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If you’re ready to find your next sales role, LinkedIn can be a game-changer! But it helps to be strategic. Here’s how you can pinpoint companies that are the best fit, build meaningful relationships, and get your foot in the door.
Step 1: Identify Great-Fit Companies
To increase your chances of landing the right sales role, focus on companies that align with your experience and interests. Companies prioritize hiring candidates with relevant experience because it decreases ramp-up time and increases the likelihood of success.
Here’s how to find companies where you’ll shine:
- Industry expertise: Target companies in industries you’ve sold into. You’ll bring immediate value, which hiring managers love.
- Identify familiar target personas: If you’re skilled at selling to CFOs, for instance, seek out companies that focus on similar buyers.
- Check for growth indicators: Look for companies with recent funding or product launches—they’re likely hiring and value relevant experience to maintain (or increase) their growth trajectory.
Need help finding potential target companies? Try these tips:
- Google image search: Try searches like “2024 cybersecurity startup ecosystem overview” or “2024 healthcare tech landscape.” These visuals often showcase top players and emerging startups.
- LinkedIn’s advanced search: Use their filters to find companies by industry. It’s quick and effective!
- Explore Crunchbase: Crunchbase lets you search by industry, funding stage, and recent news, so you can find high-growth companies and get alerts on new milestones.
- Browse industry news websites and databases: Check sites like TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and CB Insights for articles about “Top Startups to Watch” or “Best Companies in [Industry].”
- Set Google alerts: Set alerts for searches like “new cybersecurity companies” or “top healthcare startups 2024” to receive regular updates on new content featuring these keywords, which can help you identify fresh targets as they emerge.
- Utilize Industry-Specific Directories: For example, AngelList is perfect for startups, while Built In and Clutch are great for tech and B2B service providers.
Step 2: Follow Company Pages
After you’ve identified your top companies, follow their LinkedIn pages. This keeps you in the loop on news, job openings, and company updates. You’ll also gain insights into their culture, which will help you when you’re ready to reach out.
Step 3: Connect with Leaders
Dig a little deeper by finding sales leaders at these companies—think VPs, Directors, and Managers—and following them on LinkedIn (not connect with them). And for early-stage startups (like pre-seed and seed), follow their Founders & CEO’s. Leaders often post about company goals, industry trends, and their teams' priorities/successes. Following their content gives you a glimpse into the company’s approach and helps you learn what these leaders value in a candidate which you can showcase over time.
Step 4: Engage with Their Posts
Following is just the beginning; engagement is where connections are made! Like, comment, and share posts from these sales leaders, and add value by sharing your own experiences or asking thoughtful questions. For example:
- If they post about industry challenges, comment with your perspective or a solution you’ve implemented in a similar role.
- If they post about their successes/growth, celebrate them
This type of engagement will help you build name recognition and showcase your expertise, making you stand out before you even send a message.
Note: Commenting (vs just liking) is critical. If you comment enough, they will start to recognize your name (I certainly do with people who regularly comment on my posts!)
Step 5: Send a DM and Ask to Chat
Once you’ve been engaging for a few weeks, it’s time to reach out. Send a connection request or DM, reference something they’ve posted, and mention your interest in their company.
Here’s a potential connection request:
Hi [Sales Leader’s Name],
Been following [company] & your posts for a few weeks and would love to connect.
And if you happen to have an opening for [xyz job] in the future, would appreciate an opportunity to meet you to see if I could be a great fit.
Cheers,
[Your name]
Here’s a potential DM:
Hi [Sales Leader’s Name],
I’ve really enjoyed following your posts & [company name] appears to have an incredibly bright future ahead.
I’ve been selling in [industry name] for the last 5 years and have exceeded my goals the last 4 quarters. I’m looking to make the next step in my carer and [company name] seems like a place I could work hard and grow my career.
If you’re open to a quick chat, I’d love to learn more about your experience at [company], but regardless, I’ll keep supporting your posts!
Cheers,
[Your name]