In this day and age, it's hard to ignore LinkedIn, THE professional social network par excellence that enables every entrepreneur to gain greater visibility, impact and opportunities. The quickest and easiest way to communicate on the Internet is through social networks. They are real levers for acquiring new customers. But it's important to exploit them wisely. Developing your business on LinkedIn is possible, provided you adopt the right strategy.
Why LinkedIn?
Bought by Microsoft in 2016, the network generates over 10 billion in revenues. Suffice to say, it's on a roll! In France, it attracts around 3.5 million visitors every day, and no fewer than 840,000 companies are present on the platform.
Companies that use social networks in general (80% on LinkedIn) do so for a variety of reasons:
- strengthen ties with their customers,
- create a close relationship,
- keep abreast of activity in their sector,
- schedule virtual meetings,
- drive traffic to their site,
- make themselves known,
- keeping watch...
How do I use LinkedIn?
Create your profile
Creating an optimized profile is the first step. It's not as easy as you might think. A LinkedIn profile is neither an ordinary CV nor an advertising leaflet. Before publishing content, expanding your network or prospecting, you need to work on your profile to make it your company's showcase. But don't just list your products and services! It's all about showcasing your image and expertise.
Use a headline that explains what the company can offer in a clear and understandable way. Don't neglect your photo - it should be neutral. A banner, which will be modified each time a new offer or event is launched, will serve as an advertising element.
The text must be written like a sales pitch, without sounding like one. From the very first words, you need to propose a solution to a problem. To do this, the target must be perfectly defined. You need to present your service or product as the obvious answer to a need.
To get prospects to take action and commit, use links and offer information. Learn to give before you receive. Forget profit for a moment and concentrate on exchange and communication.
Creating quality content
LinkedIn members often visit the network for information purposes - it's not an online sales site! Don't use words that sound too commercial. Provide, offer, but don't sell. Talk about solutions, help, sharing. As soon as the prospect accepts your invitation, don't unpack your sales pitch.
Formalize your objectives
The pitfall of social networking is that you sometimes spend too much time on it for too little return. At every stage of a project, objectives can be varied (needs observation, opinion polls, product or service presentation, community building, traffic generation, brand awareness...), but above all they must be clearly defined in advance.
How to develop on LinkedIn
Without mentioning advertising, which requires a certain budget, you can gain visibility on LinkedIn and therefore reach new prospects in a number of ways.
Use your personal contacts
Writing to a partner, former colleague or collaborator can encourage that person's contacts to consult your profile.
Liking, sharing and commenting on your contacts' status will make you appear in their news. The more relevant your views, the more traffic you'll bring to your page. Fuel conversations.
Spying on competitors
Take a look at the posts that are attracting interest from your competitors, and the topics that are generating debate. Bounce back on themes that have generated interest and publish complementary content. Click on "Like" to see the list of people who have also clicked and contact them.
View company pages
Choose companies that are relevant to your business and have a strong reputation. As with your personal contacts, share their news, comment and give your opinions. Anything that gets you noticed - favorably, of course - is worth doing.
Be part of one or more groups
Be the first to start a discussion in a group. Follow the exchanges and reinvigorate if necessary. This way, your profile will always stand out in the thread. Choose a fairly popular group with lots of interaction.
If, by chance, you're spotted by the group administrator, you'll appear at the top of the page as "administrator's choice". Everyone will want to know who you are. Success guaranteed!
Prospect
Since the aim is to make contact with potential customers, there's no reason why you can't carry out well-targeted prospecting once your connection request has been accepted.
Messages sent to prospects must contain a proposition that's attractive to them. They must attract attention, arouse interest, provoke desire and incite action, according to the famous AIDA method (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action). Something to keep in mind!