Marketing for Small Businesses – Tips for Using Linked In for Lead Generation

Social media makes it easier than ever for customers to make informed decisions about purchases; this is especially true for B2B buyers. That’s why any plan for marketing for small businesses, particularly B2Bs, should consider adding a social network component.

Why? One of the simplest reasons is this: your competitors are already doing it. A BtoB Magazine study found that 93% of all B2Bs use social media marketing, and 72% of those use professional social network Linked In. Here are four tips for building a Linked In page that generates leads:

1. Present a polished company page. Leads generated from the company page are the most likely to spend at least 10 minutes viewing the company website. To attract these prospects, it’s critical that any plan for marketing for small businesses emphasizes a quality Linked In company page. Transform the page into a marketing tool by completing all the fields as well as adding helpful links and resources. Also consider boosting credibility by adding recommendations from clients.

2. Complete individual user profiles and keep them current. Marketing for small businesses that focus on B2B should include complete individual user profiles. While some information, such as job history, will be unique, create a consistent corporate image by ensuring each team member includes links to company blogs and websites.

3. Get social. The purpose of a social networking group, whether it’s the local chamber or a social network website, is to connect with others. The way to do that on Linked In is by participating in groups. Research found that 1 in 3 leads from these groups will fill out a form on a website. That’s a fairly significant conversion rate, suggesting that being an active social network group member should be an important part of marketing for small businesses.

4. Beware of appearing too pushy. Linked In Answers is a forum for professionals to share expertise with colleagues. The problem is that some users who answer questions sometimes heavily self-promote—a potential turn-off for many prospects. You can still leverage the power of Q&A forums by providing a useful response that doesn’t sound like a canned sales pitch.

If B2B is your bread and butter then it’s time to take a serious look at using professional social networks to generate traffic and boost leads. Linked In is a smart place to start marketing for small businesses.

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