LinkedIn is not just a platform to expand your professional network; it is the way to build valuable business relationships and ultimately achieve successful collaborations. The unfortunate reality is that people often don’t fully utilize LinkedIn’s potential and limit themselves to superficial connections that don’t delve deeper, thus missing out on business opportunities.
Imagine This Scenario
Imagine this: you add 100 people to your LinkedIn network and find 1, 2, or maybe 3 interesting points of contact for potential business interactions. But what happens to the other 97 people? Often, they are forgotten, and they forget about you too. It’s a real shame. Do you also find this to be a challenge?
The Secret to Success
The secret to success on LinkedIn is not just making that one connection but following a structured strategy to turn those connections into valuable business relationships. This means you shouldn’t forget about those 97 people; instead, you should continue to engage them step by step until the time is right for a potential collaboration.
But How Do You Do That?
How do you ensure consistent and effective contact with all those potential customers in your network without becoming overwhelmed? The answer lies in administration and tracking your strategy in a CRM system. It doesn’t matter if this is done easily through an Excel file or an existing system, as long as you do it! Record your interactions, schedule follow-up actions, and track the progress of each potential lead. Naturally, sharing knowledge and content also helps in keeping your relationships warm, but I’ll tell you more about that another time.
The Power of Organization
Imagine adding 10 new people to your network each day. Without an organized system for managing these interactions, you risk getting lost in a sea of to-do lists and missed opportunities. A well-maintained CRM system enables you to work systematically, set priorities, and follow up at the right time, potentially leading to that one important deal!
That’s why I always say: your potential customer is already in your network, but it’s up to you to find them!
