LinkedIn: A prospecting treasure trove, Part 1

* Comment, like and share posts made by your connections.

* Congratulate. The "congratulations" feature is valuable for reaching out to a client or prospect who has been promoted or achieved another work-related success.

2.     Utilize Groups. The Groups feature is one of the most robust LinkedIn features, allowing you to connect not only with like-minded professionals but also with local organizations within your community. There are more than two million groups on the platform, with another 8,000 being added each week. Check the LinkedIn profiles of your top five clients to see which groups they belong to and then join. If you can't find a Group that suits you, create one of your own.

3.     Take advantage of advanced search. LinkedIn's search tools are ever-evolving, but they continue to be centered on keywords. Use the Advanced Search feature to find people who live a certain geographical location, who work at a certain company or profession or who share sharing your high school or college alma mater.

There are many ways to use LinkedIn to grow your business and new features mean new ways connect with prospects. Make sure you're making the most of this platform in your lead-generation efforts.

Sign up for The Lead and get a new tip in your inbox every day! More tips:

• Keep contacts up to date with LinkedIn
• 5 LinkedIn updates to know
• How to prospect on LinkedIn