Before day one
- Define the ICP in one sentence: role, company type, size, and the problem you solve.
- Fix the headline to say who you help. Our headline examples help.
- Pick the offer: what you'll suggest when someone is interested, such as a 20-minute call or a short teardown.
- Set up tracking: a CRM or simple sheet with name, reason to contact, date, and status.
Week 1: foundations
Build a list of 100 people
Use LinkedIn search to find people who match the ICP. Note one reason to contact each. Our guide to finding leads without Sales Navigator shows how.
Publish two posts
One lesson and one customer story. The post templates make this faster.
Comment daily
Ten minutes a day on posts from people on your list. Add something; never pitch.
Week 2: start connecting
- Send 20 to 25 connection requests to people you've already commented on, with a short note. Use the connection request templates.
- Publish two or three posts.
- A day after each acceptance, send a thank-you with one question about their work.
- Keep commenting daily.
Week 3: conversations
- Another 20 to 25 requests, prioritising people who engaged with your posts or viewed your profile.
- Reply to every response within a day. When someone describes the problem you solve, offer the call. The follow-up templates cover the ask.
- Follow up once, with something useful, with anyone who accepted but didn't reply.
Week 4: book and review
- Send booking links or two specific times to everyone who's shown interest.
- Count: requests sent, acceptances, conversations, calls booked.
- Look at which posts and which notes led to conversations, and do more of those in month two.
- Withdraw requests that have sat unanswered for more than a few weeks.
The daily checklist
- Reply to every message and comment from the last day.
- Comment usefully on three to five posts from people on your list.
- Send today's connection requests, each with a reason.
- Message yesterday's acceptances with a thank-you and one question.
- Offer times to anyone who's described the problem you solve.
- Log it all in your CRM or sheet.
What good looks like after 30 days
Every team is different, so set your own baseline rather than chasing someone else's numbers. Signs the plan is working: acceptance rates rising as your posts get seen, conversations starting without you initiating them, and the first calls booked from people who found you through a post or comment. If acceptances are low, the list or the note is off; if acceptances are high but conversations are few, the follow-up message needs work.
Doing it in less time
The plan takes three to five hours a week. Most of that is research, drafting and keeping track. An agent can find the people, write the notes and follow-ups in your voice and log everything, within daily limits you set, while you take the conversations. Keep the volume modest either way; see is LinkedIn automation safe.
Mistakes that stall LinkedIn lead generation
- Pitching in the connection note. It's the fastest way to be ignored.
- Requests to people who don't fit. Ignored invitations count against you.
- Posting without commenting. Comments on others' posts are what get your posts seen by the right people.
- Asking for the call too early. Ask after they've described the problem.
- Stopping after two weeks. Most of the results arrive in weeks three and four and after.
Frequently asked questions
How do I generate leads on LinkedIn?
Fix your profile, post two or three times a week, comment on your buyers' posts, send well-chosen connection requests with a short note, and follow up with real conversations that lead to a call.
How many connection requests should I send a week?
For a small team, 20 to 50 well-chosen requests a week is plenty. LinkedIn limits weekly invitations, and ignored requests count against you.
How long does LinkedIn lead generation take?
Expect the first conversations within two to three weeks and steadier results after a couple of months of consistent posting and outreach.
Do I need Sales Navigator for LinkedIn lead generation?
No. Free LinkedIn search is enough to start; Sales Navigator helps once you're searching at higher volume.
Can Siela do LinkedIn lead generation for me?
Yes. Siela's AI SDR finds people who fit and show a fresh buying signal, writes a connection note for each one, sends it from your own account within your daily limit, and follows up after they accept.