We launched Strategic Communications in 2008, at a time when the country was plunging into a deep recession. It wasn’t a great time to land new clients. But it was a great time to take a deep dive into something that was relatively new at the time, at least from a business perspective–social media. At the time there was an interesting talent gap that represented an opportunity for us. Most businesspeople didn’t have experience in using social media channels for marketing purposes and colleges weren’t yet educating students about these new marketing tools. So we were early adopters and spent quite a bit of time learning about and experimenting with the tools that were best positioned in the business-to-business (B2B) space: LinkedIn and Twitter.
Since that time we’ve built our social channels organically and have helped a number of clients do the same. There’s no real magic to this. In fact, the basic tenets of effective marketing via social channels are really the same as they are for using any marketing tools. We recently responded to a reporter’s inquiry about our top tips for marketers using social media as a lead generation tool. We pointed to six:
- Clearly identify the audience you wish to reach. Individuals? Businesses? What types of industries/companies do they work for? What are their interests? Then start building your network by reaching out to people who fit your audience profile.
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Determine which channels are most likely to reach your audience at a time when they’re most open to the type of information you have to offer. Not all popular channels will be right for you. Instagram, for instance, which is very popular these days, is used primarily by a very young audience. If that’s not the audience you’re trying to reach, Instagram isn’t a good channel for you and would be a waste of your time, no matter how many users it has.
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Consider what’s important to your audience. What do they want to know? What challenges do they face that are related to what you have to offer? What questions/concerns might they have? How could you provide value to them through your content?
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Post information related to your area of expertise regularly–not just information you’ve created, but also information that you’ve curated through other reputable sources. This is a good way to establish yourself as someone who stays up to date on news/trends that are of interest to your audience.
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Post regularly.
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Don’t be overly promotional or spammy. Sharing a post saying “here’s what I do” is fine and a good first step in establishing a relationship. Sending posts over and over again attempting to sell your services, asking for a call/consultation, etc., is an overreach and will result in losing connections and potentially even being reported.
That’s our top six. Certainly, there are many more tips and strategies that can help you best leverage social media to generate leads for your business. The big takeaway, though, is it’s not difficult. It just takes time. If you don’t have the time, we can help, especially if you’re hoping to grow your presence on LinkedIn or Twitter. Let us know how we can help.
About Us
Strategic Communications, LLC, works with B2B clients to help them achieve their goals through effective content marketing and management with both internal and external audiences. We work with clients to plan, create and publish high-quality, unique content. Whether on- or offline, or both, we’ll help you achieve desired results.
(Strategic Communications is certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise through the Wisconsin Department of Administration.)
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Tags: linkedin, Social Media, social media best practices, social media strategies, social media tips, twitter