One of the biggest advantages of using LinkedIn, if you are a B2B business, is being able to access targeted prospects. Now, it’s quite difficult to do that if you are a B2C company, as business professionals are there for these purposes:
• Build and cultivate profitable relationships.
• Get the information they need to develop.
However, that does not mean you should not be using LinkedIn marketing and just stick to Facebook and Twitter. Use Facebook and Twitter to build your community of prospects, but use LinkedIn marketing to attract these three audiences that can double your sales.
1) Media Professionals:
A recent study showed that 92 percent of all journalists are on LinkedIn, which is more than any other social networking site. This means that you have more access to individuals who are looking to quote experts like you, or publish articles regarding your industry and how you can help your prospective clients. By reaching out to these journalists, you can develop meaningful and valuable relationships, as they will come to think of you as the expert in your field and ask for your information when putting together their next piece. This extra publicity will give you more exposure to even more prospects, and enhance your credibility so prospects will want to buy from you.
2) Referral Sources:
Through LinkedIn you can build and enhance relationships with key influencers who can provide you with access to prospects you would otherwise not have known, met or done business with. A referral source is a valuable tool, because it is a third party endorsement and they can act as your sales agent, as they want to give their customers and clients more value.
3) Larger companies that offer products or services that are supplementary to yours:
Smart companies are always looking to increase their revenues by giving their clients and customers more value. Think of the different companies and organizations that can add your products or services to their own at a premium price, and use LinkedIn to build relationships with the different company’s executives.
Figure out who would be the best referral sources, key influences, types of media and companies for you to connect with. Create a LinkedIn profile that is written for the referral sources and media you want to attract, starting with your headline. In the headline, identify the audiences you want to connect with, and why they should want to connect with you. In your summary, explain to referral sources how you can be of value to their clients and customers, and how your relationship will help them. Also, if you are trying to attract publicity, show the media that you are an expert. Use any media mentions to your advantage in your summary sections, as well as having a complete media kit on your profile using the Box.net, Slideshare and Google Presentations applications. To help you create the copy you need for your LinkedIn profile, marketing templates such as www.InstantLinkedInMarketingTemplates.com can be used.
LinkedIn Expert Kristina Jaramillo creates online marketplace opportunities for retailers and B2C marketing executives that want to get more publicity, build relationships with key influencers, and double their website traffic and sales.