LinkedIn can be a great tool for finding prospective clients and growing your business. But you’ll need a plan in order to make it work.
“Just joining LinkedIn and not having a strategy behind it is like going to networking events that have nothing to do with your business,” says Sara Gilbert, founder of Montreal-based Strategist. You don’t want to be the one to just “sit in the corner” with nothing to say. Instead, you should be engaged in the conversation, learn more about people and be an active part of the networking activity.
Follow these tips to find the right connections on LinkedIn and make the business networking site a successful part of your marketing strategy:
> Create an “elevator pitch” profile
Focus your LinkedIn profile on your clients — not your accomplishments.
Some advisors tend to list every achievement of their careers on their profiles, says Michael Wickware, creative director with Wickware Communications Inc. in Toronto. Instead, he says, write a few short sentences about the clients you serve and how you help them with their financial needs.
Post a link to your website, he says, where prospects can learn more about you and your business.
> Show your face
Let prospects know what you look like by including a photo on your LinkedIn page. A photo will help humanize your online persona, Wickware says.
Make sure it is a professional photo of you. Save the vacation photos for Facebook (and keep them dignified, too).
> Get connected
LinkedIn offers a number of methods for finding connections, Wickware says. First, it can make recommendations based on your email contact list.
Additionally, you can use the site’s search engine to help you find new potential connections for your business. The LinkedIn search function can help you find specific people by name, geography, title, job description and other criteria.
> Become a joiner
The “group” feature of LinkedIn can help you network online for prospects. LinkedIn comprises thousands of groups that consist of members who share common interests — from stamp-collecting to seismology.
To keep things manageable, join no more than five groups, Gilbert says. Two groups should relate to the financial services industry and your business model. For example, if you’re a wealth advisor, join the Canadian Wealth Advisors group. Other groups should relate to your target market.
If you haven’t yet defined your target market, she says, look for groups in your geographical area.
> Become a follower
LinkedIn has a useful feature that enables you to follow companies, keeping you up to date on news about those companies, staff appointments and departures and job opportunities. This information can help you track potential leads.
If you have a specific client base, you can follow companies whose employees may fit into your client profile, Gilbert says. Company news can alert you of opportunities. For example, if you specialize in severance packages, you can follow a company that has recently laid off staff. Through your connections, you can introduce yourself as someone who can help.
This is the first of a three-part series. Tomorrow: Following up on your connections.
IE