Developing a pipeline of potential leads that can result in a client relationship is one of the main methods of building and expanding a business. However, without a clear definition of what your company is and what it is trying to achieve, it will be hard to spread the word to prospects about what you’re doing.
Social media can be a great way of promoting your brand, increasing awareness and networking so clients begin pursuing you, not the other way around.
Many entrepreneurs working to establish themselves as experts have written well-researched advice columns for publications. Sharing knowledge with the public builds up a level of trust, familiarity and confidence in your skills. The same idea can carry over to the internet, with the use of blogs, email newsletters, and social networks. The beauty of this channel is that it expands your audience quickly – allowing you to communicate directly with potential clients no matter where they are.
Linda Abraham of comScore and Michael Lazerow of Buddy Media have a few tips for how you can start building your brand through social.
- Social is Not a Standalone Piece: Do not look at social as a separate piece of your marketing strategy. It needs to be integrated into everything you do.
- Know Your Audience: Consider what the audience wants to know, rather than what you want them to hear. Set up a blog that discusses some of the common issues your clients face. Offer some advice for how they can deal with these issues, and encourage their response by asking questions and soliciting comments.
- Become a Trusted Advisor: A blog publicizes your expertise on a topic. It also shows the audience that you have a vested interest in helping them, which can go a long way in positioning you as a trusted advisor within your target market.
- Leverage Social Media: Social media drives engagement. Call on your readers, followers and network to interact with the content, share their own thoughts and distribute the material among their friends and connections.
The Content Marketing Institute offers some great advice for those who are writing a blog or social material for the first time. When writing your post, make an outline first so that the blog guides readers through your points in an engaging manner. Design the blog in a way that is easy to read and easy to share, CMI advises. Include links to sources you reference, and have social media sharing buttons that will allow the audience to share the posts with their own connections.
