Just because you don’t like unexpected emails doesn’t mean businesses don’t. Often, a company is actively searching for solutions to help them grow or better address problem areas. Even better would be if you, as a salesperson, can spot a position for improvement and sell yourself to them. But how to get to that point.
In both cases, solutions don’t fall from trees. They require parties to connect over the prohibitive issues to growth and the solutions that bring together the strengths of both parties.
Automate Outreach on LinkedIn
If you’re experienced with content marketing and organic outreach, the principle translates well to automated outreach—providing value in exchange for attention and engagement. In both cases, the quality of your communication and the solutions you offer directly relate to what you receive.
Many sales and marketing resources are nervous about automating outreach, and for good reason. You’ve likely been the recipient of poorly targeted, automated outreach. Frankly, it’s insulting to receive messages that weren’t well thought out and that are pitching something utterly irrelevant to you. However, if you follow these three rules of outreach, you’ll be ok:
1.) Add value with every interaction
2.) Narrow targeting as niche as possible
3.) Personalize outreach more deeply than Hello <First Name>, I saw you are <job title> at <company>
Automating LinkedIn outreach is an extension of your most generous offerings, nothing more or less. And with that, I can say confidently that yes: you should intelligently automate your outreach on LinkedIn! Here’s why.
Automation may seem counterintuitive given the level of personal service you strive for in your business and communication. I get it. But to better understand how this service helps your clients, it is helpful to take a big-picture look at your funnel.
If automated outreach feels like pestering, consider how something like content marketing (or demand generation) works under similar principles:
Content appears on the screen for your client, either through subscription or algorithmic programming. From there, the client is either interested or is disinterested. One click is all it takes to say Yuck or Yum!
In the same way, your automated outreach connects with businesses that have an online presence and offers them a soundbite of your services. Similarly, a yes or no is all it takes to move forwards, either together or separately.
Just like creating engaging and valuable content, your value is tied to what you present. Outreach simply connects you more directly with decision-makers and helps insert you into your prospect’s buying process more directly through targeted outreach (position, field, company size, etc.)
Secondly, in terms of personalization, outreach is never the total of your business. You are simply looking for an insertion point. From there, personalize away! I suggest GIFs and The Office quotes. But that’s just me.
Like funnels go from broad to specific, your outreach message should do the same. Your comprehensive offerings and company message will offer an entry point for customers to understand what you offer. With engaging copy, you will hopefully see some traction to respond more effectively based on the lead’s company needs.
The “first date energy” is and isn’t true. You’re here to make an effective impression, not a perfect one. In as few words as possible—what problems are you solving, and how do you do it better than anyone else?
Answer that, and your outreach copy writes itself.
Automated outreach is one of the fastest ways to turn ears fast. Your follow-up is where you shine, with the added benefit of speaking with already interested ears. I highly recommend an automated LinkedIn outreach strategy for improving your funnel and creating more actionable leads for your business.
If you’re experiencing writer’s block—consider outside help. I can help with your copywriting, your content, your outreach, and more! Let’s chat, and figure out together how this strategy could transform your pipeline.