A Simple Guide for Defining Your Ideal Prospects and Leveraging LinkedIn to Find More

What is Social Selling on LinkedIn and Why Does It Matter?

Social selling on LinkedIn is the process of using the platform to research, identify, and engage ideal prospects through personalized, value-driven interactions. It matters because buyers are increasingly relying on digital channels and peer networks to evaluate solutions. LinkedIn offers the perfect opportunity for sales professionals to build trust, establish thought leadership, and generate qualified leads.

In today’s digital-first sales environment, LinkedIn has become the most powerful tool for social selling. Whether you’re a sales leader building pipeline, an enablement leader designing strategies, or a sales professional prospecting daily, defining your ideal prospect and leveraging LinkedIn to find and engage them is a must-have skill. 

Keep reading to learn how to identify your best-fit buyers and use LinkedIn to engage them meaningfully. In this guide, you’ll explore:

• Why starting with a clear ICP is critical to understanding who your buyers are and what they care about

• How to use LinkedIn strategically for outreach through 2nd-degree connections, groups, associations, and more
• How to engage with relevance and authenticity to give buyers personalized, thoughtful interactions instead of cold pitches

Start with the Ideal Prospect Profile

Before you can engage prospects effectively on LinkedIn, you need to define who they are. Collaboration between sales and marketing is essential to get this right.

Review your past wins from the last two to three years and identify patterns. Ask:

• Who were the buyers?
• What triggered their interest?
• What problem were they trying to solve?

Don’t rely solely on CRM lead sources—they often miss important offline influences. Sales professionals should share qualitative insights about how deals originated and what truly motivated buyer engagement.

Focus on three categories:

• Company Characteristics: Industry, size, revenue, location, growth trajectory
• Buyer Characteristics: Job title, seniority, decision-making role, problem ownership 
• Situational Triggers: Regulatory changes, internal restructuring, new initiatives, or external threats

How to Use LinkedIn for Social Selling

Once you’ve defined your ideal prospect, LinkedIn becomes your go-to platform for building relationships at scale.

1. Tap Into Your Existing Network

• Connect with current customers and review their connections. 
• Identify colleagues in different divisions or geographies who may also benefit from your solution.
• Look for "second-degree" connections and request introductions.

2. Use "People Also Viewed" and "Similar Profiles"

• Visit a prospect's profile and scroll to "People Also Viewed" or "Similar To."
• These LinkedIn-generated suggestions often match your ICP.
• Save these profiles or add them to your outreach list.

3. Leverage LinkedIn Groups

• Check which groups your prospects belong to.
• Join open groups and monitor the conversation.
• Participate thoughtfully to build visibility and trust.

4. Find "Hidden" Prospects via Associations

• Professionals often cluster in industry associations.
• HR, CFOs, IT leaders all have national and regional groups.
• Many offer directories, webinars, and events ideal for outreach and sponsorships.

Even offline, you will find that “birds of a feather flock together.” For example, HR directors know other HR directors, and many belong to the same HR industry associations and subscribe to the same publications. CFOs have their own industry-specific associations, as well as regional associations. All of these associations have meetings that provide speaking or sponsorship opportunities for you. As a vendor, becoming “part of the group” might take a little longer and require you to be in “helping mode” versus “selling mode.”

There are many other sources of contacts (e.g., Hoovers, Data.com, Netprospex, and Lead411), as well as associations and groups, to join. Knowing your ideal prospect will help you find targets that, over time, have the best odds of becoming customers.

Tips for Social Selling Success

To drive real results from your social selling efforts:

• Keep your LinkedIn profile updated and prospect-centric.
• Focus on value creation over product pitching.
• Use a mix of connection requests, DMs, and public posts.
• Engage consistently—comment, share insights, and tag relevant people