In our previous articles, we shared the four steps of the BEEP Method, as well as tips for each phase to run a successful LinkedIn outreach program.
However, consistency is a critical element of the entire BEEP Method. For the method to work, you must carry out the steps on a consistent basis.
To win business on LinkedIn, you must prepare for the opportunity to engage your target audience.
Ultimately, there are some key habits that help you spot how many opportunities you find and make the most of the ones you do.
Here are the top 7 habits of successful LinkedIn networkers.
Send Personalized Invitations
The first habit is to send personalized invitations to 2nd and 3rd-degree connections. These are connections of your connections, and so forth. Instead of sending generic invitations, add a small touch of personalization.
The personal touch does not have to be something extremely detailed or long-winded. You could mention attending the same college, having similar work experience, or being interested in a particular project they posted about.
Of course, consistency and volume matter here. Making this a habit is the best way to steadily grow your network. Aim for 15-20 invites per day, for up to 100 per week.
Send a Welcome Message
Forming new connections is just the beginning. The next key habit is visiting the pages of your new connections. Review their page to look for potential opportunities to build a relationship and eventually a business opportunity.
After reviewing their pages, you should send a “welcome to my network” message. This message is a great way to start a conversation and a relationship. It helps get you on their mind and increase familiarity. The more familiar we are with someone, the more likely we are to view them as a solution when we have a problem we know they can help with.
Check Notifications Daily
Habit #3 is to check notifications daily. This ensures you see messages and key information in a timely manner. It will allow you to respond in a reasonable time and continue to build relationships.
Checking notifications also lets you know who has a big event, like a birthday, work anniversary, or career change. If you see any of these events, take them as an opportunity to interact with your connections. Leave a relevant comment, telling them congratulations, Happy Birthday, etc.
When you leave a comment, the connection gets a notification. They will again see your name and page. Engaging in this way continues to build familiarity and rapport more subtly. It’s a small, simple step in nurturing your leads.
Send Invitations to Profile Viewers
Check who has viewed your profile recently. If any of them are not current connections, then send a connection invitation.
If someone is viewing your profile, it suggests they have a relevant interest. They could have been searching LinkedIn for a solution, or looking through connections of connections. Either way, someone who looked at your profile is a slightly warmer lead than someone who never did. Therefore, they may be more likely to respond to a connection request and/or message.
You should regularly look at who’s viewed your profile and send invitations to anybody who isn’t already a connection!
Check-In Messages
Send a check-in message to any connections you have not been in touch with for 90 days. This is critical for keeping your brand at the forefront of their minds. The message does not need to be overly salesy. You could simply ask how they are doing, how work is going, or inquire about something you see on their page.
One key cognitive bias is recency. Having positive interactions with someone in the past is not enough. Based on recency, we favour recent events over historical ones. You may have had a great conversation several months ago, but if a competitor had one more recently they are more likely to win the business.
Regular contact with your network helps keep you fresh in their minds. This, again, improves the chances they turn to you when they have a problem you can solve. Stay recent by following up with a simple check-in message.
Post Interesting Content
At least once a week, post interesting content to your feed. You can, and should, vary the type of content you post. For example, you can post a variety of unique articles written by your brand, relevant statistics with your own commentary, images, videos, infographics, and more.
Ideally, you should post a few times a week. However, the minimum is once per week. Again, consistency is key. Plan out your content and set a schedule you can stick to.
Posting interesting content gets your name out there again. It also positions you as a thought leader in your industry. Furthermore, you can use the content to provide value to your connections on a large scale. Providing free value is a great way to build rapport.
Meaningful Engagement
Lastly, engage with other people’s posts. Leave meaningful comments. You could ask a question, answer a question, or share why you found the post to be interesting/valuable.
Others appreciate the interaction. It validates what they share and is another way to build a relationship. Leaving meaningful comments also helps show others who see the post your value.
Tips for Building Habits
For any of the above strategies to work, they need to become habits. At first, creating these new habits can seem like a big leap. It often helps to focus on one habit at a time.
Here are some other key steps to building these habits:
- Write down the new habit you want to form, and be specific. For example, it might be “Send 15 invites to CEOs in New York every morning as I drink my morning coffee”.
- Jot down what you currently do, the habit you want to improve. For example, “browse my LinkedIn feed randomly”.
- Describe triggers for your current unhelpful behaviour. For example, “when I log into LinkedIn, the first thing I see is the feed, and there are often stories that catch my attention”.
- Determine how to remind yourself to practise the new habit each day. For example, you may set a calendar reminder, and/or bookmark a saved search.
- List any new skills or knowledge you need to start the new habit. One might be to review the Build section of the BEEP Method.
- Describe any other actions that may be helpful. For example, “analyse our last 50 customers to redefine who the best people to target via LinkedIn are”.
- Explain WHY you want to build this habit. For example, “to be more focused and productive with the time I invest on LinkedIn so I know that the work I’m doing will benefit my business which in turn will benefit my family”.
- Note who you can ask for help in building this habit, like someone else trying to build the same habit.
- Describe the reward for building the new habit. For example, “I will feel better seeing my LinkedIn network grow with interesting people that are likely to want to be part of my business growth in the future.
Automate These Habits
Ultimately, building these new habits takes time and effort. It can be difficult to find the extra time as you run your business.
That’s where we can help!
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