Three years ago I was a bit scared of LinkedIn. I felt I needed to be on there, but I wasn’t exactly sure of the benefits it would bring and whether it would be worth investing time in developing my profile and regularly interacting.
In this blog post, I share what I’ve got out of the platform and why I think it’s a great way for small businesses to engage with their target audience, show up and most importantly have fun!
1. LINKEDIN CAN HELP YOU EXPAND YOUR NETWORKS & KEEP YOU CONNECTED
It’s good to have a presence on the world’s largest professional network on the internet. I’ve met some incredible contacts simply by inviting people to connect (along with a tailored connection note) and have been able to expand my network so my feed is full of useful content. If you like numbers and want to see some mind-blowing LinkedIn statistics just search on Google - you’ll see a whole host of articles that illustrate the importance of LinkedIn for your business.
LinkedIn is also a great way to stay connected with those people you’ve met professionally. I love making connections with new contacts and it’s a good way to keep in touch with those people you meet along your business journey. I recently took part in a positivity challenge and use LinkedIn to keep up to date with those I met once the challenge was finished.
I also love using LinkedIn to celebrate some of the most amazing people in my life and be one of their biggest cheerleaders.
2. LINKEDIN IS GREAT FOR PROMOTING YOUR BUSINESS AND LEAD GENERATION
I’ve got work from being on LinkedIn and leads. Posting regularly also gives you the opportunity to raise awareness of what you do and build a network of people who enjoy hearing about your experiences. It’s more than likely your contacts will be interested in your services (if they are relevant) but if not it’s worth remembering they’ll often know people who will be. LinkedIn makes it easy for you to recommend people and introduce contacts to each other.
3. LINKEDIN HAS GOT ME BACK IN TOUCH WITH SOME AMAZING PEOPLE
I’ve been able to reconnect with university friends and old colleagues thanks to LinkedIn. In a few instances, I received connection requests from individuals I hadn’t spoken to in years. It’s brilliant to be on their radar once again and engage with what they are doing now.
4. YOU CAN BE YOURSELF AND LEARN A LOT
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. I find posts that get good reactions are personal and come from the heart. Remember you're not always trying to sell just a service or product; you're trying to share your values and the type of person you are. People are more likely to buy from someone they like and someone who is on their wavelength. Your posts can reflect that so when the time is right potential customers may be more interested in what you have to offer because your personality has shone through the content you share.
5. LINKEDIN CAN ACT AS YOUR VERY OWN PORTFOLIO AND CV
It’s a great way to share what you’ve achieved in your career and is often the first platform employers or clients will look at when considering you for a position or hiring you on a freelance basis. In addition to showcasing yourself, you can also see what types of openings are available. I've often seen work that fits my profile and acted on work opportunities shared by my network.
And a bonus thought:
LINKEDIN DOES WORK
On the other side of the coin, I wanted to highlight that I have actually taken action as a result of striking up relationships with connections. When you see content that really resonates with you and you really click (haha excuse the pun!) with someone their posts and messages often encourage purchase. I’ve invested in bespoke training, found a wealth manager, and bought a ticket to a local netwalking event.
Want to get the best out of the platform? Here are my top four tips to get started;
Think about what you want out of LinkedIn and be clear on your goals. For me, I want to make new connections, have fun, and share content based on my copywriting support services, my work for local Harrogate charity Renew HG1, and my Inspire Now Daily Brand Ambassador role.
Understand that you need to invest in the platform and that it will take time (LinkedIn magic won’t happen overnight).
Get your profile looking tip-top so it’s clear what you offer and how you can help your ideal clients.
Share relevant engaging content and be part of the exclusive 1% of users who actually post on the platform. Yes, that’s right statistics show that out of LinkedIn’s 690 million users currently fewer than 1% of them regularly post on the network. You’d love to be part of that statistic, wouldn’t you?
Struggling with point four? Post inspiration doesn’t come naturally to us all. I offer writing LinkedIn posts as a copywriting service and have been pleased to work together with my clients to convert their news and updates into relevant copy for LinkedIn. Something that they often just don’t have the time to do.
If you’re also restricted by time maybe you’d like to offload writing those posts (and tailored connection notes). Get in touch if that sounds like you!
I never thought I’d actually enjoy being on LinkedIn as much as I do and that it would bring so many benefits. But you’ll see from the above points how it’s helped me develop as a small business owner.
You too can have a presence on LI and will reap the benefits. What are you waiting for?
If you’re still not sure and just want to have a chat about getting the best out of LinkedIn please do contact me. I’m always open to talking over a cappuccino whether that’s face to face (if you are close by) or virtually.
