JimCLASS™ Special Report
(Concepts Leading Advisors to Sales Success)
Number 15, March 9, 2011
“How to Get Started on Linkedin.com and Attract Business”
What is Social Media?
The definition of work in the sales business has changed. While “playing around on the computer” only a short while ago would have been what I knew as “busy-work” or maybe “administrivia”, the advent of Social Media has changed that. Today, you can be prospecting or marketing on the computer if you make good use of Social Media.
I’m not a techno-geek, (so don’t talk nerdy to me) but I have my own definition of Social Media. To me, social media is the 21st century way to connect with and market to your best markets for your specialty. Sure it is often thought of as idle chit chat, but it can be much more.
Today it is the ultimate in permission marketing. People join for the express purpose of being contacted. It’s the social in social media. It’s like sitting on the porch waving at your neighbors walking by. Failing to use this amazing too is just plain planning to fail.
About Linkedin.com
Linkedin.com is the ideal type of social media for anyone working with prospects who are in business or looking for their own contacts. It’s like business Facebook, which is a discussion for another day.
People who can be on Linkedin.com include many people if not most. And, using it effectively means you have an opportunity to contact prospects under favorable circumstances regardless of whether they might be on any Do Not Call List. In the future, this may be the only way we can legally contact prospects.
And, remember, because they joined Linkedin.com to be connected, those emails get right through to the people you contact. It’s like sending a special delivery letter to your prospects when it comes from Linkedin.com. Think about how valuable that can be.
Why you need it?
Linkedin.com can put you in contact with almost anyone you want to know. It make sit easier than ever to be “one handshake away” from anyone you want to know. With only a few hundred contacts you will be one or two handshakes away from hundreds of thousands of prospects. That connectivity makes it possible to have a wonderful “Target Client List” too.
You can wait to get involved until it’s a necessity or you can get on it now and be ahead of the curve. When you’re ahead of the curve, you’re surfing. When you’re behind it, you’re suffering.
What do you have to know before you start your Profile?
When I first started with Linkedin.com a few years ago, it seemed easy enough to just fill in the appropriate blanks with “whatever” and see what happened. I did and nothing did.
No surprise there.
Then I thought about making the content more appealing. That meant more than just cut and pasting a bio or resume. That’s too much anyway. In a micro-blogging world, a 140 character tweet is getting long… especially when you have to read it on a blackberry.
So, that means being concise and compelling. Before you can do that though, you do have to decide a few issues. These are the critical ones:
1. Who is my natural audience? By “natural audience” I mean those people with whom you have natural (easy, compelling, no extra effort involved) influence? These are the first and best people to whom you will aim your social media information. I can hear it now though, “Jim, I just can’t be that narrow. I’ll miss out on people.” And that would be your problem. Everyone, including me has to be very specific about who exactly they will target with their service or product. Ever been fishing? Think about this like fishing. If you have a fishing lure that is supposed to appeal to EVERY FISH, do you suppose it would be effective EVERYWHERE? The correct answer is “no”. In fact, it would likely be useless everywhere. That’s what marketing to everyone is like. Ineffective. You must have the courage to make this decision. The sooner you do the quicker you will reach your true business potential. This is the single most important business decision you will ever make.
2. What are the major problems that I love to solve for this natural audience? By definition, you will know the needs of your natural market. That’s why it’s natural for you. Make a list of their needs that you can solve. Make it a list of problems that you want to solve. Make it a list of problems that drive you crazy because you know if they just knew what you knew, the problem would disappear. Make this your expertise.
3. What are the products you carry that solve these special problems? Work them into your client and prospect discussions for clarity and transparency. When you know the problems you can then decide how your products and services can minimize or eliminate the problems. When crafting a presentation to these people on your service, be sure to use simple and easy to understand language that refers to the world of the market. Use their language when speaking to them. This is your specialty.
4. How do I position my products? Just blurting out problems in a random way can confuse prospects. We’ve discovered that it is better to combine your products in a “focused needs package” so they are a compelling choice for your natural market. We’ve use the “Ideal financial portfolio” idea successful and it is just one way to do this. It’s also a good idea to name this package so that it is easy to remember and therefore easy to pitch. When you name your package, always check with an internet domain seller to see if you are the only one using it by checking to see if you can buy the “yourhotidea”.com domain name. This is often overlooked, even by marketing types and it ends up with you promoting someone else’s business model. We have enough challenges without doing someone else’s work for them. Check. I use www.dotster.com but there are many others. This is a surprisingly useful tool. It’s like you “own” the idea when you own the .com domain name. No, it’s not trade marking the idea but it is effective.
Now what?
Now that you have this important preliminary work out of the way – can you see how much more important it is than just for your Linkedin.com profile – you can get started. The first step is to go to linkedin.com and set up a “Profile”. I’ll leave you with the details.
Once you get set up, I’m going to help you set up the content of four specific parts of your Linkedin.com profile. There are many others to deal with but these are the key ones to make Linkedin.com start helping to attract business for you. It’s the ultimate brochure in this way… no printing, no mailing and no effort… “Look ma, no hands!” When I was a life insurance manager we always worked on what we called “No Legs Recruiting” where there was limited, if any effort involved to getting people to come in the door. This is what we dreamed of… only 15 years ago. And today it is yours for free.
The four parts are: Basic Information, Position, Summary and Specialties
Basic Information
This is where you set the stage for your marketing and where you can go very wrong at the start. The critical parts are Name, Picture, Professional “Headline” and Industry.
First of all, use the name you are known by. I don’t use “James W. Ruta” because no one except American Express knows me by that name. Sure, it’s my formal name and my Mom picked it out but no one uses it. And, I go by Jim Ruta. I’d be confusing any other way. Use the name that immediately resonates with the people you know. And, I don’t know why some people would choose to only display their last initial except that they aren’t really using this for marketing.
How about your picture? Choose a good “head shot” where people can see what you look like. Can they recognize you from before? Will they recognize you when they next see you? Something else many people don’t know is that a face in a picture should be facing the text beside it. This is “visual syntax”. Make sure that your face in the picture you choose is turned to the side where the information is. Facing away suggests that you’ve “turned your back” on it and don’t really subscribe to it. This is a little thing to be sure but, you’ll now notice how important it is. The only other option is to use a picture where you are looking straight out and your body is turned neither left nor right. This also works. And, if you are getting a picture taken and only want one, get a “straight on” shot. One last point about pictures — please use a decent one. I know most people don’t like looking at their picture but use one taken professionally. You will not enhance your marketing if it looks like your picture was taken from your rap sheet or the local post office… just saying.
Then there is the professional “Headline”. The headline under your name is not a title, it’s the client benefit of your service. Be careful you don’t write something that impresses you more than it informs prospects. Self aggrandizement Do you have an “Expert Identity” like I describe in my first book, “Expert Identity Marketing”? Use it. Do you have a tagline? Use that. The idea is to use a very short description of mission, benefit and highest and best use. I’m talking just 5 to 8 words here. Much longer and it won’t be read or work. Too much shorter and you may not say anything interesting. Think about this part carefully.
Finally, we look at Industry. There really isn’t a lot you can do here but choose the most specific one for your true expertise. You are choosing from a list provided. If you sell insurance, choose “Insurance” rather than “Financial Services” because it is more specific and therefore more valuable to you.
Summary
The Summary should be more about your prospects and the benefits they achieve working with you, than it is a resume of all your wonderful traits. When this piece is too self-serving it loses its power to persuade. Don’t make it a marketing bio. It’s not just to be so impressive that it would make your mother cry, it should make her buy.
Think about the benefits of what you do. Think about those problems you solve and how people feel once they have them resolved. Write about that feeling without being over the top or mushy. Overselling and hype is not compelling unless maybe you’re at the country fair. You’re not.
Make sure you start with a compelling first line. The “first six words rule” says that unless the first six words make you want to read on, you won’t. Check out all the great books…”In the beginning God created …”, “It was the best of times…” Use these conventions to make things happen.
And, make the Summary relatively short. I don’t think much more than 200 words will be read except by the very interested. And, the words are more than just wasted, they are obstacles to reading. The will hurt your efforts.
Specialty
The specialty is about the specific audience that can make best use of your service. Here’s where that natural audience decision really comes in. Expand on your expert identity. Tell the rest of the story around your tagline. Just don’t write too much. No one will read it. Make it short and sweet and it will be read automatically. No effort will be required.
Twitter
You can use a Twitter feed to your Prolife and “kill two birds with one stone” so to speak. Twitter is “micro-blogging” and about all a busy advisor has the time to do on a regular basis on their own. How do I know? Because I have been blogging for a year and a half and it gets harder and harder every day… I have already written some 100,000 words on my blog or the equivalent of about a 550 page book. OK, so I over do it but still, this is a big job. If it’s all you do, that’s one thing. If you actually work, it can be a challenge.
But micro-blogging is a lot easier. And, it can be just as powerful. How about you set up a Twitter account and then make the link on your Linkedin.com Profile so “tweeting” shows up twice. Once on your Twitter page, the other on your Linkedin.com “Update”.
The cool thing about this is that Linkedin.com automatically announces Updates to your connections. You have nothing to do. But, your message is sure to show up in your connections’ inboxes. , (with power phrases and good business ideas) you get a regular update to connect with your prospects. It makes you more valuable to your clients.
Try what I do with my tweets. As I wrote this piece today, I “tweeted” twice. Both of them were interesting twists on ideas that can help advisors and the prospects I work with. Tweeting the advice makes for a Twitter home page with a full list of ideas to motivate buyers and helps promote me to my clients and prospects.
You can do the same in your business. What one-liners, power phrases, simple advice and the like can you share on your linedin.com update that will make you more credible? It’s a great way to stay connected.
Other Tips on Your Profile and Linkedin.com
1. Use the simplest language you can in writing for your Linkedin.com profile. Simple language makes it easy to read. It also connects faster and more effectively with clients. “Eschew obfuscation”. And, when you use language that reflects your prospects experience, (we’ll build your portfolio to your specs…say for a contractor) you will really hit the marketing nail on the head. Can you see again why it’s so difficult to write copy for many different markets?
2. There are several ways of adding new connections to your list.
a. You can use your existing email contact list and have Linkedin.com search it.
b. You can think up names and do a people search at the top right of your profile page.
c. You can search usually through the connections of your contacts to see who you know.
d. You can see who was looking at the profiles of the people you know.
3. The idea is to connect with centers of influence, prospects and clients on Linkedin.com. If they aren’t in one of these three lists, they won’t help you market your business. Build new connections with centers of influence and people you’d like to do business with.
4. Also, be sure to add clients to the list so they know “you are still on the job”. I remember Lawrence Geller telling me this years ago. He said that one of the primary reasons your clients want regular contact is so they know “you are still on the job”. With the lack of trust in this industry today, this is probably more important than ever. It’s a powerful reason to use Linkedin.com. Really, just one of many.
5. Search for appropriate Linkedin.com Groups that are formed around your business or who might need your advice. This can be a great way to build your market reputation and attract new connections.
6. Be careful that chasing down connections doesn’t become an obsession. Yes, it’s a good thing but just like limiting your children’s “screen time”, limit your Linkedin.com connecting time. Do it regularly but be reasonable. It still doesn’t replace seeing clients one on one.
Finally…
Linkedin.com has great marketing value and here are just some of the many benefits of getting involved:
1. It’s free. Yes, you can upgrade but I still haven’t and it isn’t necessary at the outset. But, there are additional benefits – easier connections for instance and you might want to consider it.
2. You have a one page web site that is just a powerful as your biggest competitor. And, anyone can easily find it.
3. You can find people you lost. There are millions of prospects out there and most of the best ones are there to be found.
4. If you “work” Linkedin.com and participate in the process, you will have people searching you out. And, they will bring up business. After all, this is a business media. I have received several engagements from linkedin.com connections.
5. It’s a simple way for prospects to research you and your offerings. You can point them to your profile.
6. It sidesteps any and all Do Not Call or Do Not Email regulations because it is the ultimate in permission marketing. You can contact almost anyone.
7. It helps you stay top of mind with your clients and prospects. Following some of these simple guidelines gets your name in front of a lot of people automatically.
8. It technologically puts you one or two handshakes away from millions of people… and there is no other way.
9. It adds credibility to your communications because it comes through Linkedin.com.
10. It’s a good excuse to play around on the computer.
11. It’s not as complicated nor overwhelming as Facebook.
12. If you do it right you will automatically improve the quality of your marketing on all fronts – target markets especially.
13. It’s the perfect way to develop a “Target Client List”.
14. It adds credibility to you because you are ahead of the technological curve or at least riding the wave.
15. You don’t have to be a “geek” to use it.
16. You can have staff work it for you.
17. It gives potential contacts a simple way to connect with you too.
18. It could help you build a “Team” of advisors to help better serve your clients.
19. It could help you find a successor if you are looking… or an associate…
20. Linkedin.com Groups can help you showcase more of your skill.
21. It’s “No-Legs” marketing.
22. It’s a free an easy to use “marketing relationship management” program. You probably have a CRM program. This is a MRM program.
Now can you see why the nature of “work” has changed? Get involved in Linkedin.com today. Start by connecting with me. Connect with me on Twitter too for the latest in HEAT for advisors. HEAT is “High Energy Attitude Transformation”. That what we deliver every day.
I’m Jim Ruta and that’s just the way it is.
March 9, 2011
