Using LinkedIn to Increase Prospects
At some point, you’ve probably used LinkedIn to look for jobs or advance your career in some fashion. LinkedIn is hands down the largest online network geared toward job-searching, professional development, and recruiting. However, too many business owners picture LinkedIn as simply being the default social media site for people looking for jobs, making it seem like the last place to find people wanting to start paying for a new product or service. The reality is LinkedIn is one of the best ways to generate new prospects that lead to conversions. Here is how you can take advantage of all LinkedIn has to offer to grow your business.
Make Those Connections
People are often far too shy when it comes to making connections on LinkedIn, but as a business owner you should be making all the connections you can. Start by going through your current list of contacts and expand by making second and third level connections. It’s a free way to gain exposure and visibility, so there’s really no reason not to.
Make sure your profile includes the most important things people need to know about your business, along with easy-to-find links to your current website and other social media profiles. When more connections are made, you’ll get that many more pairs of eyes seeing what your business is all about. Plus, optimizing your profile with keywords relevant to your business will be great inbound marketing for people looking for what you do.
Another aspect of LinkedIn that makes it so different from other social media platforms is everyone tends to have lots of detailed information on their profiles about who they work for, what they do, and their position within whatever organization they are a part of. Because this information is so readily available, it gives you a really good idea of who the most important people are to connect with and which ones are most likely to generate leads.
Join Groups and Stay Engaged
One extremely helpful part of LinkedIn you can use to gain prospects is LinkedIn Groups, which connects people who have similar backgrounds and career goals. You can post and answer group questions to both gain insight about people who are interested in your industry and to build trust through thoughtful contribution. This gives you a big platform to gain attention and sales inquiries.
Stay Active by Posting Updates and Sharing Articles
Just because you’ve made a connection doesn’t mean they’ll pay much attention to you right away. The great thing about LinkedIn is, just like other social media sites, you can show up again and again on their newsfeed by consistently posting from your profile. If you continue to share posts people engage with, you can continually build visibility for your business. Also, be sure to comment on posts to create even more meaningful engagement that feels honest and personal.
Another great way to boost your visibility is to publish blogs or articles on your personal profile.This gives you a great opportunity to share your ideas and gain credibility all while you continue to make yourself more visible. Plus, your followers get a notification each time you post, adding to the platform’s value.
As you continue to refine your LinkedIn profile, make connections, and meaningfully engage, you can expect to see your prospect list and sales grow.