Our Expert LinkedIn B2B Lead Generation Tips

Looking for high-value B2B leads? LinkedIn is the place to find them. 

Here are a few of the many, many reasons:

• The platform houses over 65 million business decision-makers.
• LinkedIn promises more than double the conversion rates of other platforms.
• Decision-makers exposed to your brand message on LinkedIn are 6X more likely to convert.

LinkedIn has the right audience…

…but in order to effectively generate leads on this platform, you need the right approach. This can be tough for LinkedIn lead gen beginners. That’s why in this Uptown Creation guide, we’re going to outline some of the most effective best practices for B2B lead generation on LinkedIn.

What Is LinkedIn B2B Lead Generation?

Let's start simple—what is B2B lead generation? It’s the process of:

1. Finding decision-makers whose businesses could benefit from your product or service.
2. Getting them interested in your product or service.
3. Capturing their details or getting them to book a call.
4. Nurturing them until they buy from you.

So, LinkedIn B2B lead generation (as you’ve probably gathered) involves using LinkedIn to do all of the above.

Why LinkedIn? As we said earlier, LinkedIn is probably the largest database of B2B decision-makers in the world. Plus, it offers built-in sourcing, nurturing, and outreach tools like Boolean search, InMail, sponsored content, Sales Navigator, connections… we could go on.

Put all of this together and you have the ideal B2B lead gen tool.

4 Result-Driven LinkedIn Lead Generation Best Practices 

1. Target the Right Audience

The rate-limiting step in your LinkedIn lead gen strategy is knowing: 

• Who to target

and

• How to find them

You need to get these two things right to see any meaningful results.  

Suppose you’ve already taken the time to define your ideal customer profile (ICP). You’ve most likely nailed down the first part. If not, start by analyzing your most successful clients and look for common denominators like:

• Industry
• Location
• Company size
• Positions (e.g., C-suite executives)
• Decision process
• Budget

Then, use this information to create your ICP. Remember, you can always make more than one. 

 Source: Cognism

Now, you know who to talk to. But how do you find them?  It’s easy—use the info in your ICP to conduct a search on LinkedIn. 

Many people make the mistake of using the basic LinkedIn’s search bar for this. From experience, the basic search starts falling apart when you add too many search filters or criteria. And in most cases, the results are often generic, at best. 

Instead, use LinkedIn Sales Navigator. It’s a premium feature, but it’s worth the investment thanks to a great set of lead gen features:

• Search Filters: Create complex searches using filters for company size, location, and more.
• Saved Searches: Save your search criteria and receive alerts when new leads match.
• Lead Lists: Create lists for different stages of your LinkedIn pipeline to keep track of prospects (a bit like a CRM).

When setting your filters, we highly recommend the “posted in the last 30 days” filter. If the user has posted within the previous 30 days, it means they’re active on LinkedIn. And as a result, they are more likely to accept your connection requests. It’s a small tweak that can make a big difference.

We have a video that covers how to set up Sales Navigator properly, so be sure to check that out for more guidance.

2. Outsource Your LinkedIn Lead Gen 

Outsourced lead generation leads to a 40% increase in sales ROI on average. If you're feeling swamped or are struggling to get the results you want from in-house efforts, outsourcing your LinkedIn lead generation is a smart move.

But… the million dollar question—how do you find the right agency? 

We have an article that covers all the essential things to consider before outsourcing your lead gen, but here’s a quick overview of what to look for:

• Process transparency
• Industry experience
• Proven track record
• Alignment with your goals
• Commitment to communication

Need an agency that checks all these boxes? Consider Uptown Creation. 

At Uptown Creation, we take a different approach to LinkedIn lead gen. Rather than relying on bots and “set it and forget it” strategies like many of the major players in this space, we focus on creating genuine connections through personalized messaging and strategic targeting.

We also have the results to back our process up. Take Hydra, for example. They started talking to prospects daily after we took over their LinkedIn lead generation. Within six months, they were on track to hit more than $150,000 in revenue.

How do we achieve the results? Here’s a breakdown of our process:

• Onboarding Assessment: We sit down with you to pin down details like target demographics and brand tone. We also build systems to handle influxes of leads and any feedback you might have.
• ‍Campaign Launch: We start building lead lists, optimizing your LinkedIn profile and presence, sending connection requests, and following up with personalized messages that generate genuine interest.
• Campaign Improvement: We collect and analyze performance data to boost acceptance rates, generate more responses, and ultimately, increase conversions.

3. Host LinkedIn Live Webinars (and Run Event Ads)

91% of B2B professionals say webinars are their favorite kind of content. What does this mean for you? Inviting your LinkedIn connections to a value-rich webinar is a more effective way to pique their interest than a generic sales pitch. 

If they love your webinar, it could be the start of a long-lasting relationship.

Here’s where we get to highlight another reason why LinkedIn is so great for B2B lead gen—you can host webinars directly through the platform using LinkedIn Live.

When you’re thinking of topics, try to focus on problems that your target audience may be facing and how your product or service can solve them. Then, run event ads to reach potential B2B clients outside your LinkedIn connections. 

If these prospective leads see your webinar as valuable, they’ll be inclined to join and connect with you. This exact strategy is how 360Suite generated more than 600 sales-qualified leads (SQLs) within six weeks. 

4. Use Referrals and Recommendations 

84% of business decision-makers start their buying process with referrals—and it makes perfect sense. B2B buyers tend to be risk-averse and value-oriented, so they naturally gravitate toward products that firsthand users endorse. 

If you can get your existing customers to vouch for you, you'll tap into a goldmine of highly qualified leads. Just look at the success stories—referrals helped Evernote gain 13 million users and grew Trello’s user base from 500k to 50 million between 2011 and 2019.

The best part? It’s not hard to implement this strategy on LinkedIn: 

1. Build strong relationships with your existing customers. Provide exceptional service, connect with them on LinkedIn, and regularly check in on their experience with you.
2. Ask your customers to recommend your product to their network. You can even provide them with a simple referral post template they can easily share.
3. Consider offering incentives. If customers need a bit more motivation, consider offering rewards or discounts for successful referrals.

Supercharge Your LinkedIn B2B Lead Generation With Uptown Creation 

LinkedIn is an obvious choice if you’re hunting for B2B leads. And the best practices above will help you achieve stellar results you’re after.

Most importantly, consider outsourcing your LinkedIn B2B lead generation efforts. It's an investment that almost always pays off big time—especially if you opt for a high-touch LinkedIn-first agency like Uptown Creation.

Ready to fill up your calendar with qualified leads? Schedule a call and get a free LinkedIn lead generation game plan.