Last week LinkedIn rolled out a new feature: “Follow Company”. My initial reaction was that this would just add to the information clutter problems that we’re all facing.

After a week of limited use, I can say my first impression was dead wrong. This tool should be added to the Inside Sales arsenal today.
 

What it does

LinkedIn describes the feature as follows:

 
What it gives Reps

On this blog and in conversation with clients, we stress the importance of trigger events and delivering timely, relevant & compelling messaging in outbound prospecting efforts.

“Follow Company” gives your Reps a stream of potentially relevant trigger events that use changes in the buyer’s environment to potentially engage in conversation. For example:

Now, I’m sensitive to the difficult balancing act between crafting buyer-centric messaging and establishing & meeting Inside Sales productivity goals.

The reason for my bullishness on this tool is that it’s native to LinkedIn and doesn’t add to the growing list of applications & sites that are involved in pre-call planning. 

 
Who it's best for

There are some limitations to which types of organizations can or should be followed. Follow Company works best for:

But what do you think? How do we walk the fine line between preparation and activity?
Can this tool be useful in your Reps’ prospecting efforts?

Also, here’s a great write-up on the how to use Follow Company. Thanks for listening