You know your tech company has a great solution. It’s not pride or bias. The proof’s in the feedback from delighted clients who are benefitting from your solution.
Yet it’s a struggle to get your brand in front of people who don’t know your solution exists.
It’s especially a challenge because many people who would be great prospects don’t even realize they have a problem. When they don’t know they have a problem, they aren’t looking for a solution.
Which means you can invest heavily in search engine optimization, Google AdWords campaigns, inbound marketing, and content marketing, and you won’t ever reach the biggest part of your market.
So what is the answer for building brand awareness and growing your audience?
What you need is outbound marketing – telemarketing, direct mail, direct sales, and email marketing.
All of which work, but not as well as they used to, and not anywhere near as effectively as one outbound marketing option you might have overlooked: LinkedIn.
With LinkedIn, you can:
- Reach ideal prospects.
- Grow your audience.
- Boost credibility.
Reach ideal prospects
You probably know how to search LinkedIn to find the people you want to contact. Perhaps, you’re a pro with LinkedIn’s advance search tools. Start there to build your list of prospects. Search for people who are likely to need your solution.
Before you introduce yourself through LinkedIn, take a gander at their profile for things you have in common. Did you go to the same university? Have you lived in the same city? Use that as a guide in writing your message. You may have a mutual connection. In this case, request an introduction from this person.
In both cases, because the email comes from LinkedIn, it’s a more trusted source than a cold email. Thus, it’s more likely to get read.
Remember that many of your prospects don’t yet realize they have a problem. Ask about that problem, describe what it looks like, and offer your assistance in resolving it.
Grow your audience
Your executives and vice presidents can publish blog posts on LinkedIn. This goes a long way toward building thought leadership with LinkedIn.
When you need to educate your market, both so they recognize that they have a problem and see the value in the solution you have to offer, educational materials have a lot of value.
Since you’re at the top of the sales funnel, begin with materials that help them recognize the situation and identify whether they are a fit for your product.
You can use the sponsored content ads on LinkedIn to give your blog post greater exposure, putting it directly in front of your ideal targets.
Boost credibility
There are a few ways to build credibility – something that’s particularly important if you are competing against larger firms.
First, you want to ensure your LinkedIn profile tells your company story in a compelling way.
Is your LinkedIn profile 10 years old? If your profile dates from the last time you were looking for a new job, you will want to update it. Refocus the content from a “job seeker” profile to a “lead gen” profile. Make sure you are talking to prospects rather than employers, and sharing information that shows you understand their issues and have a solution that can help.
Secondly, the same activities you do to grow your audience will also increase your credibility. Focus more on educating and less on selling. Doing this makes it easier to build relationships using LinkedIn and have others view you as an expert in your field.
Want to learn more about using LinkedIn to support your sales effort? Start with improving your LinkedIn profile – get LinkedIn profile tips and resources here.