Linkedin has become a powerful tool for professionals looking to network and find career opportunities as well as companies looking for talent. Linkedin also provides some unique tools that can be particularly effective for small business marketing. Here are some tips for making the most of Linkedin:
Compared to Twitter and Facebook, blogs can feel a bit old-fashioned. Blogs take a lot of time and energy to maintain, and many small businesses find them to be a challenge. But blogs are powerful – and creative – marketing tools. They demonstrate your expertise, show off your company’s personality, and increase your visibility online. Blogs can also generate content for your other social media channels. Above all else, a blog can demonstrate that you care about your business, your industry, and your customers.
Put Your Customers First
As you reflect on your marketing efforts in 2009 and prepare for 2010, it’s easy to focus on what you accomplished (or didn’t) and what kinds of strategies will meet your needs going forward. But before you design a plan that’s all about YOU, remember that no marketing will work unless you put your customers first.
Ask yourself the following question: how often do you listen to your customers?
I have decided to quit calling this the “Weekly” Ranger Round-up, simply because I cannot guarantee you that I will get to it every week! I’ll feel a lot less guilty about not getting it done every Friday if I give you the disclaimer – “I cannot guarantee that I will get to it every week.” Oh, and I used to number the Round-up. I think I’ll nix that too. I’m just going to cross my fingers that on the days that you have the time, you’ll check out our blog. Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised, “Hey, bonus! A Ranger Round-up. Mid-week even. What a surprise!”
I really enjoy writing the blog and doing the link round-up. Does it put food on the table? In most cases, no. So of course I do the work that pays first. My favorite quote, that I believe I made up, is “Life gets in the way of my life.”
Without further a due, the Weekly Ranger Round-up…
