Time to read: 4 minutes. Need a better, faster way for using LinkedIn to generate leads? Here is a radically effective way to get leads every time. I’ve put the approach into a handy LinkedIn strategy template. This is the same LinkedIn leads strategy I used to get over 100 leads in 1 Group post. Ready? Here we go.

This LinkedIn strategy template is the fastest, most practical way to:

1. attract buyers with a magnetic headline (I’ll show you how below);
2. get to the point FAST by providing clear, actionable problem-solving steps;
3. create response by making buyers hungry for your remedy (get them curios about you).

Don’t focus on what to say

My wife always says, “don’t you have any tact?!” It’s not what I say it’s how and when I say it. Ever have a moment like that? Where a relationship went terribly wrong—or right? In the end, HOW and WHEN we choose to say words (to the other person) makes all the difference. Well, LinkedIn profiles and Group discussions work the same way.

It’s not what you say. It’s how and when you say it!

Earning leads relies more on how and when you share knowledge and advice—less on what you share.

Keep this in mind as I give more details on my LinkedIn strategy template.

Step 1: Write a magnetic headline (that gets clicked)

Everyone is suffering from information overload—and everything online is being reduced to a headline.

There are two kinds of headlines: Attention grabbers and everything else. Effective headlines get right to the point. Ineffective headlines waste time. They often try to be cute (I used to write those!). The trick to writing magnetic headlines in Groups (or on your profile) is simple:

Appeal to emotional and tangible desires of prospects in ways they cannot resist acting on.

Right now, jot down three pains, fears or frustrations your target market suffers from. Seriously. Write them down. Or jot down a goal they’re striving to achieve—a physical or mental place they need to get to.

THIS is where to start with writing a headline that magnetically attracts prospects.

Now, take each topic and write a killer LinkedIn Discussion headline—one your prospects will find impossible to resist. They will see your headline, click to read your first paragraph, and feel compelled to respond. As responses continue inside the discussion you will open the door to generating a relationship, a business lead.

Just follow the 4 U’s. Print these off and hang them on your wall. Make sure your headline is:

• Useful (Is the promised knowledge valuable to the reader?)
• Urgent (Does the message make the reader want to read it immediately?)
• Unique (Is the promised message compelling and remarkable?)
• Ultra-Specific (How relevant is the knowledge or message being presented?)

This formula will help you write headlines prospects cannot resist clicking on.

Step 2: Get right to the point and invite criticism

In the first paragraph of your LinkedIn Group conversation-starter get right to the point. Don’t ramble. Proclaim your big “ah-HA!” insight, fix or better solution.

Hit them with it!

If possible, tell readers you’ve got valuable stuff they’ve not heard before. Most importantly, be sure it shows prospects how to improve something important to them—how to create more success.

Also, make sure your headline and opening paragraph avoids subconsciously telling readers, “you’ve heard this before.” You don’t want that. Focus on showcasing your experiences (or those of others) in ways that are direct and practical. Be useful to prospects.

In doing so, follow the classic communications technique that has worked for eons:

• Tell them what you’re about to tell them (and make it a big one)
• Tell them the “better way” (at a high level, yet specific)
• Tell them what you told them
• Invite discussion (in LinkedIn)

“How to” is easy and fun

A “how-to” discussion is one of the most effective, easy and fun (yes, fun) ways to generate leads on LinkedIn. For example, let’s say our title is, “Why isn’t LinkedIn generating leads for me?” This title plays on frustration of my target audience and suggests a solution could be hidden inside the discussion. Feel free to be more direct in your title.

In your first paragraph be provocative and helpful—give prospects better ways to achieve goals, avoid dangerous risks or solve vexing problem. Here is an example of what I’m describing. This is a visual LinkedIn strategy template vividly illustrating what this article is about.

Here are my best tips for writing effective conversation-starters that get attention (and ultimately help you generate leads).

• Limit your Discussion starter to 100 words
• Immediately offer a useful and/or provocative point of view
• Keep it action-oriented (problem-solving or a way to achieve a goal faster)
• Explain the key to experiencing more success at a high level
• Conclude it by inviting all forms of discussion (disagreement too!)
• AVOID talking about your product/service

Step 3: Create hunger for more details

The best part of this LinkedIn strategy template is how prospects RESPOND to it. It may sputter at the start (as seen in my example LinkedIn strategy template). However, once you implement the template it really goes to work for you. What’s the magic here?

Answering questions in ways that encourages prospects to ask more questions.

90% of “what works” is based on this simple idea. When starting your LinkedIn discussion—and continuing it—be sure to focus on creating hunger for more details. Tease readers. Present the solution clearly … but do so in ways that make prospects curious in all the little details that go into your solution.

Here’s how to create that hunger:

Make your words specific.

Be action-oriented. But always be incomplete.

Give away enough “how to” knowledge in the discussion to create hunger for a short-cut—a faster, easier way for prospects to get ALL the “how to” details, skills, knowledge, tips or short-cuts in one fell swoop.

An Ultimate Guide ebook, video tutorial, handy checklist to get something done more effectively, etc.

Go slow with revealing all the moving parts of your solution, lesson, “better way” or fix. Always have something more to share with readers. Find ways to elude to the benefits of whatever that something is without actually getting into the details of it. Create hunger for your give-away (lead generation tool) as you go along.

For a better visualization of how this works, look at #5 in my LinkedIn strategy template.

Step 4: Make a call-to-action

The benefits of this approach rely ultimately on making a call-to-action that doesn’t chase everyone away. The a call-to-action is when you invite prospects to become a lead in exchange for a big fat piece of useful content (an ebook, video, etc.).

Prospects know a call-to-action when they see one. They may be hungry but they’re not stupid. The call-to-action asks them to trade insight on who they are (name and email) in exchange for a faster, easier way to get what they want.

You can’t force that courtship too quickly. You’ve got to prove yourself a bit first … before prospects will consider your call-to-action appropriate in context of how the discussion has flowed.

Don’t rush it. Instead, build up to it.

Think of it like teasing prospects, slowly, with your knowledge. This will help create hunger for your call to action. This way, when you make the suggestion to take a short-cut to where prospects want to go, they are highly receptive to the idea. What you’re asking them to do is suddenly less about giving away their name and email address—and more about getting what they want from someone who’s already demonstrated they can deliver.

Knowing when to make your call to action is all about estimating how hungry your audience has become.

If they’re hungry or should be hungry… it’s time. In other words, ask yourself, “am I seeing enough question-asking here to suggest some folks might be interested in taking a short-cut to where the gold lies?”

You’ve got to make a judgment call on how much pent up curiosity you think is “out there” inside readers.

Here are 3 guidelines that will keep you on track. In most cases, all that is needed in your discussion is a clear nudge that is:

1. Casual in tone and suggestive. Don’t be pushy about it but be bold. For example, say “this free download might help you if you are serious about accomplishing _____, John.” Your call to action must also be
2. In context with the discussion flow. Again, there’s no hard-fast rule here. Use your best judgment and only make calls to action where it feels natural.
3. Promising a better way. For example, free, step-by-step instructions, a way to learn a new skill, avoid a risk, make a better decision, etc. You’ve got to make it compelling enough to earn a click. And remember if you work too hard you’ll blow it.

This LinkedIn strategy template is the fastest, most practical way to:

1. attract prospects inside LinkedIn Groups,
2. get trusted (using a short-cut),
3. get responded to (convince prospects to become a lead).

Good luck using my LinkedIn strategy template in your work life. Let me know how it goes ok?

Photo credit: Mr. Munnings on Tour