LinkedIn sales channels for lead generation: An overview of all features
This article provides a systematic, practical overview of all relevant sales features on LinkedIn that you can use.
Table of contents
- Basics and requirements
- Features for building your network
- Relationship management and follow-ups
- Using groups and events
- Using company pages effectively
- Reactivating old contacts
- LinkedIn automation with CompLeadly
- Using lead magnets
- AI features and automations (outlook)
- Helpful resources for implementation
1. Basics and requirements
For LinkedIn to work well as a sales channel, you need a professional, customer-focused presence. Your profile should make it immediately clear who you are, what you offer and what value you bring to your target audience. Only once this foundation is in place are outreach activities truly worthwhile.
2. Features for building your network
Connect
You can contact second- or third-degree connections by sending them a connection request. The acceptance rate increases if you visit their profile and follow them first.
Visit & follow
When you follow a contact, that person receives three notifications: by email, in the app and through notifications. This creates visibility and increases the likelihood that your connection request will be accepted.
InMails
With a Premium account or Sales Navigator, you can send around 50 InMails per month—direct messages to people you are not connected with. For certain profiles, they are even free.
Message group members
You can message members of LinkedIn groups directly without being connected. The limitation: there are no filtering options within the group member list. Tools such as CompLeadly offer a workaround here.
Like posts
Liking posts from your target audience also creates visibility—especially among less active users or on posts with few likes.
3. Relationship management and follow-ups
Thank-you & welcome message
After successfully connecting, it is a good idea to send a friendly welcome message that does not immediately try to sell.
Pitch & needs assessment
Two days later, you can follow up with a message containing a specific offer or a question about their needs.
Follow-ups
Following up is crucial, especially with busy decision-makers. A friendly reminder every 7–20 days has proven effective.
Endorse skills
Endorsing skills on your contacts' profiles generates notifications and draws renewed attention to your profile.
4. Using groups and events
Create your own groups
Create topic-specific groups that address a concrete problem faced by your target audience. You can invite up to 100 contacts to your group per day.
Create events
Events are suitable both for sharing knowledge and as a tactical lead generation tool. Here, too, you can invite up to 100 contacts per day and start conversations, even if the event does not take place.
5. Using company pages effectively
Invite followers
You can invite up to 250 contacts per month to follow your page. More followers increase your social proof.
Like & follow company pages
When you like or follow small companies, decision-makers see it directly. This is a good strategy for gaining visibility with your target audience.
Send company messages
You can also send messages directly to small company pages if they are part of your target audience.
6. Reactivating old contacts
If a contact did not reply months ago, you can reactivate them through a newsletter, an update or a congratulatory message, for example. Options include:
- Newsletters
- Ask for feedback on a new offer
- Use a birthday or anniversary
- Unexpected or creative messages
7. LinkedIn automation with CompLeadly
With CompLeadly, you can automate and scale all of these features:
- Up to 500 profile visits per day
- Up to 40 connection requests per day
- Up to 40 InMails / group messages per day
- 150 birthday / anniversary messages per day
- 2 Zoom calls per day for support questions
- Templates for all types of text: opener, pitch, follow-up, reactivation
8. Using lead magnets
A lead magnet is a free, concrete preview of what you offer. It helps you convince prospects who are still unsure. A lead magnet lowers the barrier to entry, builds trust and positions you as an expert in a specific topic.
Examples:
- PDF with tips on a common mistake or a concrete solution (e.g. "7 common time tracking mistakes—and how to avoid them")
- Mini assessment with recommendations for action (e.g. a short target audience analysis with tips for profile optimisation)
- Checklist or tool template (e.g. an Excel sheet for ROI calculations, a roadmap for process optimisation)
- Invitation to an event or video training (e.g. "15-minute webinar: How to build 10+ LinkedIn connections per day")
- Template package (e.g. text modules for outreach messages or follow-up sequences)
- Quick analysis or audit (e.g. free profile feedback or a LinkedIn visibility check)
An everyday example helps illustrate this: Imagine walking into a delicatessen hungry. You are not sure whether the €200 cheese is really right for you. But the salesperson gives you a small piece to try. You taste it—and you are convinced. That is how a lead magnet should work: it gives your target audience a tasty preview and reduces uncertainty.
The goal is to turn cold contacts into warm contacts and build trust. At the same time, a relevant lead magnet can help you stand out clearly from your competitors—because those who deliver value first are more likely to be seen as solution partners.
9. AI features and automations (outlook)
AI Post Reactor
Automatically comments on posts from your target audience with relevant comments.
AI Connector
Scans profiles to find individual hooks for personalised messages.
Write-Likes
When a potential customer likes your post, a suitable message is generated automatically.
10. Helpful resources for implementation
- Free copywriting for your profile and texts
➔ [FORM] - Daily Zoom calls for questions and optimisations
- Workflows for all LinkedIn processes
- Text templates for every outreach situation
