19 LinkedIn hacks that could help your business make tons of money

Make sure your LinkedIn profile URL is short and simple. Use your name, but if it’s not available, pick something about your industry, because the default URL is a messy combination of numbers and letters.

As a LinkedIn member, you can join up to 50 groups. Make sure you join the groups people in your industry are joining, and the ones in specific verticals that decision-makers like VPs of sales and sales directors are a part of.

InMail is a paid service that lets you send private messages to LinkedIn members. But you can send private messages to people in the same group without using the InMail service. It’s a great way to establish a relationship with potential buyers without having to pay for the InMail service.

If you saw your prospect share something on LinkedIn minutes ago, make sure you reach out to them immediately because chances are they’re close to their phones or laptop at the moment — and available for a call or email response.

Find a client that’s a happy customer of yours and go to their corporate LinkedIn page. See who’s following that page and start reaching out to those people with a message that includes a success story of that client. They’re more likely to respond to your message because they’re interested in what that client’s doing right.

Make sure you have a professional photo as your profile pic. It’s probably not going to be the same one you use on Facebook. Pick a good, close-up photo. Krogue says black and white photos could make you stand out.

Go through your LinkedIn network and make your own imaginary wedding and funeral guest lists. This is an old prospecting technique, but basically you’re putting together some of the closest people who care about you. That sounds like a good place to start prospecting and looking for intros.

Nobody’s more important than your customers and clients. Make sure you connect with every one of them and make them part of your LinkedIn network. By getting their LinkedIn updates and shared posts, you get to learn more about them and build a stronger relationship.

Before reaching out to a prospect, go to their LinkedIn page and do a "3X3 analysis" — take 3 minutes and find 3 things you have in comment with them. This will help you have a better understanding of the person and start the conversation more smoothly.

Follow your customers’ companies to keep yourself up-to-date with their news. It shows you care about them, and that you want to build a stronger rapport with them.

Just as you do with your customers, make sure you connect with your potential customers, too. It increases the chances of building a relationship and turning them into a future client.

Keeping your profile fresh and up-to-date will increase your credibility. “Using LinkedIn with an incomplete profile is a mistake. It shows a lack of credibility and professionalism,” Krogue writes.

It’s good to have recommendations from others on your LinkedIn page. One way to increase the number of recommendations is to just ask for it. Sometimes it’s good to use it as leverage for offering discount. One tactic by Krogue: “Well, with this discount I’m giving you, would you recommend me on LinkedIn if I have earned it?”

Don’t try to oversell something with spam content on LinkedIn. Just offer great content. “If they want to buy something from you, they will seek you out,” Krogue writes.

Link your LinkedIn and Twitter accounts together and have the content you share go out on both services. It increases your reach and influence.

Do this to make sure your prospects are aware of where you’ll be attending because it’s always better to meet in-person.

Share valuable content, including training materials, books, and management tips so your connections can learn from them.

Give recommendations to your LinkedIn contacts. Taking the time to do so shows respect, and it’s a great way to build relationships. And of course, it could lead to more opportunities.

Join groups that correspond to specific trade shows. You can network within that group and set up appointments with people who'll be there ahead of the event.