Powerful LinkedIn Strategies
                           for Small Businesses
                                September 13, 2012




Maggie Barr
Kat & Mouse Co
www.KatandMouseCo.com
In This Presentation I Will
Help You. . .
• Learn a new way to “sell” to your
  customers using social media that’s
  more effective
• Understand the difference between
  LinkedIn and other social media sites
• Build a strategy for who your LinkedIn
  site will target, and what goals will
  achieve
• Avoid wasting time on a generic
  LinkedIn site that is un-interesting and
  ineffective
Agenda
• Why use Social Media to market your
  business?
• LinkedIn vs. Other Social Media Sites
• Starting with LinkedIn – What’s Your
  Goal?
• How To Use LinkedIn to Find More
  Customers – Them Find You!
Why use Social Media
to market your business?

• We are ALL selling something, ourselves, our
  products, our services, our time, etc.
• The OLD Way of Selling….
  • High pressure tactics, cold calling, fear of rejection
• The NEW Way of Selling…
  • Establish authority and thought leadership
  • Provide Value and resources
  • Display Social proof
LinkedIn vs.
Other Social Media Sites?
LinkedIn vs.
Other Social Media Sites

What’s the difference?
• Facebook – Used for individuals, and for promoting
  products to consumers
• Twitter – Used to communicate with highly engaged
  customers – not everyone
• YouTube – Great for posting video, but not for
  finding contacts
• Linked In – Best for finding business contacts and
  building valuable relationships!
LinkedIn is Best for
Business Because…

                         Good for                 Good for   Good for   Good for
                         Posting a    Good for     Finding    Finding   Posting
            Good for     Business      Finding    Business   Channel    Business
           Individuals    Profiles   Consumers   Customers   Contacts   Content

Facebook
             P             P           P                                 P
Twitter
             P
You Tube
             P                                                           P
Google+
             P            P
LinkedIn
             P P                                   P P P
LinkedIn is Best for
Business Because…

• ONLY FOR BUSINESS
  • Unlike with Facebook , there is no confusion about what is
    business content and personal content on your profile, and your
    customers’ profiles

• THE BUSINESS MINDSET
  • Logging on at work, solving business problems, looking for
    business opportunities

• NO PRIVACY CONCERNS
  • People you reach out to won’t be concerned about privacy
    when you connect with them, like they might be on facebook
LinkedIn is Best for
Business Because…

• SHOWCASE YOUR COMPANY
  • Unlike Twitter and YouTube, your LinkedIn profile can have a
    written intro to your company and offerings, as well as a series
    of links to your website and other social media sites

• DIRECT 1:1 SELLING OK
  • Unlike FB, TW & YouTube, finding and contacting someone 1:1
    to offer them something of value is easy, and more acceptable

• SPAM-FREE
  • Unlike Facebook & Twitter, you don’t get a ton of spam in your
    news feed if you follow a company page
Before Starting with LinkedIn
What’s Your Goal?

What is your LinkedIn campaign goal?
  – Generate Leads?
  – Get Hired By Existing Contacts?
  – Promote Products or Services?
  – Promote an Event?
  – Get Hired?
Who do you want to reach with your
LinkedIn campaign effort?

• When you’re reaching out to people….
  – Do you want to reach individual customers directly?
  – Or do you want to target key influencers who will
    encourage others to check you out?
  – Do you want to find channel partners to co-promote
    with?

  Your approach, message,
  and offer will be different
    depending on this!
What is Your CORE MESSAGE?

• Your core message
   – Should only be one to avoid confusion, even
     though it’s tempting to try and fit in more
   – What do you want these people to believe?
   – Why are you better than your competitors?

For example:
  “We’re the largest supplier of high-end dental
  equipment in the US – please try us!”
What Action do you Want the People you
Contact to Take?
• What’s your Call-to-Action?
   – Buy now!
   – Try now - trial offer to get them interested
   – Call us now for more info!

• What incentive are you offering to get them to take
  action?
   – Limited Time Offer – Whitepaper or Special price?
   – Get access to industry-related content they need
   – Watch a really cool video!


        Try several different offers
          to see what works best!
How Will You Measure Your Success?


                • By how your LinkedIn page
                  looks, compares to your
                  competitors?
                • By how many new connections
                  you get?
                • By how many new customers
                  find you on LinkedIn?
How To Use LinkedIn to
Find More Customers . . .
Create a LinkedIn Presence That                  Stands
                                                    Out!
  • Your Personal and Business Profiles needs to be targeted
    to your audience – not generic
  • 3 Most important parts of your profile
     – Headline
     – Action Links
     – Summary Section
  • Your Company Page
     • Should have the right wording that will attract your target
       customer -- who you REALLY want to see your site
     • OK if it’s not interesting to people who aren’t your target!
Create a LinkedIn Presence That Stands Out
    …… to the right people

    It’s OK if it’s not interesting to people who aren’t your target!




Our Target Customer
Actively Grow Your Network


• Import ALL your contacts
   • Worse case, someone say’s “no”
• Accept ALL Invitations to connect
   • Don’t worry about being “black-listed”
• When you meet someone in person, connect with
  them right away!
• Most Important . . .
   • Actively look for people to invite
   • Search by company, industry, and by connections to
     people you know
Actively Grow Your Network


1. Post on your own profile page with status updates – have
   employees & partners do this too
2. Join Conversations that Engage Your Audience
3. Strategically join groups that your customers are in, and
   post there frequently
4. Be visible everywhere by being active weekly
5. Develop an on-going content strategy…. what can you post
   that is interesting next week?
6. Answer questions in the Q&A Section of LinkedIn
Leveraging LinkedIn to the Fullest



          “Promote your company on LinkedIn and
  make it easy for potential customers and partners to find
   you, learn about your offerings, and hear about other
     customers who like your product or service too!”
What We’ve Learned Today

1. LinkedIn is one of several social media sites
   •   They all have their plus’ and minus’ depending on what
       you’re doing and who you want to reach
   •   LinkedIn is the best for finding business connections and
       opportunities
2. It is important to have specific goals in mind, and know
   who you’re targeting, what you want them to think,
   what you want them to do, and why they should do it
3. Create Your Killer Profile
   •   Include a thorough summary of who you are, who you
       serve, and what you offer……. and how they can find you
Questions?

Powerful LinkedIn Strategies for Small Businesses by Maggie Barr

  • 1.
    Powerful LinkedIn Strategies for Small Businesses September 13, 2012 Maggie Barr Kat & Mouse Co www.KatandMouseCo.com
  • 2.
    In This PresentationI Will Help You. . . • Learn a new way to “sell” to your customers using social media that’s more effective • Understand the difference between LinkedIn and other social media sites • Build a strategy for who your LinkedIn site will target, and what goals will achieve • Avoid wasting time on a generic LinkedIn site that is un-interesting and ineffective
  • 3.
    Agenda • Why useSocial Media to market your business? • LinkedIn vs. Other Social Media Sites • Starting with LinkedIn – What’s Your Goal? • How To Use LinkedIn to Find More Customers – Them Find You!
  • 4.
    Why use SocialMedia to market your business? • We are ALL selling something, ourselves, our products, our services, our time, etc. • The OLD Way of Selling…. • High pressure tactics, cold calling, fear of rejection • The NEW Way of Selling… • Establish authority and thought leadership • Provide Value and resources • Display Social proof
  • 5.
  • 6.
    LinkedIn vs. Other SocialMedia Sites What’s the difference? • Facebook – Used for individuals, and for promoting products to consumers • Twitter – Used to communicate with highly engaged customers – not everyone • YouTube – Great for posting video, but not for finding contacts • Linked In – Best for finding business contacts and building valuable relationships!
  • 7.
    LinkedIn is Bestfor Business Because… Good for Good for Good for Good for Posting a Good for Finding Finding Posting Good for Business Finding Business Channel Business Individuals Profiles Consumers Customers Contacts Content Facebook P P P P Twitter P You Tube P P Google+ P P LinkedIn P P P P P
  • 8.
    LinkedIn is Bestfor Business Because… • ONLY FOR BUSINESS • Unlike with Facebook , there is no confusion about what is business content and personal content on your profile, and your customers’ profiles • THE BUSINESS MINDSET • Logging on at work, solving business problems, looking for business opportunities • NO PRIVACY CONCERNS • People you reach out to won’t be concerned about privacy when you connect with them, like they might be on facebook
  • 9.
    LinkedIn is Bestfor Business Because… • SHOWCASE YOUR COMPANY • Unlike Twitter and YouTube, your LinkedIn profile can have a written intro to your company and offerings, as well as a series of links to your website and other social media sites • DIRECT 1:1 SELLING OK • Unlike FB, TW & YouTube, finding and contacting someone 1:1 to offer them something of value is easy, and more acceptable • SPAM-FREE • Unlike Facebook & Twitter, you don’t get a ton of spam in your news feed if you follow a company page
  • 10.
    Before Starting withLinkedIn What’s Your Goal? What is your LinkedIn campaign goal? – Generate Leads? – Get Hired By Existing Contacts? – Promote Products or Services? – Promote an Event? – Get Hired?
  • 11.
    Who do youwant to reach with your LinkedIn campaign effort? • When you’re reaching out to people…. – Do you want to reach individual customers directly? – Or do you want to target key influencers who will encourage others to check you out? – Do you want to find channel partners to co-promote with? Your approach, message, and offer will be different depending on this!
  • 12.
    What is YourCORE MESSAGE? • Your core message – Should only be one to avoid confusion, even though it’s tempting to try and fit in more – What do you want these people to believe? – Why are you better than your competitors? For example: “We’re the largest supplier of high-end dental equipment in the US – please try us!”
  • 13.
    What Action doyou Want the People you Contact to Take? • What’s your Call-to-Action? – Buy now! – Try now - trial offer to get them interested – Call us now for more info! • What incentive are you offering to get them to take action? – Limited Time Offer – Whitepaper or Special price? – Get access to industry-related content they need – Watch a really cool video! Try several different offers to see what works best!
  • 14.
    How Will YouMeasure Your Success? • By how your LinkedIn page looks, compares to your competitors? • By how many new connections you get? • By how many new customers find you on LinkedIn?
  • 15.
    How To UseLinkedIn to Find More Customers . . .
  • 16.
    Create a LinkedInPresence That Stands Out! • Your Personal and Business Profiles needs to be targeted to your audience – not generic • 3 Most important parts of your profile – Headline – Action Links – Summary Section • Your Company Page • Should have the right wording that will attract your target customer -- who you REALLY want to see your site • OK if it’s not interesting to people who aren’t your target!
  • 17.
    Create a LinkedInPresence That Stands Out …… to the right people It’s OK if it’s not interesting to people who aren’t your target! Our Target Customer
  • 18.
    Actively Grow YourNetwork • Import ALL your contacts • Worse case, someone say’s “no” • Accept ALL Invitations to connect • Don’t worry about being “black-listed” • When you meet someone in person, connect with them right away! • Most Important . . . • Actively look for people to invite • Search by company, industry, and by connections to people you know
  • 19.
    Actively Grow YourNetwork 1. Post on your own profile page with status updates – have employees & partners do this too 2. Join Conversations that Engage Your Audience 3. Strategically join groups that your customers are in, and post there frequently 4. Be visible everywhere by being active weekly 5. Develop an on-going content strategy…. what can you post that is interesting next week? 6. Answer questions in the Q&A Section of LinkedIn
  • 20.
    Leveraging LinkedIn tothe Fullest “Promote your company on LinkedIn and make it easy for potential customers and partners to find you, learn about your offerings, and hear about other customers who like your product or service too!”
  • 21.
    What We’ve LearnedToday 1. LinkedIn is one of several social media sites • They all have their plus’ and minus’ depending on what you’re doing and who you want to reach • LinkedIn is the best for finding business connections and opportunities 2. It is important to have specific goals in mind, and know who you’re targeting, what you want them to think, what you want them to do, and why they should do it 3. Create Your Killer Profile • Include a thorough summary of who you are, who you serve, and what you offer……. and how they can find you
  • 22.