand industry benchmarks: analytics can help you understand the standard performance metrics in your industry so you can set realistic goals for your own content strategy.

• Refine engagement strategies: by observing how your competitors engage with their audience, you can refine your engagement tactics, such as responding to comments or leveraging interactive content like polls and Q&A sessions.

TACTIC 3: LINKEDIN AUDIO EVENTS

Widely popular in the US and major European markets, LinkedIn Audio Events are a game changer for brand awareness and lead generation. These podcast-style live events offer a less formal yet highly engaging format, allowing users to host live, audio-only conversations directly on the platform. For inspiration, you can explore Linkedist’s past Audio Events here.

How to utilize audio events for sales:

1. Attend industry events: search for relevant events on LinkedIn, participate, and connect with attendees interested in the same topics.

2. Host your own events: organize and host events, inviting other speakers to join the conversation.

To-do list for hosting your own audio event:

1. Choose a relevant topic: pick a subject that resonates with your target audience and aligns with their interests or industry trends.

2. Select engaging speakers: invite experts in the field who can provide valuable insights.

3. Set up and promote the event: create a LinkedIn event page and continuously invite relevant people to join. Use your network to spread the word.

4. Send reminders: send reminders to attendees a few days before.

5. Prepare an agenda: outline key points and discussion topics to keep the event focused and engaging.

6. Engage during the event: encourage audience participation through questions.

💡 Tip! Consider recording the event to share as content later!

TACTIC 4: SALES NAVIGATOR

With Sales Navigator, you can take your LinkedIn strategy through a range of powerful features, some of which are lesser-known.

For example, you can add competitors to your Lead List and monitor their activity on LinkedIn, including mentions, discussions, and engagement levels. You can also use the ‘Buyer Intent’ filter to identify potential clients who are ready to make a purchase.

Another valuable feature is referrals. You can identify someone you want to connect with and request an introduction from someone in your network, significantly increasing your chances of building a meaningful connection.

TACTIC 5: COFFEE MEETINGS

Whenever you visit a new city or country or attend an event or conference, make the most of the opportunity to grow your business. Create an organic post to inform your audience about where you’ll be, when, and for how long, and ask your connections for personal introductions.

Also, browse through your connections and arrange meetings. When sending a new connection request, always include a short, personalized message – it increases the acceptance rate and the likelihood of booking a meeting.

❗ Important: Never sell in the first message. Focus on building a relationship, then introduce your products or services later.

Final thoughts

Building connections, finding potential customers, and promoting your products or services on LinkedIn can be challenging, but the effort is well worth it. While many startups already use LinkedIn’s official tools, going the extra mile and exploring lesser-known tactics can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and success.

For more insights on leveraging LinkedIn to drive sales and lead generation, visit our Linkedist Courses page. We offer a specialized online course designed to help you master LinkedIn for business growth!