Making the Most of LinkedIn for B2B: Using LinkedIn to Create Awareness
In my previous post about LinkedIn, I discussed the notion that business professionals question if you can use LinkedIn to generate sales. My basic premise is that LinkedIn will indirectly generate sales by enhancing your company’s brand (and your personal brand). So how do you create awareness using the tool? I’ve included some suggestions below:
Basic Tactics
The “Network Updates” feature is a regular summary that publishes activity in your network. Each time you update your profile the change is tagged. Your contacts will read about these changes in emails sent out by LinkedIn or when they visit the web site. What kinds of updates are published in this feature?
- Build Your Network: Work at inviting your contacts to LinkedIn or spend time periodically reviewing the contacts of people you’re connected to. You’ll be surprised at how many people in yoru network use the tool. Not only will reaching out to contacts remind them of you and your services, but your network will learn about the connections you’re creating.
- “What are you working on now?” Use this feature whenever you start a new project. The update is broadcast to your network and can illustrate to your network what type of work you’re handling. Perhaps you’ve developed new capabilities or services? Your network will never know unless you tell them.
- Updating your profile. When you receive promotions, take on new volunteer activities, receive a new degree/designation or write a testimonial your network will learn about the change.
- Request testimonials: B2B marketers know the power of testimonials. Not only will your network receive a notice about you, but they’l learn that someone is taking the time to write a positive note about you.
- Create a company profile page. This page should provide a high level summary of your services. The detail needs to be at your web site but with a concise summary of your services may spark enough interest that a contact or visitor clicks through to your web site when they’re viewing the page.
These are some basic tactics to be utilized to create awareness using LinkedIn about your company. (On a side note, it’s worth mentioning that building up your LinkedIn profile also increases your search engine rankings). So get started!
1 comment April 24th, 2009
