How to find people on LinkedIn asking for a recommendation for what you sell
Search for the request, not the job title. How to find LinkedIn posts and comments asking for a recommendation for what you sell, by hand or with traxy.
To find people on LinkedIn who are asking for a recommendation for what you sell, search for the request itself, not the job title. Manually, that means using LinkedIn's post search with phrases like "can anyone recommend" plus your category, then reading the comments under popular posts in your niche. In traxy, you describe the buyer and the request in one sentence, such as "find me founders asking for a recommendation for an AEO agency", and social intent search returns the matching people from more than 71 million LinkedIn likes, posts and comments, each with the post or comment behind it. Either way, check fit before you reach out.
Why recommendation requests are worth finding
When someone writes "anyone know a good agency for this?" in a LinkedIn comment, they have told you three things: they have the problem, they are looking for outside help, and they are open to names. That is about as direct as public buyer evidence gets.
These requests are easy to miss. They sit in comment threads under other people's posts, they use casual wording, and they rarely contain the words a Sales Navigator filter would match. traxy's launch post for social intent search opened on this exact pattern: "ppl in the comments literally asking 'anyone know a good agency for this?'" (launch post).
What do recommendation requests look like?
They come in a few shapes. Knowing them helps with both manual search and the prompts you give traxy.
Direct ask in a post. "Looking for recommendations for a fractional CFO who knows SaaS."
Ask in a comment. Under a creator's post about AEO: "This is us. Who do you recommend for this?"
Comparison question. "Has anyone worked with a podcast production agency? Which one would you pick?"
Frustration with a hint of shopping. "Our CRM setup is a mess. Thinking about bringing someone in."
Tagging request. "Tag someone who does retention emails for ecommerce."
The first three are strong. The last two need more context before you act.
How to find them manually on LinkedIn
You can do this with LinkedIn's own search. It takes time, and it works best for a narrow niche.
Search posts, not people. Type a phrase into LinkedIn search and switch the results to Posts.
Use the request wording. Try phrases in quotes, such as "can anyone recommend", "looking for recommendations" or "anyone know a good", together with your category. LinkedIn supports quotes for exact phrases and AND, OR and NOT in uppercase (LinkedIn Help).
Sort by latest. An old request has usually been answered.
Read the comments on popular niche posts. Many asks show up as replies, not as posts. Open recent posts from creators your buyers follow and scan the threads.
Check fit by hand. Open each person's profile and confirm role, company and size before you decide to reply.
The manual route has two problems. Post search only finds the words you guessed, and comment threads are slow to read. Most people stop after a handful of searches.
How to find them with traxy
traxy's social intent search takes most of the guessing and reading off your plate. It searches a database of LinkedIn likes, posts and comments, more than 71 million at launch, and matches them to a plain-English description (product page).
Step 1: Make your ICP specific
Open Lead criteria and check the roles, seniority, company size, industry and location you sell to (lead criteria). Each search result shows an ICP match, so this is what stops a perfect request from the wrong company from looking like a lead.
Step 2: Add the request to your signals
Open Signals and add the buying situations you care about to your Signal Brief, written the way buyers say them (signals). For an AEO agency that might be "asking who can help them show up in AI answers" or "asking for an AEO or GEO agency recommendation".
Step 3: Ask trax in plain English
Open trax and describe the person and the request. Example prompts:
"find me founders looking for AEO help"
"find marketing leaders asking for a podcast agency recommendation"
"find ecommerce founders asking who to use for retention emails"
"find heads of RevOps asking for help cleaning up their CRM"
Put the request in the sentence. "Founders interested in AEO" will also return people who liked an AEO post in passing.
Step 4: Read the evidence before anything else
Each result shows the person, their company, their ICP match and the signal, such as "Commented on a post about AEO" or "Posted about AI search visibility" (product page). Open the lead and go to its Signals tab for the recorded observation and source link (review qualified leads).
Sort what you find into three groups:
What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
They posted or commented asking for help | Strong, direct request | Reply to the request, then follow up |
They commented on the topic without asking | Interest in the problem | Lead with something useful on the topic |
They liked a post on the topic | Weak signal | Use only if fit is strong, and don't mention the like as if it were a request |
Step 5: Mark fit and save the audience
Mark each lead Good fit or Bad fit with a reason (how qualification works). Save the strong requests as their own view in Leads, so they don't get mixed in with weaker matches (filter and save audiences).
Step 6: Reach out while the ask is fresh
For a public request, the fastest useful move is often a reply in the thread itself with a helpful answer. For outreach, ask trax to prepare a campaign for the saved view, then test it and review the messages before launch (create a campaign).
Example prompt: "Create a campaign for my 'asked for AEO help' view. Send a LinkedIn connection request first. Once they accept, send the message. Follow up by email if there is no reply."
How do you write to someone who asked for a recommendation?
Answer the question they asked. traxy's own guidance for a relevant comment or question is to respond to the specific problem raised and avoid claiming an intent to purchase (use signals in outreach).
A message built that way has four parts:
What they said. "Saw your comment asking who can help with AI search visibility."
A useful answer. One thing they can check or do this week, whether or not they hire you.
Why you are relevant. One line on what you do and who you do it for.
A small ask. "Want me to send the checklist we use?"
Skip the pitch deck. Someone who asked in public often gets several replies at once, and the one that helps stands out.
How do you filter out people fishing for pitches?
A reply to the launch post raised this: "How do you filter out the ones that are just fishing for pitches?" (reply). traxy does not claim to detect it automatically. A few checks help:
Fit first. If the person's role and company don't match your ICP, skip them even when the request is perfect.
Look at their history. Someone who posts "who should I hire for X?" every week may be farming engagement.
Read the thread. If the request already has dozens of vendor replies, a DM that adds a useful answer works better than another comment.
Use Bad fit with a reason. It records your judgment for future review.
What are the limits?
traxy's social intent database is LinkedIn only today. Instagram and Facebook groups are listed as coming soon on the product page.
A request is a sign of need, not a signed deal. Expect some people to have already picked someone.
Search results show public engagement. If someone asked in a private group or a DM, it won't be there.
FAQ
How do I find people asking for recommendations on LinkedIn?
Search for the request, not the title. Manually, use LinkedIn post search with phrases like "can anyone recommend" and read comment threads in your niche. In traxy, describe the buyer and the request in one sentence and review the matches with their source posts and comments.
Are LinkedIn recommendation requests good leads?
They are among the strongest public signals because the person said they want outside help. Check fit and timing before you reach out.
Should I reply in the comments or send a DM?
If the thread is fresh and has few replies, a helpful comment is a good first move. If it already has many vendor replies, a short DM that answers the question can stand out more.
Can traxy find requests in comments, not only posts?
Yes. The database includes LinkedIn posts, comments and likes, and each result shows which one put the person on your list.
Does this work for X or Reddit?
traxy doesn't search X or Reddit today. The social intent database covers LinkedIn. Instagram and Facebook groups are listed as coming soon.
What should I say in the first message?
Answer the question they asked, give one useful pointer, say in one line what you do, and end with a small ask.
Try it with your own category at traxy.ai/social-intent-search. Start with the exact words your buyers use when they ask for help.
Keep reading
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What is social intent search? How to search 71 million LinkedIn engagements in plain English
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