So, you want to get more real leads from LinkedIn without spending all day sending connection requests—or sounding like a robot. This guide is for founders, sales folks, and marketers who want to build a LinkedIn funnel that actually converts, using Waalaxy. You don’t need to be a tech wizard, but you do need a clear plan, some patience, and a healthy dose of skepticism about “set it and forget it” promises.
Here’s how to build a funnel that works, step by step, with no fluff.
Step 1: Get Your LinkedIn Profile in Shape
If your LinkedIn profile looks like a dusty resume, you’re starting from behind. People judge you in seconds. Make it count:
- Profile photo: Clear, friendly, professional—skip the group shots and the sunglasses.
- Headline: Don’t just list your job title. Use this to explain who you help and how. Example: “Helping SaaS founders get more demos without cold calls.”
- About section: Brief, direct, and customer-focused. What problems do you solve?
- Featured section: Add case studies, testimonials, or links to work—anything that backs up your claims.
Pro tip: If you wouldn’t send your profile to a prospect, don’t use it for outreach. Fix it first.
Step 2: Define Your Real Target Audience
Before you touch Waalaxy, get specific about who you want to reach. “Decision makers” isn’t good enough.
- Industry: Not just “tech”—which part? SaaS? Cybersecurity?
- Job titles: List them out. Think about variations and seniority.
- Company size: Startups? Enterprises? Both need different messages.
- Geography: If it matters, be clear.
Write this down. You’ll need it for searching and messaging later.
Step 3: Build a Laser-Focused LinkedIn Search
LinkedIn’s search is powerful if you get granular.
- Use filters for industry, company size, and location.
- Don’t go too broad. Quality beats quantity.
- Save your search criteria. You’ll use it in Waalaxy.
What doesn’t work: Buying a sketchy email list or scraping every “CEO” in the world. You’ll just spam people who don’t care.
Step 4: Set Up Waalaxy and Import Leads
Now, time for Waalaxy. It’s a Chrome extension that automates connection requests, messages, and follow-ups. Yes, there are other tools, but Waalaxy is easy to set up and decent for beginners.
- Install the extension and connect your LinkedIn account.
- Import your saved LinkedIn search directly into Waalaxy.
- Set limits: Stick to safe daily limits (30-50 new connections/day is plenty). LinkedIn gets cranky if you overdo it. Waalaxy’s defaults are conservative for a reason.
Pro tip: Don’t try to “hack” the limits. Getting banned is a fast way to kill your funnel.
Step 5: Craft Personalized Connection Requests
Here’s where most people screw up. Don’t use the default “I’d like to connect.” You’re not a spam bot (hopefully).
- Be specific: Mention something relevant—industry, mutual interest, or recent post.
- Keep it short: Aim for 1-2 sentences. No sales pitch.
- Examples:
- “Hi Sarah, saw your post on SaaS onboarding—great points. Would love to connect.”
- “Hi Tom, I work with founders in cybersecurity and thought it’d be good to connect.”
Waalaxy lets you use variables (like {firstName}) to save time, but don’t just mass-blast a generic note.
Step 6: Set Up a Simple Message Sequence
Once someone accepts, don’t pounce with a long pitch. Play it cool.
- Message 1: Thank them for connecting. Maybe ask a question or offer something useful (like a relevant article). No selling yet.
- Message 2: Wait a few days. Share a real insight or resource, or ask a thoughtful question.
- Message 3: If they engage, suggest a chat. If not, back off.
Example sequence: 1. “Thanks for connecting, Jane! Curious—what’s your take on [Industry Trend] lately?” 2. (3-5 days later) “Saw this article about [Relevant Topic], thought you might find it useful: [Link].” 3. (Optional, if they reply) “Seems like we’ve got some overlap—open to a quick call to swap notes?”
What to ignore: Templates that sound like marketing emails. Nobody likes them. If you wouldn’t send it to a friend, don’t send it here.
Step 7: Automate (But Don’t Abdicate) with Waalaxy
Waalaxy can handle your sequences, but people can smell automation a mile away. Don’t set it and forget it.
- Monitor replies: Waalaxy lets you tag and filter responses. Respond personally, and fast.
- Pause sequences: If someone replies, stop the automation. Nothing kills trust faster than getting a canned follow-up after a real conversation starts.
- Tweak as you go: If people aren’t replying, change your approach. Don’t just blame “bad leads.”
Pro tip: Block 10 minutes a day to review and reply. Don’t be the person who ghosts after finally getting a response.
Step 8: Move Conversations Off LinkedIn
LinkedIn messages are good for starting, but not for closing.
- Offer value first: Invite them to a call, Zoom, or email—only after you’ve had a real exchange.
- Be clear: “Would you be open to a 15-minute call to see if there’s a fit?”
- Respect a no: If they’re not interested, leave the door open, but don’t nag.
Step 9: Track, Measure, and Adjust
Funnels aren’t magic. Most people won’t respond, and that’s normal.
- Track the basics: Connection acceptance rate, reply rate, calls booked.
- Adjust: If your acceptance rate is under 20%, your profile or message needs work.
- A/B test: Try different messages and see what actually gets replies.
- Don’t overcomplicate: More steps doesn’t mean more conversions.
Step 10: What To Ignore (And What Not To Worry About)
- Ignore “gurus” promising thousands of leads overnight. Real leads take time and trust.
- Don’t obsess over fancy software features. Most of your results come from clear targeting and authentic messages.
- Don’t buy into hype about AI-generated messages. They’re easy to spot and usually get ignored.
- Don’t automate your way out of real conversations. Automation is a tool, not a replacement for actual effort.
Wrap-up: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Be Weird
A high-converting LinkedIn funnel isn’t rocket science, but it’s not magic, either. Start with a great profile, target the right people, and send messages you’d actually want to receive. Use Waalaxy to save time, but don’t treat people like leads on a spreadsheet.
Start small, see what works, and tweak as you go. If you remember that there’s a human on the other side, you’re already ahead of most.
Good luck—and don’t be afraid to ignore the hype.