LinkedIn for sales leads? We all know LinkedIn is a great networking tool. For sales professionals, it can also be a great source for sales leads.

“LinkedIn has a huge pool of potential leads in just about every single niche out there. Additionally, case study after case study revealed that LinkedIn, on average, drives the most customers to B2B companies,” says Neil Patel on Quicksprout.

Here are 5 effective LinkedIn hacks to help you get more sales leads:

1. Optimize Your Profile for Networking

This is an obvious tip, but it’s commonly overlooked. Make sure you optimize your profile as much as possible. You don’t want your profile to look spammy in any way, or people won’t take you seriously. Have a professional picture, a strong professional headline, and include a link in your summary stating that you are looking to connect with other professionals.

2. Join LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn offers millions of professional groups. While there are some poor quality groups, there are also many fantastic groups that offer the opportunity to connect, engage and create discussion.

To get the most out of these groups, simply click the group’s tab, search the job title of the type of prospects you are seeking, and ask to join the groups. Once accepted, participate in these groups in an engaging and meaningful way. With a little time spent feeling out the groups, you’ll be able to identify and qualify potential leads.

3. Create Your Own LinkedIn Group

Another great feature of LinkedIn groups is that you can create your own group. Set it up to align with your networking or sales objectives, and add qualified leads to the group. The group allows you to share relevant, targeted, and useful information that is unique to group members.

4. Use LinkedIn’s Advanced Search Function

This feature allows you to search for professionals and narrow your search query. You can search by title, company, industry, location, school, and more to make your search more specific. The results will provide you with a great starting point for your prospect list.

5. Go Premium to Get Sales Navigator

LinkedIn has its own sales tool called Sales Navigator. It is designed specifically for sale professionals and provides you with a series of features that allow you to target buyers and companies, get custom lead recommendations, engage buyers and much more.

More Tips for Generating Sales Leads

3 Ways Your Sales Team Can Use Content Marketing to Drive Up Sales

An Insider’s Guide to Making a Sales Pitch

3 Ideas Salespeople Can Steal from Social Media

SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit sales people in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right sales person for your organization, start your search here.