You’ve heard it before: social networking sites are useful tools for finding and connecting with new clients. But what are the best ways to do that? How can you use LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to find new clients? In this blog post I’m going to let you in on a few secrets and give you a guide to getting started on these social networking sites.
Linkedin is a powerful networking tool. If you spend the time creating a strong profile
Use this guide to start using LinkedIn effectively:
–Set your company apart from others in the industry with a detailed and interesting company profile. Include your company’s services, expertise, mission, interesting facts, etc. Show clearly what your company does for clients, how working with your company is different and generates results.
–Join relevant groups and participate in conversations. By answering questions in your field of expertise you can help others while showcasing your knowledge of your particular industry in front of a wider audience. This will allow you to connect with interesting people and bring in new contracts.
–Keep your connections strong. Write recommendations for people you have worked with, and request recommendations from people you have worked with and from clients. LinkedIn was designed for networking, so use connections to find new clients and business.
–Stay on top of industry trends and news. A good way to do this is to join and participate in a discussion group. You can learn about events and conferences, leads and prospects, new products and services, and other information that will keep you current and up-to-speed.
–Speed up your sales process by researching companies and individuals in LinkedIn. Review profiles to see if they’re a fit for your proposal and request an introduction through a common connection, or send an InMail directly to that person.
Twitter is powerful tool for brand management and lead generation. To maximize Twitter as a marketing tool, you should be honest, genuine and respectful with each tweet.
The first thing you need to do
One of the reasons why twitter works so well to help you gain clients is because it provides you with the opportunity to share content. Developing and sharing content will position you as an expert in your field. Additionally, there are several opportunities on Twitter to encourage followers to contact you for more information.
As a brand on Twitter, it is important to interact with users, and to be mindful of all of your brand mentions. Every Twitter user should be considered as either a customer or a prospect. The opportunities to respond to customer comments (brand management) or prospect questions (lead generation) on Twitter are great way to humanize your brand, develop customer loyalty and start conversations with prospects.
Here are some tips for using Twitter to find new clients:
• Follow people who are relevant to your industry and target market
• Make sure your employees and colleagues are on Twitter, and refer to them
• Answer your mentions
• Search for your name/business name
• Use Twitter to ask your customers questions…and get good answers
There’s no refuting that this way of connecting and communicating is influential and effective, and increasingly important. Your business should be on Twitter now to get ahead of competitors and find prospects.
Facebook is another social networking site you can use to establish credibility and expertise in your industry, and to find new business
Start by creating a corporate Facebook Fan Page and be social. A Fan Page is a way to connect with clients, prospects, communities and stakeholders, as well as to extend your brand’s reach, but it has to be interactive to succeed. Fan Pages offer a unique opportunity for brands to engage prospects and customers, provide ways to recruit new Fans, and create opportunities for Fans to interact. Companies should be social–creating content, posting status updates, adding photos, hosting events and contributing to the Fan community. Opportunities on Facebook Fan Pages allow companies to engage and interact with Fans in a meaningful way. The applications allow for brands to promote their brand in a way that users can connect with and appreciate.
To use Facebook effectively for business, consider these other opportunities for building your brand and community:
• Posting links to your business blog on your page
• Accepting friend requests and reaching out to friends, clients, acquaintances, etc.
• Exploring advertising through Facebook
• Promoting your business through your personal profile
LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are increasingly emerging as mandatory outlets for companies to utilize reach prospects. Including a social media plan in your marketing initiatives will help you gain momentum that will lead to new business.
Editor’s Note: AJ Gerritson is the founding partner of 451 Marketing.
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Great tips! I’d also encourage local businesses to be sure to look at things like Yelp, as they can literally make or break a business, depending on how widely used they are in your geographic location.
To Finding new customers on the internet can really become easier by using Twitter correctly and wisely.