Once your LinkedIn profile has been developed, it is time to make it work for you. With the right LinkedIn strategy, companies can reach out to potential clients, generate leads and garner new website traffic. For this to happen, the LinkedIn profile must engage consumers and incite interest in your company. The best networkers make sure to create plans for the type of content they will post, how they will transition a lead into a client and what type of discussions they will create to encourage leads.
1. Develop a social media presence.
The first strategy to developing a social media presence is targeting a specific audience. Many people using LinkedIn simply post their cover letter, achievements and resume and think they’re done. While this approach may be easy, and a semi-effective way to get a job, it will not be sufficient to attract new clients. Prospective clients do not care what you have done; they care about how you can help them.
Start by looking at the types of services and products your target audience needs. Afterwards, create a profile and add content showcasing the ways you can help your target audience meet their needs. Referring to case studies, past examples and new research can add value for the reader. Additionally, this approach makes them more inclined to reach out to you for more information or answers.
2. Become a thought leader.
Your LinkedIn strategy should set you up as a thought leader in the industry. In essence, your posts need to set you up as a leader in the field so decision makers want to connect with you. The right content encourages leads, engages your audience and gets more people interested in your content. Focus on creating discussions that will help you stand out and content that is relevant to your audience.
When people visit your profile or read a blog by you, they should believe you are a leader and industry expert. This increases the chances your readers will reach out to you when they need help with a specific problem. As you develop LinkedIn strategies, make sure you are posting content that positions yourself as a leader and an expert in the field, not a novice.
3. Prospect intelligently: quality over quantity.
Overall, the majority of connections businesses make on LinkedIn are completely irrelevant. Too many companies focus on achieving a large audience instead of a targeted one. The quantity of your connections matters far less than the quality. You must focus your approach on the influencers, customers and decision makers who can effectively boost your bottom line. Start by determining your main and secondary prospects. Then, develop a plan encouraging them to connect with you for potential services.
4. Build and engage a community.
It would be better to have 500 engaged customers than 5,000 followers on LinkedIn. The number of followers and connections matters far less than the quality of the connections. On LinkedIn, you can work toward developing groups and connecting with professionals who will actually become part of your consumer base. Using LinkedIn Groups to connect with trusted experts, and providing relevant content on your business page will help you reach out to the people who matter to your business. Your audience wants to have useful content that helps them answer questions and find solutions. By becoming relevant and participating in discussions, you can engage a community of followers to drive your revenue.
5. Lead generation and lead engagement.
For someone to buy your services and products, they have to know how you can help them. Your prospects need to know what you do and why they need your help. Once you have connected to other users on LinkedIn, your content, status updates and posts will help to educate your connections about the services you can provide.
Often, smart businesses use case studies, research and white papers to support their argument. Webcasts and other content can get your connections interested and engaged in your content. Basically, your goal is to intrigue your clients with your content so they reach out to you for more information. Once you have convinced a prospective lead you have the knowledge to help, you can engage them and convert them into a sale. As a part of this process, create a funnel strategy for lead generation so your leads flow effortlessly from your first connection to a long-term relationship.
Feeling a little overwhelmed by all of this? No problem. CreativeOne offers digital marketing services to help you optimize your social media profiles through our digital marketing program, Social Media Elite. Our team uses proven strategies and best practices to ensure your plan is completed in a timely fashion. We also offer digital marketing solutions. Our digital marketing experts will look through your website to determine if and where there are opportunities for improvement, before developing a personalized and detailed plan to make it more than an online business card using custom websites, lead capture programs and an on-site SEO audit. Digital marketing can be a time-consuming endeavor, but with CreativeOne’s help, our team will ensure your social media profiles are optimized.