Home/Resources/LinkedIn Prospecting Playbook for Steel Manufacturers
📘 Free Playbook · LinkedIn Prospecting · Steel Industry
LinkedIn Prospecting Playbook for Steel Manufacturers
Find, connect with, and convert international steel buyers using LinkedIn — without a Sales Navigator subscription.
Phase 1: Profile Optimisation Week 1
Headline formula: '[Role] at [Company] | [Product] Manufacturer | Exporting to [Regions]'
Not just 'Managing Director' — tell buyers what you make
Banner: Factory floor or finished products (1584×396px, design free on Canva)
About: Start with the buyer's problem. Include product categories, certifications, export markets, contact.
Featured section: Pin your product catalogue, FactoryOS portal link, or best post
Services section: List manufacturing capabilities with clear keywords
Phase 2: Target Buyer Search Week 2
Title filter: 'Procurement Manager' OR 'VP Supply Chain' OR 'Purchase Manager'
Industry: Construction, Automotive, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing
Geography: UAE, Saudi Arabia, USA, Germany, Italy
Company size: 200-5,000 employees
Connection filter: 2nd degree first — you share a mutual contact
Phase 3: Outreach Sequence
Day 1: Connection request: 'Hi [Name], noticed [Company] works in [industry]. We manufacture [product] in [city]. Would love to connect.'
Keep under 250 chars
Day 4 (after connect): Thank-you + one specific capability: 'We specialize in [grade] and export to [region].'
Day 10: Share value — market update, product launch, industry article. Don't pitch.
Day 18: Soft ask: 'Are you currently sourcing [product]? Happy to send a quote or samples.'
Content Strategy for Organic Leads
Post 3x per week: 1 product post, 1 industry insight, 1 factory behind-the-scenes
Hashtags: #manufacturing #steelexport #madeinIndia #MSME #exportfromIndia
Video gets 5x more reach than images — 60-second factory tour = highest engagement
Respond to every comment within 2 hours to boost algorithm visibility