LinkedIn was traditionally an online platform where people uploaded their resumes in the hopes of landing a job that fits their description. People used the platform to land new jobs and take their careers to the next level.
However, in recent times, LinkedIn has grown into a multi-networking platform for all kinds of professionals. Most businesses create their company pages to expand their networks to all types of audiences.
Using LinkedIn to build relationships with different people and industries to grow businesses is how to go about it now. Let us look at various ways LinkedIn can be used to grow small businesses.
Create a Company Page
Creating a profile for your company on LinkedIn is the right step towards a better future. You should not think that it wouldn’t do much for businesses on more minor scales.
You can create your company’s profile by clicking on Company Page, which will help in generating leads and driving traffic towards the page. Put up your company’s basic information on the home page, and you will automatically find businesses or professionals in a similar line as yours.
You can also create a personal profile and link it to your company’s page so that interested parties can get in touch with you for queries and deals. Spread as many keywords as possible in your content on the home page so that there is a higher probability for your page to appear when people search for similar companies.
Importance of Linking Your Profiles
Using the option to link your Personal Profile to your Business Profile gives people the idea of whoever is behind the business. This can help you build a good relationship with other like-minded professionals.
It is essential to mention all the details of your business structure, aspirations, etc., and link all forms of social media for greater outreach: your Facebook, business websites, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
Be Active on Your Company Page
In order to garner attention from interested parties, you should keep on updating content on the company’s page. You need to show people visiting the page that you are serious about your business and its future.
Keep posting content relevant to your business - like finished projects, fresh tips and features, new products, etc. This frequent activity will boost your credibility and help to expand your network further.
Visit other small business pages’ profiles and explore the endless ideas and opportunities. Get connected to people with the same ideas as yours. Engage in discussions with them and exchange common interests. The more you engage, the more your profile shows up in the search list, leading to better outreach for your business.
Join Groups with Similar Ideas
What do you do when you are in a new and unfamiliar place? The first thing we do is find a group of people similar to us – whether it be the language, race, hobbies, etc. This is how we build relationships and survive.
Similarly, it would help if you look for industries or professionals related to your business. Join a few groups and frequently interact with their members to demonstrate that you are a resourceful asset.
You need to join active groups and not just random ones. Keep the interactions professional, but you can also engage on a personal level to build stronger ties with others. You can find groups similar to yours by typing in keywords and joining them after the groups pop out in the search option.
Personal Messaging
Although LinkedIn is usually used for acquiring leads on similar industries and businesses, there is an option to communicate with them through private messaging too.
Go to the messaging option on the top of the other person’s profile page and start interacting. It gives both parties an upper hand at understanding each other’s ideas and aspirations, resulting in building trust.
You should try to keep your messages short and to the point. Lengthy messages are not appealing to the prospective reader as it only takes up their time. Start your message with a catchy line that will draw their attention.
You should also remember to reach out to them only during working days. Weekends are not convenient for most people as it is a leisure period. Everybody wants to get their minds off work during weekends.
Ask People To Recommend You
One of the benefits of creating a LinkedIn profile is that you can get recommended to companies and brands by someone familiar with your business. This helps you in connecting your business with potential clients.
Small business owners need all the mentions they can get from such sources. You should show signs of progress in your performance and skills to get good recommendations.
You can also suggest someone whose work ethic and business you admire. This is how recommendations work on LinkedIn. You nominate others to some clients, and others will nominate you to someone else.
If you work in a team environment, you can attract more by including them in your LinkedIn activities. When potential clients visit your page and notice that renowned businesses and professionals follow you, your reputation automatically becomes more appealing.
Get Acquainted with LinkedIn
To get the most out of LinkedIn, you have to learn all its tricks and features. You have to strive to understand the algorithm of this social networking platform.
First of all, you should figure out which features are best to use for your line of business. Then start learning how to create a network of like-minded businesses, brands or professionals. This will be possible only if you manage to keep your page up to date with relevant posts and content.
You can also go through the business profiles of your competitors to check out how they are using LinkedIn to expand their brands and create more extensive networks.
Overall, LinkedIn is an excellent platform for growing your small business and making it more prominent through its features and tools.
It helps you build connections with other brands and clients with similar interests, increasing your reputation and revenues.