Prospecting

Our LinkedIn Prospecting Process: A Standard Operating Procedure

by Troy Burney

Okay. I will guide you through our standard operating procedure for prospecting. The goal is to help you find the correct individuals. This process is clear and repeatable.

What is Prospecting?

First, let us define prospecting. Prospecting is the process of identifying potential clients. We find individuals who will benefit from our services. Our method is systematic. It ensures we connect with the right people.

The Why: Our Approach to Targeting

Our approach focuses on precision. We do not aim for high volume. We aim for high quality. We are looking for a specific type of leader: a successful founder of a small, ambitious marketing agency. They are experiencing growth pains. They are often the bottleneck in their content process. Our system solves this problem. This is why our targeting is very specific.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator: The Core Tool

We use LinkedIn Sales Navigator for this process. It is a powerful tool. It allows us to apply precise filters.

Here is the link to our saved search query in Sales Navigator:
https://www.linkedin.com/sales/search/people?savedSearchId=1932675418

The next step is to add yourself to our Sales Navigator group. This ensures you have access to shared searches and lists.

Sales Navigator Filters

We use a precise combination of filters within LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Each filter has a specific purpose. It helps us refine our search. This ensures we reach only those we can genuinely help.

Keyword String

This is our core search. It targets specific roles and problem areas. This is a precision strike.

("Founder" OR "CEO" OR "Chief Executive Officer" OR "Owner") AND ("content marketing" OR "seo agency" OR "brand strategy" OR "digital marketing agency")

Company Headcount

We target companies with 1-10 employees. This is our starting point. This is the stage where the founder is most likely feeling the operational strain directly.

1-10 headcount

Seniority Level

We focus on decision-makers directly. Our solution is a strategic investment. That conversation must happen with the person in charge.

CXO and Owner/partner

Years in Current Company

This filter targets founders who are established but still growing. They have survived initial challenges. They are now feeling the acute pain of scaling. This is when our solution becomes important.

1-2 years, 3-5 years

Geography

Our primary market is the United States. This filter ensures we focus our efforts correctly.

US

Industry

We target advertising services and marketing services. This ensures we speak to businesses in the correct professional space. They understand content and client results.

Advertising Services, Marketing Services

Profile Language

We ensure the profiles are in English. This is for clear communication.

English

Posted on LinkedIn in Last 30 Days

This is important. It ensures we engage with active and engaged prospects. This makes for a more productive conversation.

Posted on LinkedIn in last 30 days

Exclusion Filters

We exclude profiles we have already engaged with. This enforces ruthless efficiency. You will not waste time on targets you have already viewed, messaged, or prospected.

Have not: been viewed before, messaged before, prospected before.

Prospecting Tracker Spreadsheet

Okay. The next part of the process is tracking our outreach. We use a Google Spreadsheet for this. It is a central hub for all prospecting data. This replaces our previous tracking method.

Here is the link to the spreadsheet: LinkedIn Prospecting Spreadsheet

Spreadsheet Columns

Each column in the spreadsheet has a specific purpose.

  • ID: This is a unique identifier for each prospect. It helps with organization.
  • Full Name: The prospect’s full name. This is for clear identification.
  • Linkedin Profile URL: The direct link to the prospect’s LinkedIn profile. This allows for quick access.
  • InMails Open?: A ‘TRUE’ or ‘FALSE’ indicator. It shows if InMails are enabled for this prospect.
  • Connection Request Sent?: A ‘TRUE’ or ‘FALSE’ indicator. It shows if a connection request has been sent.
  • Connection Request Date: The date the connection request was sent. This helps us track timing.
  • InMail Sent?: A ‘TRUE’ or ‘FALSE’ indicator. It shows if an InMail has been sent.
  • InMail Send Date: The date the InMail was sent. This also helps with tracking.

Here is an example row from the spreadsheet:

```csv
id,Full Name,Linkedin Profile URL,InMails Open?,Connection Request Sent?,Connection Request Date,InMail Sent?,InMail Send Date
1,Andrea Hoyos,https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-btheclick,FALSE,FALSE,FALSE,,
```

This systematic approach is designed for precision. It ensures we build a predictable pipeline. Your consistent execution of this process is important. It will drive our growth. No issues. You can do this.