Sunday, 29 April 2012
Saturday, 28 April 2012
Mobile Cash Empire Marketing in 2012
After we still transition within the industrial age and to the information age personal computers will finish up progressively more built-into our everyday lives. Personal computers continues to obtain additional compact plus much more simple for everybody in the world to own and rehearse everyday. Most likely the most crucial types of personal computers or info items that will integrate into every persons existence can be a cell phone. Cell phones have grown to be modern-day every month, eventually everybody will own a smartphone in a position to connecting as much as the net at incredible high connection speeds and possess excellent shows. We have already seen the launch of 4G LTE systems in recent several days, which allows for data transmission speeds faster then just what a home pc could only a few years back. This type of speed combined with progressively impressive HD screens allows for a lot of amazing mobile marketing options.
As all of this technology is constantly evolve, mobile advertising is predicted to continue growing within an exponential rate over the following decade. Mobile marketing has been launched of the infancy and beginning to start an enormous presence inside the marketing area, showing a massive opportunity to create massive amounts of cash just like a mobile internet internet marketer. Also, as technology is constantly evolve, it's becoming simpler and much easier to have an average person to make money online, particularly in mobile marketing. Mobile Cash Empire can be a new software and training program created by Huey Lee and Steven Manley, two well-known mobile advertising guru's who generate serious affiliate income. Mobile Cash Empire will probably be launched just right before the completely new year, and chances are it will train 100s of thousands of people making incredible affiliate earnings with mobile marketing.
Mobile Cash Empire provides all the training required to create a simple and effective marketing business inside your cell phone you could run from around the globe that has cell phone reception. No technical experience is needed to start by using this new software, Huey and Steve provides you with all the training necessary. These guys have really done a fantastic job using this package.
The Mobile Cash Empire software and training program will most likely be a massive hit in 2012, it's expected that numerous people who purchase many will have a way to create thousands of dollars per monthly out of this. A present article from ABI research reviews that mobile marketing revenue will achieve $24 billion by 2013. 2012 is a good year to acquire started making money online as mobile marketing is constantly explode. It is time you're taking your share in the mobile marketing cake!
Friday, 20 April 2012
4 Ways Your Small Business Can Reach Out On Pinterest
As I am sure you are aware, Pinterest is being talked about in every coffee shop, hair salon and boutique from here to the Tatooie. But for those uninitiated, think of Pinterest as like twitter for photos and videos, but with a fun layout. Not only does your Pinterest wall show pictures and video from all your friends and followers in a scrolling box, Pinterest creates a captivating interface that posts pictures and video everywhere; up, down, left, right, all over your screen. Upon creation of your account, Pinterest will ask you your hobbies and interests and automatically connect you with relevant and frequent posters of content that fits your tastes. You can filter these posts (or pins) by topics or fans, thus allowing you to find things you are looking for instantaneously or just browse around and see who's looking at what. Pinterest welcomes new content and is a viral hotbed for interesting and fresh content.
The current profile of the average Pinterest user tends to skew toward women of all ages, but primarily those in the oh-so-precious 17-27 range, making it a hot new proving ground when marketing to those Millennials we've been hearing so much about. However don't forget about those guys out there. Men, who are typically later adopters of social media, are sure to jump in the game however as soon Pinterest picks up more steam and goes into the forefront of the social media world.
Unlike Twitter, Pinterest isn't about noise. However, it is about viral content. No need to post every photo from your last party here, save that for a Facebook album. Pinterest wants content that is fun to share, consider it visual bubble gum. Something that consumers can take in quickly, sweetly and be done with soon after. Using Pinterest in your everyday browsing is easy as all getout too. After registering your account, Pinterest will prompt you on how to install a "Pin It" button to your task bar which makes sharing the things you find across the web a simple and painless process.
Let's explore some ways you can harness Pinterest now to expose yourself to whoever your target market is:
Creative Use of Your Brand In Action
What are some fun or avant-garde ways to use your product? Show off the secondary and tertiary modes of use for your product or that special feature that your brand has that others don't. Consumers of your brand/product will either find it clever or relate to it a way they have or thought to use it; either way, people are likely to share this content.
Users Showing off Your Product
Brand advocacy and personal sponsorhip is all the rage in social media these days. After all, it is free advertisement. When you show off a brand ambassadors allegiance to your product, you make them feel closer to your brand. Support those people taking cool pictures of themselves with your project by posting them across Pinterest, be sure to give their page a link too!
Fun Modifications/Prototypes of Your Product
Has anyone added their own custom paint job to your product or modded it in their own special way? That is definitely viral, Pin it! What about a fun prototype version of whatever you sell that you've been tinkering with for fun? Like the idea I mentioned above in showing off creative uses of your product, show off these fun tweaks to your brand is sure may create a viral buzz.
Striking and Creative Advertisement
Has your ad team come up with a crafty or clever marketing campaign or print ad? If they have, Pinterest is a great place to show it off. A striking image with compelling copy can send your brand spinning across the site. Shoot to inspire, motivate, lead, or simply stand out from the rest.
There are many other ways to use Pinterest to your advantage. Frequent and compelling posting will prompt Pinterest to automatically make new users follow your account (just like it did for you when you first registered). By organizing your photos and pins on different boards and categorizing them by what your target audience wants to view, you will increase the virality of your content and make it easier for Pinterest to sort through and match you with random users. Make sure however that what you share is fun enough for anyone in your target market would want to share. And of course, like any social media campaign, don't forget to reciprocate.
The current profile of the average Pinterest user tends to skew toward women of all ages, but primarily those in the oh-so-precious 17-27 range, making it a hot new proving ground when marketing to those Millennials we've been hearing so much about. However don't forget about those guys out there. Men, who are typically later adopters of social media, are sure to jump in the game however as soon Pinterest picks up more steam and goes into the forefront of the social media world.
Unlike Twitter, Pinterest isn't about noise. However, it is about viral content. No need to post every photo from your last party here, save that for a Facebook album. Pinterest wants content that is fun to share, consider it visual bubble gum. Something that consumers can take in quickly, sweetly and be done with soon after. Using Pinterest in your everyday browsing is easy as all getout too. After registering your account, Pinterest will prompt you on how to install a "Pin It" button to your task bar which makes sharing the things you find across the web a simple and painless process.
Let's explore some ways you can harness Pinterest now to expose yourself to whoever your target market is:
Creative Use of Your Brand In Action
What are some fun or avant-garde ways to use your product? Show off the secondary and tertiary modes of use for your product or that special feature that your brand has that others don't. Consumers of your brand/product will either find it clever or relate to it a way they have or thought to use it; either way, people are likely to share this content.
Users Showing off Your Product
Brand advocacy and personal sponsorhip is all the rage in social media these days. After all, it is free advertisement. When you show off a brand ambassadors allegiance to your product, you make them feel closer to your brand. Support those people taking cool pictures of themselves with your project by posting them across Pinterest, be sure to give their page a link too!
Fun Modifications/Prototypes of Your Product
Has anyone added their own custom paint job to your product or modded it in their own special way? That is definitely viral, Pin it! What about a fun prototype version of whatever you sell that you've been tinkering with for fun? Like the idea I mentioned above in showing off creative uses of your product, show off these fun tweaks to your brand is sure may create a viral buzz.
Striking and Creative Advertisement
Has your ad team come up with a crafty or clever marketing campaign or print ad? If they have, Pinterest is a great place to show it off. A striking image with compelling copy can send your brand spinning across the site. Shoot to inspire, motivate, lead, or simply stand out from the rest.
There are many other ways to use Pinterest to your advantage. Frequent and compelling posting will prompt Pinterest to automatically make new users follow your account (just like it did for you when you first registered). By organizing your photos and pins on different boards and categorizing them by what your target audience wants to view, you will increase the virality of your content and make it easier for Pinterest to sort through and match you with random users. Make sure however that what you share is fun enough for anyone in your target market would want to share. And of course, like any social media campaign, don't forget to reciprocate.
Sunday, 15 April 2012
What Exactly is Social Media Marketing?
"SMM combines the goals of internet marketing with social media sites such as Digg, Flickr, MySpace, YouTube and many others. The SMM goals will be different for every business or organization, however most will involve some form of viral marketing to build idea or brand awareness, increase visibility, and possibly sell a product or service. SMM may also include online reputation management. Most online communities don't welcome traditional direct or hard sell techniques so an effective SMM campaign will require more finesse to execute properly. SMM campaigns must be targeted to the community you want to reach with a message that appeals to them. Some common ways of achieving this are with authoritative information, entertainment, humor or controversy."
- Wikipedia 2007
Social media marketing can be thought of an indirect method of marketing your business. It is a powerful process which utilizes the principles of traditional marketing to programs with social ends that ultimately promotes your business through social media channels. Social media marketing is the new wave of online marketing and might be considered an indirect method of marketing. Traditional marketing focuses on immediate sales and gets right to the point. This is who we are, this is what we do, this is why you should buy our product or service, now buy it. The length of traditional sales cycles vary within industries but the goal is always the same - close that sale.
Social media marketing has the same goal but the means to the end are very different. It is generally frowned upon to try to do sell your product or service on industry forum sites, for example. Those forums are in place for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and networking. Most forums have a separate advertising section where businesses can pay for advertising. The idea behind participating in forums is to establish yourself as your industry expert. Sharing your knowledge and learning from those in the same industry or your target market results in exposure for you and your business.
If you provide helpful information, make constructive comments and ask appropriate questions, you will be offering value to potential customers and they will, eventually, come to look for more value from you. Naturally, your ultimate value is in the product or service you are trying to sell. The inherent problem with social media marketing is that it takes a lot of time and effort to achieve the eventual desired result - that being the sale. Many business owners either don't have the time to devote to something that does not provide immediate desired results (the delayed gratification theory) or they are resisting utilizing the powerful social media marketing available options specifically because of its indirect approach to sales and the time it takes to see results.
Social media marketing is really no different than social networking off the internet. When you attend a trade show or a company event, you are networking in a social environment with the desired result being to increase your customer base. Companies that sponsor golf outings, company picnics and other social events, often invite employees, customers and potential customers. What do these three groups of people do at these events? They socialize and network. Although some may develop friendships at such events, the main reason for and ultimate goal of such events is to increase the bottom line - meaning the company's profits.
The Internet offers massive sources for networking through blogs, forums, communities and of course the immense number of social networking sites like Facebook, Bebo, Dzone, Gather, Ryze, Squidoo, Tagged, Xing and many, many more. The networking concept is the same; the platforms are exponentially greater and different. The vast number of sites can be overwhelming (http://traffikd.com/social-media-websites/), so it is a good idea to focus your social networking on sites that are specific to your industry as well as some of the larger, widely used generic sites like Facebook, Plaxo, Linkedin, etc. I prefer to use the sites that are more business-oriented like Linkedin and Plaxo - but that is a personal preference. To me, my Facebook profile has information and photos that are more appropriate for friends and family than business associates, but there are those who don't agree. Again, that is a matter of personal preference.
For discussion purposes, let's consider traditional (or direct) marketing to be a one way communication channel and social media marketing to be a two-way communication channel. In traditional marketing, a business might send you a direct mailer, an email, or you might see an advertisement in a magazine. These types of marketing campaigns cost the business a whole lot of money and don't always result in large volumes of sales. Now consider participating in two-way conversations on forums, blogs and other social networking sites. You, as a representative of your business, are engaging in "conversations" with your prospective clients and hopefully providing valuable content (content is King in social media marketing). Over time, you and your business will become more visible (as you increase your online presence), your reputation and value will increase and in time, your prospective clients will know who you are, the value in what you are selling and where to find you.
I always like to put myself in the other person's shoes to understand where they are coming from. I don't purchase anything before going on the Internet to find everything I can about the product or service I am considering buying. I read the reviews as well as what is being said about the competitive product or service. This being said, why would I expect anyone else to not do the same? If you think about social media marketing in these terms, its value, albeit a time-consuming process, may become more apparent to you.
It is important to keep in mind that social networks consist of loyal and engaging large audiences. Social media marketing can greatly benefit any business as it compliments your brand (an incredibly important topic in its own right), business and online profile. However, social media marketing takes time and serious dedication but the ultimate return you will receive will be well worth the time spent.
Whether or not a business owner embraces the value of social media marketing, there is no escaping the fact that the Internet is the new frontier for marketing. Social media has taken on a life of its own and if you have not jumped on the bandwagon, you are missing the boat. Social media marketing can greatly benefit any business as it compliments your brand, business and online profile.
Julie Weishaar is a creative and highly qualified Marketing professional with a broad-based background encompassing exceptional work ethic, proven creative marketing techniques and commitment to corporate objectives. Proactive manager, team builder and tactical planner with the ability to attract and secure key players in building strong and lasting business relationships.
- Wikipedia 2007
Social media marketing can be thought of an indirect method of marketing your business. It is a powerful process which utilizes the principles of traditional marketing to programs with social ends that ultimately promotes your business through social media channels. Social media marketing is the new wave of online marketing and might be considered an indirect method of marketing. Traditional marketing focuses on immediate sales and gets right to the point. This is who we are, this is what we do, this is why you should buy our product or service, now buy it. The length of traditional sales cycles vary within industries but the goal is always the same - close that sale.
Social media marketing has the same goal but the means to the end are very different. It is generally frowned upon to try to do sell your product or service on industry forum sites, for example. Those forums are in place for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and networking. Most forums have a separate advertising section where businesses can pay for advertising. The idea behind participating in forums is to establish yourself as your industry expert. Sharing your knowledge and learning from those in the same industry or your target market results in exposure for you and your business.
If you provide helpful information, make constructive comments and ask appropriate questions, you will be offering value to potential customers and they will, eventually, come to look for more value from you. Naturally, your ultimate value is in the product or service you are trying to sell. The inherent problem with social media marketing is that it takes a lot of time and effort to achieve the eventual desired result - that being the sale. Many business owners either don't have the time to devote to something that does not provide immediate desired results (the delayed gratification theory) or they are resisting utilizing the powerful social media marketing available options specifically because of its indirect approach to sales and the time it takes to see results.
Social media marketing is really no different than social networking off the internet. When you attend a trade show or a company event, you are networking in a social environment with the desired result being to increase your customer base. Companies that sponsor golf outings, company picnics and other social events, often invite employees, customers and potential customers. What do these three groups of people do at these events? They socialize and network. Although some may develop friendships at such events, the main reason for and ultimate goal of such events is to increase the bottom line - meaning the company's profits.
The Internet offers massive sources for networking through blogs, forums, communities and of course the immense number of social networking sites like Facebook, Bebo, Dzone, Gather, Ryze, Squidoo, Tagged, Xing and many, many more. The networking concept is the same; the platforms are exponentially greater and different. The vast number of sites can be overwhelming (http://traffikd.com/social-media-websites/), so it is a good idea to focus your social networking on sites that are specific to your industry as well as some of the larger, widely used generic sites like Facebook, Plaxo, Linkedin, etc. I prefer to use the sites that are more business-oriented like Linkedin and Plaxo - but that is a personal preference. To me, my Facebook profile has information and photos that are more appropriate for friends and family than business associates, but there are those who don't agree. Again, that is a matter of personal preference.
For discussion purposes, let's consider traditional (or direct) marketing to be a one way communication channel and social media marketing to be a two-way communication channel. In traditional marketing, a business might send you a direct mailer, an email, or you might see an advertisement in a magazine. These types of marketing campaigns cost the business a whole lot of money and don't always result in large volumes of sales. Now consider participating in two-way conversations on forums, blogs and other social networking sites. You, as a representative of your business, are engaging in "conversations" with your prospective clients and hopefully providing valuable content (content is King in social media marketing). Over time, you and your business will become more visible (as you increase your online presence), your reputation and value will increase and in time, your prospective clients will know who you are, the value in what you are selling and where to find you.
I always like to put myself in the other person's shoes to understand where they are coming from. I don't purchase anything before going on the Internet to find everything I can about the product or service I am considering buying. I read the reviews as well as what is being said about the competitive product or service. This being said, why would I expect anyone else to not do the same? If you think about social media marketing in these terms, its value, albeit a time-consuming process, may become more apparent to you.
It is important to keep in mind that social networks consist of loyal and engaging large audiences. Social media marketing can greatly benefit any business as it compliments your brand (an incredibly important topic in its own right), business and online profile. However, social media marketing takes time and serious dedication but the ultimate return you will receive will be well worth the time spent.
Whether or not a business owner embraces the value of social media marketing, there is no escaping the fact that the Internet is the new frontier for marketing. Social media has taken on a life of its own and if you have not jumped on the bandwagon, you are missing the boat. Social media marketing can greatly benefit any business as it compliments your brand, business and online profile.
Julie Weishaar is a creative and highly qualified Marketing professional with a broad-based background encompassing exceptional work ethic, proven creative marketing techniques and commitment to corporate objectives. Proactive manager, team builder and tactical planner with the ability to attract and secure key players in building strong and lasting business relationships.
Sunday, 8 April 2012
The Blueprint to Creating a Successful Online Home Business
Creating your online home business can be one of the most fulfilling things you will ever do. Making it successful would not only boost your self esteem, but would also put you in a strong position to take care of your family and help many other people. Successful online home business entails the following:
Develop a business plan
A business plan helps you have clear cut goals and strategies. It also helps you identify your strengths or weaknesses as well as provide you with an opportunity to analyze your competition.
Choose a niche
You need to specialize in your chosen field to be successful. Many people fail because they try handling too many products at once in the beginning. By concentrating on one particular product or a few products in one niche, your success rate is heightened immensely. Make sure that the niche you choose is profitable by doing a thorough research before you invest your time and money
Register your own domain name
A domain name costs less than $10 a year, but goes a long way in establishing your presence on the internet. Having your own domain name shows that you are serious and professional about your online home business. Don't be tempted to go for the free sub-domains that are always being peddled on the internet. The domain name that you choose should ideally have your keywords included. This will make it simpler to get a good ranking with the search engines once you start your SEO campaigns. A good starting point is the Google keyword selector tool. This will give you an indication of the popularity of your intended domain.
Set up a Hosting account
A good domain goes together with a good hosting account. Research on the available hosting companies and chose one that offers a guarantee on uptime. You might not need very complicated features in your hosting account to start with. Therefore you should be able to get a good hosting account in the $2 to $5 price range. A good example is HostGator which gives you an option to try out a month's hosting at $0.1
Marketing
There are plenty of marketing methods available on the internet. Try as many as possible initially and stick with the ones that work for you. Check out your competition to get more marketing ideas. If you have a small budget like many small business start-ups, you will need to consider the many free advertising resources like search engine optimization as well as good use of social media.
Develop a business plan
A business plan helps you have clear cut goals and strategies. It also helps you identify your strengths or weaknesses as well as provide you with an opportunity to analyze your competition.
Choose a niche
You need to specialize in your chosen field to be successful. Many people fail because they try handling too many products at once in the beginning. By concentrating on one particular product or a few products in one niche, your success rate is heightened immensely. Make sure that the niche you choose is profitable by doing a thorough research before you invest your time and money
Register your own domain name
A domain name costs less than $10 a year, but goes a long way in establishing your presence on the internet. Having your own domain name shows that you are serious and professional about your online home business. Don't be tempted to go for the free sub-domains that are always being peddled on the internet. The domain name that you choose should ideally have your keywords included. This will make it simpler to get a good ranking with the search engines once you start your SEO campaigns. A good starting point is the Google keyword selector tool. This will give you an indication of the popularity of your intended domain.
Set up a Hosting account
A good domain goes together with a good hosting account. Research on the available hosting companies and chose one that offers a guarantee on uptime. You might not need very complicated features in your hosting account to start with. Therefore you should be able to get a good hosting account in the $2 to $5 price range. A good example is HostGator which gives you an option to try out a month's hosting at $0.1
Marketing
There are plenty of marketing methods available on the internet. Try as many as possible initially and stick with the ones that work for you. Check out your competition to get more marketing ideas. If you have a small budget like many small business start-ups, you will need to consider the many free advertising resources like search engine optimization as well as good use of social media.
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Is LinkedIn the Most Important Social Media Tool for Professionals?
Without a doubt LinkedIn is one of the most important sites a professional service firm should focus on from the outset and YES you should be using it to the absolute limit of its potential.
However it is not the only site to really focus on: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other video upload sites,your blog, online Directories, relevant forums, article sites and social book marking sites, they all have an important part to play in your social media marketing strategy and whilst LinkedIn is very important you must develop a strategy and see it in the long term perspective.
Its easy to use, its free, it's well established and liked and it's powerful for both the individual and firm alike. Do not see LinkedIn, just in the personal context alone see it as a really powerful professional networking tool at the level of the firm itself.
LinkedIn, had an Alexia ranking, July 2010, of 29; this means it has the 29th highest combination of visitors and page views in the world.
LinkedIn has over 70 million users and is perfect because all those users solely focus on using the site for business purposes.
When you join, LinkedIn, you create a profile that summarizes your professional expertise and accomplishments. You can then form enduring connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you.
Your network consists of your connections, your connections' connections, and the people they know; all in all linking you to a vast number of qualified professionals and experts.
As is the case with any social network, it's important that you take a little time and get to know the culture and appreciate the accepted norms; take it steady.
LinkedIn, is the online version of offline business networking. As such it's the world's largest professional network and is growing rapidly as a marketing tool for professionals because of its power to find and share opportunities and to support to build relationships:
•It's a networking tool to find prospects and new clients, network partners industry experts, associates, vendors and business partners.
•It allows registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business. • Many individuals openly promote relationships and deals that they are in the market for.
•You can use it to build a sense of occasion for specific happenings around your organization.
•LinkedIn, provides a perfect vehicle for getting feedback and undertaking research by simply asking questions.
Through your LinkedIn, network you can:
•manage the information that's publicly available about you and your firm;
•find, as well as get introduced to, potential clients, service providers, and subject experts, all of whom will come recommended; that's the glory of LinkedIn;
•create and collaborate on projects, gather data, share files and solve problems;
•be found for business opportunities and find potential partners;
•gain new insights from discussions with like- minded professionals; • discover inside connections that can help you to source contracts and close deals; and
•post and distribute job listings to find the best talent for your company.
LinkedIn is growing at one new member every second.and whilst many seeLinkedIn as a career development tool for professional firm business owners it's primary purpose will be all about making connections.
By the way your contacts in LinkedIn are called connections.
Never forget that first and foremost LinkedIn is a 'friend of friends' networking tool that enables you to make connections, build rapport and gain insights.
So, what are the keys to success when using LinkedIn?
As a starter all your key players within the firm need to have there own profile on LinkedIn
As ever the key is to set out your profile with the client in mind, and to get over the essence, in meaningful ways, from the prospects perspective, why & how you're special.
The key is to ensure that it's unmistakably clear:
•to whom you provide a service;
•what you can do for them, expressed in terms of benefits they can relate to;
•that you have a clear understanding of the problems/issues/concerns or needs they have and the results you'll be helping them to achieve; and most importantly; and
•why you're special in this context.
Make the most of your profile.
Use Your LinkedIn profile to best effect don't waste it; ensure that it is informative and well optimised for search.
Also make sure that you:
•Add your photo: this personalises like almost nothing else;
•Use links to your blog using Anchor text using the "other" tab;
•Use the "Summary" to tell your story or whatever else is compelling way;
•Use well focused keywords in the "specialty" section.
Keep your LinkedIn site active:
LinkedIn has a status update feature that you should update on a regular basis.
Place links to your LinkedIn,profile in your email signature and elsewhere online.
Make the most of the LinkedIn, Question & Answer facility by answering questions in substance and with style you can demonstrate your insights and expertise while potentially engaging contacts that are drawn to your knowledge. LinkedIn, has a rating system to reward people who give the best answers with some added exposure.
You can also ask thoughtful questions gaining insights and the basis for starting conversations, with like-minded connections.
Present information selectively. LinkedIn site was originally set up as a career development tool therefore you must be selective in how you use it in terms of the information you present under the headings offered. See the headings in a loose context and write as you see best given your business development and relationship development objectives for the use of the site. For example in the specialities section provide a list of your services and the benefits those services bring.
When using LinkedIn the first priority is to make quality connections. Then having made a connection the secondary goal is to get those connections [and in turn their connections] to go to your website, a blog or a video where you can really start to build meaningful rapport.
The primary purpose should not be to sell a service on LinkedIn site; there are many options elsewhere for this to be done; LinkedIn is for building relationships. Full stop. Only when you have built a relationship and established trust will it be time to sell.
Having established a new relationship then here is where the power of videos come into their own to establish a relationship and in this context its easy to see how important the development of a tactical plan of action is in terms of your 1st finding prospects; then connecting with them then getting them to take action and to view, say a video, or to visit your blog or sign up for your emails.
The key is to the most effective use of LinkedIn is to find connections using the search function and by using your contacts with whom you are connected.
Obviously the more direct connections you've established, the more opportunities you'll be afforded to make new contacts and build evermore connections; without the contacts and connections with them you'll be hard pressed to enjoy any benefits.
To effect a good mix of contacts use the LinkedIn toolbar for Outlook which you can use to invite your Outlook contacts and those on your email list to connect to you.
3 critically important maxims when using LinkedIN and the social media.
Firstly, 'go for quality' not quantity when building connections. Whilst the focus is on building a large network list, the priority is quality not quantity.
My advice is to use LinkedIn's "Trusted Partner Networking" and to avoid the "Open Networking" option where you can build thousands quite quickly but the quality of those people in terms of your service or your ability to communicate with them is low;
I prefer to use Trusted Partner Networking, because you only connect to people you already know and trust.
The second maxim is, as ever with the social media, to make commitment to what you're doing and to undertaking consistent activity over time.
This is where the third maxim comes in.
It will only be by dedicating significant time to working ON your business and not in it that you will achieve your objective of taking the firm to the next level using the social media and services such as LinkedIn and avoiding the feast and famine scenario experienced by so many firms.
So how do you use LinkedIn to find new clients & keep in touch with old ones?
For most professional firms their geographic target market is well defined as are the niches in which they work and the type of prospects they are wanting to get to know. LinkedIn is brilliant for professional firms, in this regard as it:
•allows your search to be highly targeted; especially when searching other people's listings of contacts; and
•you can follow up by asking the connection [contact] on whose list you found someone you'd like to get to know better if they will effect an initial contact on your behalf... et voila.
You should make maximum use of the testimonials facility.
It really is important that for each of the professional service areas where you offer a service that you present reputable and relevant testimonials in support, which should be complemented by video presentation testimonials.
This is really powerful if someone is in two minds as to whether they want to connect with you.
A great way to get client recommendations is to give them a testimonial first; reciprocation is then only natural.
This works great on LinkedIn as your client, the one to whom you're giving the testimonial, has the chance to vet what you've said before it goes live on their LinkedIn page and at the same time they're asked automatically if they'd like to reciprocate with a testimonial to you; which, normally they do.
You can build both rapport and status using LinkedIn Groups. If you're really up for building contacts then an idea is to join one of the many special interest Groups on LinkedIn. Here you can keep up to date on matters relating to your niche and contribute via postings in the very places where your prospects and clients hang out.
I suggest just going for one or two in the first instance as there are so many and it can become a little daunting if you want to play a meaningful role in each. The more you contribute the better.
This is where you really can add value; the more you contribute the stronger will be your reputation; although this said I caution whether you'll actually gain any new clients directly as a result of this; but, again, this said if as a result of your contribution you can then get people to go to a video series or to your website where other factors come into play then this is quite another matter.
You can also post questions and answers in the LinkedIn Q&A section; this is another useful way to build credibility.
Now to a few important specifics
Don't underestimate the importance of your professional headline: as this is the first thing people see when they find you after doing a search or a follow up after you've made contact. As such the professional headline is very important; aim to get it really well focused and absolutely spot-on.. What they see is a box with your name, photo, and this "headline.
If you're on the ball this doesn't just give your position but rather sets out what you offer. This heading is filled in by default unless you manually change it in the 'edit my profile' section. By using the right header this immediately indicates to a connection whether or not you might be of interest to them.
My headline, simple and to the point,, which is much better than just giving my job title, is: Helping professional service firm business owners to get more clients and build trust using social media and online video
Use Status Updates to keep in front of prospects
You should use Status Updates to open up and maintain a communication. This is an excellent way of simply keeping in front of people.
Everyone on LinkedIn receives update emails detailing the status of their contacts; they can also see these updates on their LinkedIn homepage.
The key is to ensure that your status updates have something interesting in them.
LinkedIn can also be used to enhance your profile by allowing you to add content. This is best done using the 'Blog link' app, which displays your latest blog posts on your profile.
Some other important should 'dos':
•You can ping other social networks when you add an update, such as Facebook & Twitter so as to have a broader impact;
•When you see a previously valued contact update their status, and with whom you haven't been in contact for some time, this is a good opportunity to get back in touch;anything to restart the conversation; a good ploy is to send them to a blog post that you know will be of interest or to a video, which links them into a further series of videos that they haven't yet seen;
•a great relationship builder is to put your connections into contact with each other; the key here is to be constantly looking for ways to add value in regard to all your connections, whether or not they are past or present clients because you just never know when a chance piece of support will lead to something transformational; and don't forget
•And whenever you've just met a prospect or a prospective partner for the first time check them out on LinkedIn; you'll be surprised at the extraordinary insights you'll gain.
However it is not the only site to really focus on: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other video upload sites,your blog, online Directories, relevant forums, article sites and social book marking sites, they all have an important part to play in your social media marketing strategy and whilst LinkedIn is very important you must develop a strategy and see it in the long term perspective.
Its easy to use, its free, it's well established and liked and it's powerful for both the individual and firm alike. Do not see LinkedIn, just in the personal context alone see it as a really powerful professional networking tool at the level of the firm itself.
LinkedIn, had an Alexia ranking, July 2010, of 29; this means it has the 29th highest combination of visitors and page views in the world.
LinkedIn has over 70 million users and is perfect because all those users solely focus on using the site for business purposes.
When you join, LinkedIn, you create a profile that summarizes your professional expertise and accomplishments. You can then form enduring connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you.
Your network consists of your connections, your connections' connections, and the people they know; all in all linking you to a vast number of qualified professionals and experts.
As is the case with any social network, it's important that you take a little time and get to know the culture and appreciate the accepted norms; take it steady.
LinkedIn, is the online version of offline business networking. As such it's the world's largest professional network and is growing rapidly as a marketing tool for professionals because of its power to find and share opportunities and to support to build relationships:
•It's a networking tool to find prospects and new clients, network partners industry experts, associates, vendors and business partners.
•It allows registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business. • Many individuals openly promote relationships and deals that they are in the market for.
•You can use it to build a sense of occasion for specific happenings around your organization.
•LinkedIn, provides a perfect vehicle for getting feedback and undertaking research by simply asking questions.
Through your LinkedIn, network you can:
•manage the information that's publicly available about you and your firm;
•find, as well as get introduced to, potential clients, service providers, and subject experts, all of whom will come recommended; that's the glory of LinkedIn;
•create and collaborate on projects, gather data, share files and solve problems;
•be found for business opportunities and find potential partners;
•gain new insights from discussions with like- minded professionals; • discover inside connections that can help you to source contracts and close deals; and
•post and distribute job listings to find the best talent for your company.
LinkedIn is growing at one new member every second.and whilst many seeLinkedIn as a career development tool for professional firm business owners it's primary purpose will be all about making connections.
By the way your contacts in LinkedIn are called connections.
Never forget that first and foremost LinkedIn is a 'friend of friends' networking tool that enables you to make connections, build rapport and gain insights.
So, what are the keys to success when using LinkedIn?
As a starter all your key players within the firm need to have there own profile on LinkedIn
As ever the key is to set out your profile with the client in mind, and to get over the essence, in meaningful ways, from the prospects perspective, why & how you're special.
The key is to ensure that it's unmistakably clear:
•to whom you provide a service;
•what you can do for them, expressed in terms of benefits they can relate to;
•that you have a clear understanding of the problems/issues/concerns or needs they have and the results you'll be helping them to achieve; and most importantly; and
•why you're special in this context.
Make the most of your profile.
Use Your LinkedIn profile to best effect don't waste it; ensure that it is informative and well optimised for search.
Also make sure that you:
•Add your photo: this personalises like almost nothing else;
•Use links to your blog using Anchor text using the "other" tab;
•Use the "Summary" to tell your story or whatever else is compelling way;
•Use well focused keywords in the "specialty" section.
Keep your LinkedIn site active:
LinkedIn has a status update feature that you should update on a regular basis.
Place links to your LinkedIn,profile in your email signature and elsewhere online.
Make the most of the LinkedIn, Question & Answer facility by answering questions in substance and with style you can demonstrate your insights and expertise while potentially engaging contacts that are drawn to your knowledge. LinkedIn, has a rating system to reward people who give the best answers with some added exposure.
You can also ask thoughtful questions gaining insights and the basis for starting conversations, with like-minded connections.
Present information selectively. LinkedIn site was originally set up as a career development tool therefore you must be selective in how you use it in terms of the information you present under the headings offered. See the headings in a loose context and write as you see best given your business development and relationship development objectives for the use of the site. For example in the specialities section provide a list of your services and the benefits those services bring.
When using LinkedIn the first priority is to make quality connections. Then having made a connection the secondary goal is to get those connections [and in turn their connections] to go to your website, a blog or a video where you can really start to build meaningful rapport.
The primary purpose should not be to sell a service on LinkedIn site; there are many options elsewhere for this to be done; LinkedIn is for building relationships. Full stop. Only when you have built a relationship and established trust will it be time to sell.
Having established a new relationship then here is where the power of videos come into their own to establish a relationship and in this context its easy to see how important the development of a tactical plan of action is in terms of your 1st finding prospects; then connecting with them then getting them to take action and to view, say a video, or to visit your blog or sign up for your emails.
The key is to the most effective use of LinkedIn is to find connections using the search function and by using your contacts with whom you are connected.
Obviously the more direct connections you've established, the more opportunities you'll be afforded to make new contacts and build evermore connections; without the contacts and connections with them you'll be hard pressed to enjoy any benefits.
To effect a good mix of contacts use the LinkedIn toolbar for Outlook which you can use to invite your Outlook contacts and those on your email list to connect to you.
3 critically important maxims when using LinkedIN and the social media.
Firstly, 'go for quality' not quantity when building connections. Whilst the focus is on building a large network list, the priority is quality not quantity.
My advice is to use LinkedIn's "Trusted Partner Networking" and to avoid the "Open Networking" option where you can build thousands quite quickly but the quality of those people in terms of your service or your ability to communicate with them is low;
I prefer to use Trusted Partner Networking, because you only connect to people you already know and trust.
The second maxim is, as ever with the social media, to make commitment to what you're doing and to undertaking consistent activity over time.
This is where the third maxim comes in.
It will only be by dedicating significant time to working ON your business and not in it that you will achieve your objective of taking the firm to the next level using the social media and services such as LinkedIn and avoiding the feast and famine scenario experienced by so many firms.
So how do you use LinkedIn to find new clients & keep in touch with old ones?
For most professional firms their geographic target market is well defined as are the niches in which they work and the type of prospects they are wanting to get to know. LinkedIn is brilliant for professional firms, in this regard as it:
•allows your search to be highly targeted; especially when searching other people's listings of contacts; and
•you can follow up by asking the connection [contact] on whose list you found someone you'd like to get to know better if they will effect an initial contact on your behalf... et voila.
You should make maximum use of the testimonials facility.
It really is important that for each of the professional service areas where you offer a service that you present reputable and relevant testimonials in support, which should be complemented by video presentation testimonials.
This is really powerful if someone is in two minds as to whether they want to connect with you.
A great way to get client recommendations is to give them a testimonial first; reciprocation is then only natural.
This works great on LinkedIn as your client, the one to whom you're giving the testimonial, has the chance to vet what you've said before it goes live on their LinkedIn page and at the same time they're asked automatically if they'd like to reciprocate with a testimonial to you; which, normally they do.
You can build both rapport and status using LinkedIn Groups. If you're really up for building contacts then an idea is to join one of the many special interest Groups on LinkedIn. Here you can keep up to date on matters relating to your niche and contribute via postings in the very places where your prospects and clients hang out.
I suggest just going for one or two in the first instance as there are so many and it can become a little daunting if you want to play a meaningful role in each. The more you contribute the better.
This is where you really can add value; the more you contribute the stronger will be your reputation; although this said I caution whether you'll actually gain any new clients directly as a result of this; but, again, this said if as a result of your contribution you can then get people to go to a video series or to your website where other factors come into play then this is quite another matter.
You can also post questions and answers in the LinkedIn Q&A section; this is another useful way to build credibility.
Now to a few important specifics
Don't underestimate the importance of your professional headline: as this is the first thing people see when they find you after doing a search or a follow up after you've made contact. As such the professional headline is very important; aim to get it really well focused and absolutely spot-on.. What they see is a box with your name, photo, and this "headline.
If you're on the ball this doesn't just give your position but rather sets out what you offer. This heading is filled in by default unless you manually change it in the 'edit my profile' section. By using the right header this immediately indicates to a connection whether or not you might be of interest to them.
My headline, simple and to the point,, which is much better than just giving my job title, is: Helping professional service firm business owners to get more clients and build trust using social media and online video
Use Status Updates to keep in front of prospects
You should use Status Updates to open up and maintain a communication. This is an excellent way of simply keeping in front of people.
Everyone on LinkedIn receives update emails detailing the status of their contacts; they can also see these updates on their LinkedIn homepage.
The key is to ensure that your status updates have something interesting in them.
LinkedIn can also be used to enhance your profile by allowing you to add content. This is best done using the 'Blog link' app, which displays your latest blog posts on your profile.
Some other important should 'dos':
•You can ping other social networks when you add an update, such as Facebook & Twitter so as to have a broader impact;
•When you see a previously valued contact update their status, and with whom you haven't been in contact for some time, this is a good opportunity to get back in touch;anything to restart the conversation; a good ploy is to send them to a blog post that you know will be of interest or to a video, which links them into a further series of videos that they haven't yet seen;
•a great relationship builder is to put your connections into contact with each other; the key here is to be constantly looking for ways to add value in regard to all your connections, whether or not they are past or present clients because you just never know when a chance piece of support will lead to something transformational; and don't forget
•And whenever you've just met a prospect or a prospective partner for the first time check them out on LinkedIn; you'll be surprised at the extraordinary insights you'll gain.
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