Generating leads with LinkedIn
Marketing on social media sites is not a new thing. With sites like Twitter and Facebook, marketers seemed to figure out how to use these networks to reach people fairly quickly and have been quite successful at it. However, there is one social networking site that has been a bit of a tougher nut for marketers to crack: LinkedIn.
People who are using LinkedIn are primarily there to network, not just to hang out like they do on Facebook or Twitter, which can make it harder to reach your audience. So if LinkedIn users are resistant to being marketed to, how can you reach them?
While I was researching this question, I came across this excellent case study over at Social Media Examiner. It showcases the LinkedIn marketing success of a postcard marketing company called “PostcardMania”. Their marketing efforts on LinkedIn have generated about $72,000 in sales since they started. I thought it was a great example of how to approach people without scaring them off or annoying them, so I thought I would share my favourite points with you.
1) It’s all about content.
On LinkedIn, you can’t hit people with a hard sell. It annoys people and can get your messages flagged as spam. So how do you reach them? Give them information for free. Post links to your blog posts or other valuable content such as videos, reports or white papers. You need to show them what you’re offering them, not tell them.
2) Establish your voice.
You can create company pages and post status updates under your company name, but when it comes to interacting in other ways, someone has to serve as the face and voice of your company. This actually helps, because people respond better to interacting with an actual person as opposed to a logo.
3) Engage with your contacts.
When you connect with someone on LinkedIn, send them a personal message to help establish a relationship. Keep it friendly.
4) Join and contribute to groups.
This is a great way to find potential leads and get your information out there. If you are only posting things to your profile, only your connections will see them. By posting links and sharing your knowledge in groups, you are putting your content in front of a huge audience.
5) Don’t be salesy!
Seriously. Stop it. LinkedIn is not the place for a hard sell. The best way to get people to engage with you is to be friendly and share your knowledge.
These are great tips to keep in mind when you are launching your LinkedIn marketing efforts. Be sure to read the full case study to see exactly how PostcardMania got such great results using LinkedIn.
Is LinkedIn part of your social media marketing plan? Have you seen positive results? Please share your experiences with us in the comments.
