LinkedIn is much more than just a networking tool you can use it to meet new prospects and generate new business. It is a powerful research tool that helps with background information on sales prospects, your competition or even prospective employers. With over 20 million searchable profiles, LinkedIn is a powerful people tool.

Imagine going into a conference room filled with people you have never met. You may know their names and their companies, but not much else. You can use LinkedIn to understand these people and develop some ideas for conversation starters.

1. Research your sales prospects: Look for connections and contacts within your network to create an introduction. Use LinkedIn to understand your prospect before you meet with them. You can learn where someone has worked, where they went to school, their hobbies and more. LinkedIn details their past career experience and positions held, and reveals their personal interests and expertise.
2. Research your competition: Do an advanced search on their company name. Understand past and present employees by reading their profiles. What skill sets and backgrounds are in key positions? You will get an idea not only what they are doing now, but what are the capable of doing.
3. Research a prospective employer: The more you know about a prospective employer, the better decision you can make if you are offered a job. Do advanced searches by company name. Contact people in your network that currently or previously worked there. See where people go before and after. How long do they stay?

Combine LinkedIn with a thorough Google search and you can gain a great deal of intelligence to help make decisions and increase your sales conversions

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