This is Part 3 in a 5-part series describing an effective LinkedIn strategy for selling high value products and services.
Part 3: LinkedIn Advanced Search
LinkedIn Advanced Search is the tool you use to find your ideal target customers. We recommend you invest in Sales Navigator — it unlocks a lot more search granularity to find the exact people you’re looking for.
Doing complex advanced searches is a bit of art and science mixed together. You’re looking for your ideal customers so you really need to hone in.
It’s important to understand that LinkedIn’s search engine isn’t Google. It’s more “brute force” and requires a bit of boolean search skill to really zero in on your ideal target buyers.
How to Use the LinkedIn Advanced Search Screen
Imagine you’re selling expensive lumber stacking equipment. You want to target lumber product CEOs and Presidents in the Denver, Colorado area.
Here’s how to execute the Advanced Search for this LinkedIn strategy…
#1 Keywords: add “lumber OR forest products” to the Keywords box. This searches entire profiles for the specified phrase.
#2 Title: specify current CEOs and Presidents, not people that have left or retired.
#3 Second-Degree Connections ONLY: Check 2nd degree connections. These are the people who can see how you’re connected to them. They’ll feel more comfortable joining your first-degree network when they see common connections.
#4 Location: Type in Denver and select Greater Denver Area.
#5 Industry: You can narrow the results by selecting “Forest Products” or “Construction” or “Building Materials”
#6 Company Size: Pick your company sizes.
Click the Search button and see the results.