LinkedIn boasts more than 450 million user profiles. Here’s 4 tips on how you can create a winning LinkedIn strategy.

1. Set up a robust company profile.

Choose carefully when selecting your company profile’s ideal background image and add all pertinent information for a professional profile. This profile will be representative of your company for other connections so put your best foot forward.

Invite and encourage your employees to add their personal profiles to your company website and highlight each person’s profile with your company’s keywords. Also ask your employees to join a group so they can share their ideas and insights. This shows off your company’s individuality and skillsets – your company’s best resources.

2. Educate and inform. Not interrupt and sell.

The truth is, nobody cares about your product other than you. People care about their own problems and unless you are helping them solve it or share especially pertinent or remarkable content, users won’t engage with you at all.

By creating interesting and remarkable content that does not simply push your product/ service benefits, you are inviting people to share and talk about your product online, which then has the opportunity to link back to your product and a sale in the long run.

Engage with users and you can start a conversation which can lead to a sale.

3. Help first. Sell later.

An extension of tip #2, don’t connect with people and then immediately follow up with a sales pitch on the same day. People don’t know you and don’t understand how you will be able to assist them with solving their problems – they will react negatively and potentially never connect with you again.

Find a way to help the person you’re connecting with or have a freebie you can give away that would be beneficial to them. This way you are making them feel connected and indebted to you – and they are more likely to feel the need to return the favour by having a conversation with you.

So works the power of reciprocity.

4. Be social.

Social media can be a great way to engage with your customers and get awareness for your brand. Although LinkedIn is a B2B platform you still need to be social when you connect with your potential customers.

Don’t simply treat LinkedIn as a way to sell your business but as a social platform for engaging and conversing with your peers – something that can only be done if you’re responding as a person rather than a faceless brand.

“Be social, be helpful, be engaging, and be human.” Ryan Biddulph

Ready to take the first step to creating a successful LinkedIn strategy for your business or for yourself? Digital Fire is a full service media agency specialising in social media strategies and we’re ready to help you reach your full potential on LinkedIn.

Click here to contact us and get started.

References:

Sammons, S. 2013. How to Build a LinkedIn Marketing Plan that Delivers Ongoing Results. Online URL: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/linkedin-marketing-plan/

LinkedIn Marketing Resources. Online URL: https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/marketing-strategy

Mustapha, Z. 2016. 45 Experts Share Their Biggest Linkedin Marketing Strategy. Online URL: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zak-mustapha/45-experts-share-their-bi_b_10375374.html