4 Places Potential Clients Are Hiding on LinkedIn
Here's how to track them down
I’ve been doing *a lot* of LinkedIn outreach over the last few months, and I’ve really been paying attention to what works and what doesn’t. You can check out this post about whether adding a note works better than not adding a note (remember, this is just my experience!).
Another thing I’ve been paying really close attention to is where people are. In some industries and communities, people are really active posting and commenting. In others, people might post an announcement every now and then but generally aren’t as active. But just because they’re not posting regularly doesn’t mean they’re not there.
Full disclosure: I haven’t gotten a client through LinkedIn yet, but I realized that I’m sort of starting from scratch within the industry that I want to work with. I’m establishing myself and getting my name out there in the hopes that I’m swamped in a few months!
Ok, here’s where potential clients are hiding on LinkedIn.
1. Your comments and reactions
Not everyone will leave a comment, but if you can get a prospective client to comment on your post, that’s a great opening to start a conversation. Here’s the thing though, even if someone doesn’t leave a comment doesn’t mean they’re not reading your posts.
Reactions are quick, low stakes ways for people engage with your content. Pay attention to who’s reacting to your posts and then react to theirs in return, then you can send a connection request or a message.
2. Your profile views
You’ve head this before, I’m sure, but when people are checking our your profile, it indicates interest in you and/or your content. I still haven’t found a non-creepy way to say “hey I noticed you noticing me,” so if you have a suggestion for how to send a message that isn’t weird, please let me know.
Unfortunately, when you use this strategy, it can veer into overthinking real fast — especially when someone you sent a connection requests to has looked at your profile multiple times and not accepted the request. Why don’t you want to be friends, man?
3. Company page comments and reactions
This is the one I’ve been paying the most attention to and the one I find the most interesting. The people I want to connect with aren’t posting a lot on their own accounts, but what I’ve found is that they do engage with industry company pages.
I started checking out the comments and reactions for company posts, and typically end up with a few more names to add to my connection list. I also try to comment on these types of posts regularly because the more my name is out there, the more likely people will be to recognize me when I show up in their DMs.
4. People you may know sections
LinkedIn knows what they’re doing in trying to get you to connect with more people. These sections pop up in various places, like in the sidebar of profiles and at the bottom of the My Network tab. Paying attention to these areas can reveal potential clients that you can introduce yourself to.
Grab your coffee, and let’s chat!
📖Reading
I’m currently reading The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Fink. It’s about Stephane Breitweiser and his girlfriend Anne-Catherine Kleinklaus and their brazen art thefts. It’s along the lines of A Gentleman and a Thief.
🎧Listening
I listened to The Marketing Mentor Podcast episode with Melody Wilding about trusting yourself. It was fantastic, and I actually listened to it one and a half times because I realized I wasn’t paying enough attention the first time. I actually want to do a whole post about it!
🤍Loving
All of the coffee things. I just love coffee so much.
Brumate Muv in Rose Taupe - I got this mug to test and I love it! The silicone sleeve on the bottom makes it nonslip, and frankly, I love any travel mug with a handle. It’s leak proof and the lid has MagFlip, so it doesn’t flap back in your face when you’re drinking. All around delightful.
Vashon Island Coffee Dust - These blends of spices really add a kick to your coffee!
Yeti Rambler Mug - I’ve been using this style mug for a few years, and it’s the best. It has the cozy feel of a regular mug, but the lid keeps it hot and makes it harder for me to spill it all over.
Everyday Dose - I just got some of this this week, and I already love it. The Coffee+ has 45g of caffeine, so it’s great if you're trying to cut back on caffeine or if you need an afternoon pick me up. It’s also packed with functional mushrooms, collagen protein, and nootropics.
🧠 Thinking
I had an ideal client revelation today! I know that I want to work with building material and construction companies, but the outreach that I’ve been doing hasn’t been as effective as I’d like. My goal is to create case studies for these companies, but I’ve struggled to figure out how to approach them.
Today, I realized that if I find companies that already have testimonials or smaller project spotlights on their website, I can offer the case studies as an extension of what they’re already doing rather than coming out of the blue. I feel like this will set a foundation and then I can build on it with them.
Also, I’d love to answer some of your questions in the Tuesday newsletter, so if you want to ask anything about freelancing, work-life balance, morning routines, resources, LinkedIn outreach strategies, or anything else, you can leave a comment or fill out the AMA Form linked below!