Top tips for VAR business to Earn leads through LinkedIn Platform
A VAR (Value Added Reseller) drives business value through networking products or software. Capturing leads and sales opportunities is an integral aspect of a VAR business. A steady flow of new leads helps a VAR business to hit a plateau.
Key Takeaways:
- LinkedIn gives VARs direct access to decision makers, making it more effective for B2B lead generation than broad consumer social networks.
- A well optimized LinkedIn profile that clearly states niche, expertise, and outcomes turns casual visitors into warm prospects.
- Sharing educational content and case studies on LinkedIn positions VARs as trusted advisors rather than pushy vendors.
- Proactive networking through connection requests, groups, and messaging helps VARs turn LinkedIn from a passive presence into an active pipeline source.
- Tracking which posts, audiences, and outreach styles generate responses allows VARs to refine LinkedIn activity around the highest yield patterns.
In today’s highly digital and economic space, it is very challenging to generate enough quality leads. Several VARs rely on traditional ways including telemarketing campaigns or vendor co-marketing programs. Many VARs hesitate to invest in marketing. Lead generation helps your VAR business grow, as it provides you with a bigger pool of potential clients that can further your overall returns. As a Value Added Reseller or IT Solution Provider, it is essential to get shoulder to shoulder with the advancing technology and use various channels offered by digital world. Every VAR business needs to step ahead and try a new approach to marketing.
Digital marketing is one of the key ways to get new leads for VAR business. Social platforms are also contributing a major role in lead generation. LinkedIn is one of the most effective social platforms that helps achieve this goal. As LinkedIn caters to business professionals directly, it can be used as an effective lead generation tool. According to a report by Fortune, LinkedIn, now owned by Microsoft, claims to have half a billion users of its business-focused social network.
LinkedIn- You must have heard or might be using this social platform for connecting professionally with one another, sharing content or finding work.
Every user provides a small introduction in the biography section along with their education, accomplishments, skills and contact information. If a user wants he or she can upload his/her resume as well. It is also possible for LinkedIn members to endorse their connections for particular skills. In addition to this, the messenger feature can be used to start conversations. Even it is possible to explore partnership and job opportunities with companies.
As this professional networking site has brand advocates industry influencers and potential customers all in one place, it is easy to target them. It is also a great platform to post information about your business and reach potential clients. Let us have a look at a few LinkedIn statistics and facts that you need to know as a VAR business.
- 467 million LinkedIn users.
- 1.5 Million LinkedIn Groups.
- 40% of users use LinkedIn every day.
Let us see as a VAR business, how you can use this platform to earn leads.
1. Strong Profile
what is the first potential thing that you see on any LinkedIn Page? It is a profile, right? It needs to be strong enough to make your potential customers visit and read it. A profile should feature a professional and high-quality photo/company logo. Never leave your profile without a picture. In Fact, you should use this to increase business awareness. If people see your logo, they will recognize your company quickly. Furthermore, make sure you do not skip any element of LinkedIn profile. Remember, people use various ways to know about a company/product/service before making a purchase. They are interested in knowing about a business/brand as much as possible and a complete profile gives them an idea how professional you are. Surely you will need to spend a little time in completing your profile; however this small time investment is worth in the long run.
2. Focus on the target audience
Before you start your endeavor, it is essential to know who your audience is, and determine who needs your services/products. This will help you cater to your target audience accordingly. Targeting your ideal audience depending on a specific location, size, specific skills or job title will prove to be beneficial.
3. Create a group
This is the best way to increase your reach. It is like creating a space where you can engage with your target audience. You can easily create a group in LinkedIn. On navigation bar, you will find “Work”, select it and then click on the Groups icon. Choose the “My Groups” option located at the top of the next page. Then select “Create group.” Name the group according to what you sell. Create unique logo as well. Once you create the group, you can ask you potential customers to join/interact with other group members. Even it is possible to send announcements or combine various groups, send updates or notifications and so on. Reference your professional group in your professional headline. Also, you can create 2 types of group that is one for existing customer and one for new prospects/partners etc.
4. List out Contacts
Make a list of your target audience to streamline the contact process. Filtered search in LinkedIn can prove to be useful here. It will let you find users according to the company they work for, or industry or location or keywords or their title and more. Now you can contact the potential customers. Before you move ahead, think about personalizing the provided message. This will help highlight a similarity with the user.
Pro Tip:
VARs should map their ideal customer profile into specific LinkedIn filters and save searches so daily outreach targets only high fit accounts.
5. Converting contact into a lead
Once you connect with users on LinkedIn, you can step ahead to get the conversations going. You can message each member of your group and let them know about the group you created. Don’t forget to spell how it is beneficial them and why they should participate. The point here is to maintain the conversational message tone that will make the user to carry on a conversation. This will build connections with other LinkedIn users. This is the opportunity to begin conversations that can convert them into leads.
Pro Tip:
Combining LinkedIn touchpoints with coordinated email and website retargeting can turn single interactions into multi touch journeys that convert
better.To summarize you need to
- Focus on your presence
- Create Influential content
- Target prospects
- Build engagement and community
- Nurture relationships
It is true that learning a new platform to earn leads can be slightly challenging; however, the potential this platform features is really worth the efforts. As an IT solution provider or Value Added Reseller business, it will surely help you maximize the benefits. Get ready to tailor your LinkedIn efforts according to your VAR business and surely you will enjoy benefits in the long-run. LinkedIn also have paid campaign option. Stay tuned for our next blogs where we will discuss LinkedIn marketing solutions.
