You've no doubt heard of LinkedIn, the dominant social media site for professionals and business owners. But you might not be aware of just how powerful this network can be.
LinkedIn offers many features that you can leverage to bring new customers your way and grow your business. To help you discover how this powerful platform can improve your bottom line, we present our top 10 ways to use LinkedIn:
Get referrals from satisfied customers
The first benefit that LinkedIn can provide to your small business is the opportunity to win new business through positive word of mouth. Just as people tell friends and colleagues about services they've been pleased with in the real world, LinkedIn provides a digital forum for this same process to occur. In fact, did you know you can post customer comments on your profile page, which can be a great source of positive press for your company?
Tap into LinkedIn's Google authority
Does your business have a website? Do you want it to rank higher in the search engine results? Search engine optimization is one of the best strategies for getting free advertising, as you don't need to pay to have your page listed. But if your site is on page two or lower in the search results, you will have little to no traffic. However, LinkedIn can help change this for the better, as it is highly respected by search engines like Google and Bing.
Get advice from experienced business owners
If you run your own small business, you know that it can be a lonely undertaking. After all, the important decisions rest solely on your shoulders, and sometimes you may be at a loss for what to do next. Enter LinkedIn and the Answers forum, which lets you pose a question for more seasoned owners to answer.
Target online ads to a focused audience
If your marketing efforts include pay per click ads, you may have been frustrated with your results. Did you know that LinkedIn now supports ads, and will let you customize who will see them? You can narrow your parameters by business category, size and even experience. This lets you target your ads for greatest effect, and can elevate your marketing efforts to a new level.
Get quality professional help
As a small business owner, you know the value of outsourcing jobs in which you have no expertise. You can only do so much on your own, and it is a smart move to turn over certain projects to other professionals. Still, it can be difficult to decide who to hire. LinkedIn gives you an online sounding board, and you can ask other colleagues in your network who you can trust with your business. Find a mentor to guide you
Not only can you find answers to tough questions in LinkedIn forums, you may even find a long-term mentor to form a relationship with. Experienced business owners like to share their knowledge, and you may be surprised at how happy they are to help. Having a guide can cut your learning curve in half and help you avoid costly missteps.
Create your own LinkedIn group
If you are serious about marketing your small business online, then starting a LinkedIn group is a great way to do so. While it will be require some work up front, the payoff can be worth the investment in the end. To get the ball rolling, start by inviting your current network to join (this alone can be enough to attract new members). Imagine having a list of thousands of people interested in your industry, which you can email new product offers or promotions to free of charge.
Find investment capital for your business
As your profile and network grow on LinkedIn, you may begin to find some people interested in being involved with your business more directly. This can sometimes grow out of a mentor relationship, and can yield tremendous results for both parties. Not only will a fresh influx of capital propel your business to new heights, your mentor will profit from its growth as well.
Become an expert yourself
Once you gain more confidence using LinkedIn, you may want to answer questions posed by other members. This will serve a twofold purpose. First, it
is good to give back once you've had some success. Secondly, with your contact information included with each post, people who benefit from your answers may decide to hire your company.
Promote your blog
A blog is one of the best ways to create an online presence for your business, and fresh content ensures visitors keep coming back. However, potential customers need to know of its existence before they will come to your page for the first time. You can add links to your business blog right on your LinkedIn profile page, which can drive new traffic to your site right away.
So, there you have the top 10 things you need to know to leverage LinkedIn for your business. When you use the methods discussed above, you can gain new customers, get advice and help move your business forward. Why leave this excellent business tool sitting unused on the shelf, when it can do all this for you? When you start taking advantage of the many benefits LinkedIn offers you, your business is sure to feel the effects in its bottom line!
P.S. Connect with us on LinkedIn!
http://www.linkedin.com/company/custom-information-services
Nancy Phillippi, Sales and Marketing Manager at Custom Information Services (CIS) for Microsoft Dynamics GP. CIS is a Dynamics GP Silver ERP Partner located in North Texas. CIS also offers Managed IT and Network Services.
