5 Tips for Using LinkedIn to Build Your Book of Business

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform — as of March 2022, it boasted more than 800 million members. According to HubSpot, LinkedIn generates leads 227% more effectively than Facebook and Twitter.

Leveraging this powerful platform can help expand your professional network and drive traffic to your website. And while you can run paid ads, an organic LinkedIn strategy can also yield tremendous value. Consider these five tips for getting your LinkedIn game in high gear.

1. A Tale of Two Profiles

There are two ways to have a LinkedIn presence: an individual profile and a business page, and you should set up both. A business page may seem more important, but only individual profiles allow you to have one-on-one conversations to build relationships — and generate leads. Craft your profiles to tell a compelling brand story. Use clear and concise language and include industry keywords where relevant. Don’t be afraid to add personality — just don’t cross over into quirky. Consider engaging a professional copywriter to punch up your profile prose.

2. Benefit from B2B Focus

LinkedIn reigns supreme in the B2B world, so you can use both your business page and individual profile to your advantage by featuring small business lines, general commercial liability, commercial auto and property as well as inland marine. But that’s not to say you should shy away from promoting personal lines entirely — after all, those businesspeople have homes and cars too.

3. Publish or Perish

Consistency is key to grabbing and holding your network’s attention. Post a steady stream of content on your feed and test out a variety of different formats to see what resonates with your audience:

·         Words that matter. Use both long- and short-form copy to inform and educate readers. Answer common questions about coverage and offer money-saving tips. Add keywords and perhaps three to five hashtags (this isn’t Instagram). Also don’t be afraid to curate or share others’ content. Well-vetted external sources can back up your stats and help boost your credibility.

·         Add value with video. You don’t need to go viral to have an impact. Shoot a video on your phone to share industry news and insurance expertise, or to debunk common misconceptions. Promote community work you’re involved with or offer a behind-the-scenes peek at your agency and team. Consumers like to get a feel for the people behind the businesses they choose to work with — and for many, it can be a deciding factor.

·         Picture this. Infographics can make otherwise complex material more digestible. And you don’t have to produce long-form, fancy infographics. Break a concept down into a series of illustrations or data visualizations and post them in carousel format. If a picture is worth 1000 words, stale stock images might be worth about 250. It may be difficult to avoid stock photography altogether, but at least try to supplement with original shots or artwork where possible.

4. Warm up Your Cold Outreach

Don’t just spam your connections — no one appreciates that. Find common ground before reaching out to prospects. Do you work in the same city? Share common interests or contacts? Make the interaction organic and friendly, not forced and overly “salesy.” Don’t become the “door-to-door” salesperson of LinkedIn.

5. Be Generous in Groups

If you write a lot of policies for a certain industry, look for a group associated with that industry to join and engage with — but refrain from overt sales pitches. Get involved in the discussion to offer helpful information and answer questions to build trust and goodwill.

One Last Thing …

This isn’t Facebook, so steer clear of posting or commenting on controversial subject matter. Stay positive and professional, just as you are IRL to leverage LinkedIn for maximum benefit. Who knows? Your next big client may be out there just waiting to connect!