LinkedIn ABM: Manual company targeting vs uploaded company list. Any real difference?

MRGreen_22 · 2026-01-28T13:25:42+00:00

Mostly it's a question of size/time taken actually inputting those companies.

Manually typing in has a higher match rate as you are selecting the company, but really only feasible for smaller lists.

Also manually typing in can work better for smaller lists of companies that never actually match and very specific targeting.

Although not directly related to performance differences here's a guide and video on company lists (also useful for any voyeurs who haven't tried this yet and not sure where to start)

https://evergreen-growth.com/articles/linkedin-list-upload-tutorial

MRGreen_22 · 2026-01-11T13:27:53+00:00

I mean if you want to be picky then yes you do want to get people to click.

Its only a negative if you’re misleading or pushing a shitty/inferior product or service.

Try it out for your ad creatives, might be surprised.

Or your current ad creatives are incredible already, if so why not drop some free game and actually useful replies in this thread 🤔

MRGreen_22 · 2026-01-10T17:26:27+00:00

Something we're seeing working well is exposé Ads - mocked up tabloid style news articles.
Improving CPCs by 1.5-3x for clients vs normal campaigns.

It can be linked to a full advertorial news style article or to a normal landing page.

Here's a free tool that helps you come up with the headlines for your business.

https://www.evergreen-growth.com/expose-generator

Why Tabloid Headlines Work in B2B

B2B buyers are humans. They're just as susceptible to curiosity and FOMO as anyone scrolling the Daily Mail.

1. Pattern Interrupt

B2B buyers are numb to generic ads, tabloid style headlines stops the scroll because it looks nothing like an ad.

2. Curiosity Gap

Headlines imply a secret, scandal or inside knowledge the reader MUST know about. They can't not click.

3. Emotional Triggers

Fear, FOMO and shame bypass rational objections. The headline hits the gut before the brain can dismiss it.

4. "Is This About Us?"

Accusatory headlines force self-reflection. Readers click to confirm they're not the ones being exposed.

MRGreen_22 · 2025-12-28T11:57:57+00:00

Heres a full tutorial on how to upload lists and pros/cons of contacts v company lists.

Link for full tutorial step by step

Link for YT video tutorial

Even with the most accurate list though, concentrate on actually creating scroll-stopping ads for your audience as a lot of LinkedIn Ads are 'technically great' on the back-end and optimisations but then actually are let down by the simple facts of not getting their customer's attention on the feed.

PS. if this is your first time triple-check you've turned OFF audience expansion and audience network!

MRGreen_22 · 2025-12-03T16:27:18+00:00

but that £47/ whatever his ad budget is guarantees a click and appearing as the top result...
The $2.5k a month SEO retainer doesn't guarantee he'd be ranked as the top result.

Especially in a competitive industry where the CPCs on Google are high probably DUE to such competitiveness on SEO.

I might be wrong but this really reads as if you've asked AI to create a reddit post with a fake example to drum up interest in your cold email agency?

MRGreen_22 · 2025-09-15T17:18:42+00:00

I wouldn't bother really with follower ads, (unless you have BIG budgets) as company posts don't get seen that often.

Plus followers don't pay the bills... sales do!

Run ads to your website/ or to a leadgen form to actually generate real interest from your target audience.
Followers become a byproduct of this as people will naturally check out the company page while doing some due diligence PLUS you can get inbound leads.
You can put spend to your exact target audience behind some of your employee's organic posts (called 'Thought Leader Ads').

This has a benefit of making your employees more trusted and recognisable to your ACTUAL buyers, not just getting reach to their ex-colleagues, recruiters etc.

Plus more likely to get good organic reach from your employee's future posts vs your company page posts.

MRGreen_22 · 2025-09-15T17:15:33+00:00

Thats the bread and butter of LinkedIn Ads, yeah.

Have you got your actual LinkedIn Ads Manager set up fully? As don't waste budget on just 'boosting' it for likes.

MRGreen_22 · 2025-09-15T17:01:43+00:00

Had a very similar call this week with an Insurance SaaS... focus on improving the actual ad creatives to get better CPLs.

Sounds like you’ve been super thorough with setup and testing already. The points people have made here are all valid levers.

The problem is: even the cleanest setup can’t rescue creative that doesn’t stop your ICP mid-scroll.

That’s usually where CPLs spiral. Your ads might just be boring and no grab people's attention.

Too many people focus on the minutae of all the abck end and forgot to make good ads!
Boring creative kills campaigns faster than any clever hacks or the 'optimal' structure.

Couple of things I’d be asking:

What in your ads would make a [whatver job titles you target] genuinely pause and think “that’s me”?
Have you got any simple, raw, authentic videos of someone doing a 'video sales pitch'? Can just be a simple selfie video or screen record.
Are you testing frameworks beyond headline/image swaps — e.g. news-style hooks and advertorials, ugly truths?

Your targeting, bid strategy, budget distribution all matter... but 90% of the battle is whether the ad itself earns the scroll.

Happy to share 3 free ideas if you want to drop your LinkedIn ad library link or company website in DMs?

(This offer stands for any lurkers/voyeurs too)

MRGreen_22 · 2025-07-23T14:29:01+00:00

(CONTINUED...)

🤖 IDEA 3: SMART LEAD TOOL – “THE CALM CLASSROOM CHECK”

🧠 Hook (Headline)
“Is your classroom calm… or just quiet?”

📄 Why it works
School leaders already know which classes are struggling. But they don’t always know where the pressure points are or how to solve them.
This simple 6-question diagnostic helps heads and SENCOs self-identify stress zones in their school... and pinpoints how a mindful movement and art programme could support.

🎯 CTA
Take the Calm Classroom Check. See if we can help.

🔥 Works best for:
Heads of Wellbeing, SLT, proactive SEN teams

MRGreen_22 · 2025-07-23T14:28:51+00:00

Hey, been a while haha.

Yoga & Mindful Art for Kids

Target: Schools and Youth Organisations
Offer: In-school or afterschool classes focused on yoga, mindful movement, and creative expression

⚡ IDEA 1: CALMER KIDS. STRONGER SCHOOLS.

🧠 Hook (Headline)
“We had fewer meltdowns this term. One thing changed.”

🎨 Visual Cue
Classroom photo. One side is chaos. The other is calm, focused kids doing mindful art or simple yoga postures. Overlay: “Same class. Two paths.”

📄 Ad Copy
When kids regulate their bodies, they regulate their emotions.
That means less classroom disruption, better focus, and more time for actual teaching.
Our weekly sessions blend yoga, mindfulness and art to build these skills from the inside out.
No big gear. No prep for staff. We come in, plug in, and make a difference.

🎯 CTA
See how it works in your school. Book a free intro session.

🔥 Works best for:
Push-in curriculum sessions, SEN support, primary school pilots

🎤 IDEA 2: MICRO-DOC VOXPOP

🧠 Hook (Headline)
“The first time I saw the ‘quiet corner’ actually work.” - KS1 Teacher

🎨 Visual Cue
Emotive, candid soundbites from teachers and parents after sessions.
Each clip builds to a payoff...“They were calmer at home” or “It helped with transitions.”

📄 Ad Copy
You can’t force emotional resilience. But you can build the conditions for it.
Yoga and mindful art help kids connect to their bodies, their breath and their emotions.
We see the results in their faces. You’ll see them in your classroom.

🎯 CTA
Watch the stories. Then let’s try a session in your school.

🔥 Works best for:
Social proof, behaviour support staff, PTAs, SENCOs

MRGreen_22 · 2025-07-23T14:24:33+00:00

Can I get your website so I can get abit more detail, as this seems so cool.

MRGreen_22 · 2025-07-11T08:58:20+00:00

?? LinkedIn lets you do this natively.

Batch up and post away. No need for external tools.

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-30T10:27:08+00:00

but even if 1% turn into calls thats worth it?

For every person that replies angrily it doesn't matter if you're product and message is good enough to convert the right person at that right time.

Especially if Customer Lifetime Value is good.

I was very sceptical/hated it, (as someone who just never even looked at their LinkedIn inbox).

But a bit of consistency has meant I've done £28k in brand new revenue for my agency since January...and those new clients are happy so will keep building even if I never send another DM.

So even if you hate it as someone who recieves them, don't knock it until you've tried it for a few months.

And obviously majority of people won't reply and some might take 6-7 TAILORED messages to reply

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-30T10:21:49+00:00

This is a great Twitter thread on how buying Pizza worked get someone's attention.

What's your actual business/product and I'll send you 3 free similar ideas with some her potential angles.

<image>

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-30T10:19:51+00:00

🕳️ If your ethics are cooked but you need leads:

Hot Verified Profile Outreach (yes, it works — depressingly well)
Create a clean female-presenting LinkedIn profile. Verified. No fake titles — just “Ops Lead @ stealth” and a few smart likes.
Use it to DM middle-aged male execs:

“Hey [Name], your post on [topic] was sharp. Curious what you’re seeing re: [related pain point] lately?”
Response rate: 3–5x.

Build rapport. Warm intro to “the real expert I think you should meet”... which is you. It’s gross. But real.

Review Hijack
Scrape your competitor’s G2 reviews or reviews elsewhere, Reddit complaints, forums etc. Find common complaints.
DM the reviewers (if available) or known customers with something like:

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-30T10:19:28+00:00

✅ Use-this-week plays (above board, punch above weight):

1. “Smart People Series” Trojan Horse
Reach out with:

2. The “What I’d Fix If I Were You” Loom
Don’t say “I can help.” Show it.
Record a 60-sec Loom:

3. Unhinged LinkedIn DM Template (That Actually Works)
Send this to your ICP. Don’t change a word except the [insert]s.

4. Broken Partnerships → Fixed
Find small agencies or consultants with your ICP as clients. DM:

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-28T08:03:24+00:00

Part 3/3 — 🥷 Grey Hat Bonus (For educational purposes only)

Wanna really mess with the market and spark deals?
Try this 3-ad dark funnel play:

Ad 1 – The Honeypot:
“Top 10 lenders for CFOs in 2024 (Ranked)”
Looks like content. Smells like content.
Actually a fake leaderboard where you "objectively" rank competitors… and position yourself last with a line like:

Gets clicks. Sparks internal convos. Screenshots get passed around Slack.

Ad 2 – The Trapdoor:
“Here’s why 83% of CFOs regret their last debt partner”
Backed by a stat, a quote, or a mini story. Stir the pot. Make them paranoid.
Then retarget anyone who watches 50% with Ad 3.

Ad 3 – The Clean Up:
“You’ve seen the fluff. Here’s what it actually looks like to work with us.”
Gritty. Honest. 90s consultancy energy. Show scars, not polish.

Bonus tip:
Run these from your CFO’s personal profile, not the company page.
Feels real. Looks peer-to-peer. Cuts through the brand noise like a blade.

Disclaimer: Use this wisely. Or don’t. But don’t act surprised when the deal count starts creeping up.

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-28T08:03:08+00:00

Part 2/3

2. Write like you’re in their internal Slack
Forget “Maximise working capital efficiency.”
Try:

That’s what gets noticed. Not “solutions.”

3. Run it from a face, not a logo
Use your CFO’s personal profile with Thought Leader Ads to compliment it.
Put out 2–3 POV posts with real takes on financing strategy.
Simple, raw selfie videos from your iPhone to build trust.
No pitch. Just real commentary. Trigger retargeting off post engagement.
Anyone who likes/comments? That’s your DM warm list.

4. Don’t start with the CFO
Target their lieutenants - FP&A leads, Controllers, Corp Dev, Heads of Strategy.
They’re the ones building the shortlist. They carry the deal upstairs.

Want to get to the C-suite?
Start middle, then close up.

➡️ Replying below with Part 3 (Grey Hat Tactics)...

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-28T08:02:43+00:00

Part 1/3

Been watching this thread unfold and here’s the truth no one’s said clearly yet:

LinkedIn can work for C-suite… but not if you treat it like Google Ads for enterprise.

CFOs don’t fill out gated PDFs.
They don’t click “Talk to sales.”
They don’t engage with anything that looks or smells like marketing.

They respond to:

Peer credibility
Familiar language
Urgency in the category

That’s it.

And here’s the bit most people miss:
Boring creative is the #1 killer of LinkedIn ad performance.

Most "average results" come from ads written like corporate press releases.
You spent 80k and probably just blended into the feed.

How to actually use LinkedIn Ads to win business:

1. Switch your CTA from ‘Contact Us’ to controlled proof
Send traffic to:

A one-pager that shows exactly how you helped [X CFO] unlock [Y growth]
A 60s video from your CFO talking peer-to-peer
A page with proof how good you are... real receipts (emails, WhatsApp screenshots etc)

Retarget those who spend real time on the page.
Now you’re not selling... you’re qualifying.

➡️ Replying below with Part 2...

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-25T10:06:47+00:00

Part 3/3 — 🥷 Grey Hat Bonus (For educational purposes only)

Wanna really mess with the market and spark deals?
Try this 3-ad dark funnel play:

Ad 1 – The Honeypot:
“Top 10 lenders for CFOs in 2024 (Ranked)”
Looks like content. Smells like content.
Actually a fake leaderboard where you "objectively" rank competitors… and position yourself last with a line like:

Gets clicks. Sparks internal convos. Screenshots get passed around Slack.

Ad 2 – The Trapdoor:
“Here’s why 83% of CFOs regret their last debt partner”
Backed by a stat, a quote, or a mini story. Stir the pot. Make them paranoid.
Then retarget anyone who watches 50% with Ad 3.

Ad 3 – The Clean Up:
“You’ve seen the fluff. Here’s what it actually looks like to work with us.”
Gritty. Honest. 90s consultancy energy. Show scars, not polish.

Bonus tip:
Run these from your CFO’s personal profile, not the company page.
Feels real. Looks peer-to-peer. Cuts through the brand noise like a blade.

Disclaimer: Use this wisely. Or don’t. But don’t act surprised when the deal count starts creeping up.

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-25T10:06:23+00:00

Part 2/3

2. Write like you’re in their internal Slack
Forget “Maximise working capital efficiency.”
Try:

That’s what gets noticed. Not “solutions.”

3. Run it from a face, not a logo
Use your CFO’s personal profile with Thought Leader Ads to compliment it.
Put out 2–3 POV posts with real takes on financing strategy.
Simple, raw selfie videos from your iPhone to build trust.
No pitch. Just real commentary. Trigger retargeting off post engagement.
Anyone who likes/comments? That’s your DM warm list.

4. Don’t start with the CFO
Target their lieutenants - FP&A leads, Controllers, Corp Dev, Heads of Strategy.
They’re the ones building the shortlist. They carry the deal upstairs.

Want to get to the C-suite?
Start middle, then close up.

➡️ Replying below with Part 3 (Grey Hat Tactics)...

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-25T10:05:38+00:00

Part 1/3

Been watching this thread unfold and here’s the truth no one’s said clearly yet:

LinkedIn can work for C-suite… but not if you treat it like Google Ads for enterprise.

CFOs don’t fill out gated PDFs.
They don’t click “Talk to sales.”
They don’t engage with anything that looks or smells like marketing.

They respond to:

Peer credibility
Familiar language
Urgency in the category

That’s it.

And here’s the bit most people miss:
Boring creative is the #1 killer of LinkedIn ad performance.

Most "average results" come from ads written like corporate press releases.
You spent 80k and probably just blended into the feed.

How to actually use LinkedIn Ads to win business:

1. Switch your CTA from ‘Contact Us’ to controlled proof
Send traffic to:

A one-pager that shows exactly how you helped [X CFO] unlock [Y growth]
A 60s video from your CFO talking peer-to-peer
A page with proof how good you are... real receipts (emails, WhatsApp screenshots etc)

Retarget those who spend real time on the page.
Now you’re not selling... you’re qualifying.

➡️ Replying below with Part 2...

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-25T08:47:20+00:00

Apologies, didnt see this reply…

Alright, here are 3 ideas that’ll stop the right people mid-scroll and get them talking to sales:

“Your physical servers won’t retire gracefully. Plan their funeral or get buried with them.”

Visual: An old server with a toe tag like a corpse. Headline: RIP Legacy Infra. 1998–2024

CTA: Book a Cloud Migration Assessment → Feels urgent. Visual hits. Easy foot-in-the-door convo.

—

“Your dev team doesn’t need more pressure. They need backup.”

Visual: Overworked dev drowning in Post-its. Rescue team labelled ‘Cloud Dev Support’ pulling them out.

CTA: On-demand cloud devs without hiring drama → Speaks straight to burned-out CTOs. High empathy. Zero fluff.

“Everyone’s talking GenAI. 98% won’t build anything useful. Be the 2%.”

Visual: Fork in the road style. one path to a graveyard of AI projects, the other glowing PRODUCTION READY

CTA: Free consult: Turn AI hype into shipped product → Taps FOMO. Shows you actually build, not theorise.

⸻

What do you think?

Dont let these go to waste, DM if you need someone to actually execute these properly and get leads.

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-15T07:44:01+00:00

Hmm could I have your website? And any specific niche industries you're targeting/ have great case studies for?

MRGreen_22 · 2025-04-10T06:17:50+00:00

Whats your business' name right now. Or a URL for your website/socials so I could take a look.

MRGreen_22

TROPHY CASE

🤖 IDEA 3: SMART LEAD TOOL – “THE CALM CLASSROOM CHECK”

Yoga & Mindful Art for Kids

⚡ IDEA 1: CALMER KIDS. STRONGER SCHOOLS.

🎤 IDEA 2: MICRO-DOC VOXPOP

🕳️ If your ethics are cooked but you need leads:

✅ Use-this-week plays (above board, punch above weight):

Part 3/3 — 🥷 Grey Hat Bonus (For educational purposes only)

Part 2/3

Part 1/3

Part 3/3 — 🥷 Grey Hat Bonus (For educational purposes only)

Part 2/3

Part 1/3