We’re all familiar with the marketing potential of Facebook and Twitter. With a vast market at your fingertips and targeted advertising, results can be impressive. Although it can be tempting to allocate the full social budget on posting and tweeting, try to avoid this pitfall. Other platforms can be just as rewarding, if not more.
Take for example, LinkedIn which boasts over 400 million users. This invaluable networking tool shouldn’t be overlooked. As a place to meet likeminded professionals and those within your industry, it can be a great place to drum up new business. For those struggling to crack this social networking nut, take a look at this guide on how to get the most out of LinkedIn.
Find the prospects
Spend some time seeking out those groups that are most related to your business. This would include groups with members who are either prospective clients or professionals with influential roles in your sector. You can now target these individuals by posting a variety of content to the group. In depth blog posts, industry-specific guides and how-to’s are all a great way to promote your brand as an industry leader. It can also create brand awareness without the need for flashy sale gimmicks.
Start your own group
Why not take it one step further and create your own community? This can work well for larger companies who can leverage their knowledge to quickly acquire new members. It’s also beneficial for those with several target markets where you can establish a group for each one. This approach allows you to tailor content for each audience and only post to the users that add the most value.
Less is more
Don’t make the mistake of joining too many groups. It can seem like the best approach to gain maximum contacts, but you’ll be spreading yourself too thin. Instead, choose one or two groups in each category and place all your attention on this small selection. You can now dedicate more time to contributing and becoming as active as possible. In the long term, this should provide far more contacts than posting infrequently across a huge range of groups.
Answer questions
According to LinkedIn, those who comment on group posts and answer questions receive four times as many profile views. Not only can you help the community, your expertise will portray a sense of reliability and knowledge to other members. Answer as many questions as possible, providing links to other resources that may be of help. It’s a quick and easy way to earn new connection requests and possible leads.
Get staff involved
Extend the reach of your networking by allowing employees to post and discuss on groups on behalf of the company. Aside from increasing your presence and brand awareness, it can encourage staff to become more knowledgeable within their role. Be sure to provide adequate training on how to use the platform as well as guidelines on representing the company.
LinkedIn can be a great tool for those with a little patience. It often takes time to establish credibility, but follow these simple tips and you’ll be surprised at the results.
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