The thing that still surprises me the most when I’m working directly with business professionals are the small and immediate steps they can take to make a big impact on their business. I’ve experienced these striking conclusions while implementing big things for small organizations, small things for big organizations, and vice versa. There are a series of actions that can be taken right away that will improve their presence almost instantly.
Whether you are a seasoned business professional or a prospective professional just starting out, these are 5 things that I recommend starting immediately if you haven’t yet. These tips have been particularly effective for sales executives but apply to anyone seeking to improve their overall presence.
1. Social Media
Flickr/BrickinNick
I’m going to make sure I explain this as thoroughly as possible without saying too much. You don’t want to spend hours on every social media account. You want to be strategic with the accounts that you create and maintain. Business professionals should typically focus on a combination of Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram. I recommend that ANY business professional create a Linkedin and connect with individuals that they know. Networking is important as you’ll find out shortly.
The information you write on each account should be consistent.
Takeaway: Make sure you have a social media presence, focus on those that you believe provide you with the best ability to generate a proper presence. If you don’t have a Linkedin account yet create one. Make sure to fill it out fully and then connect (friend request) people you know.
2. Professionalism Across The Board
This one can be difficult to explain. Having a personality and conveying it is important. I’m not trying to say you can’t share those adorable cat videos and any other funny videos you love. However, focusing on professionalism across the board goes a long way. Across the board means not only being consistent but applying professionalism to every aspect of your life. Make sure your pictures are appropriate and professional when you are using your personal page as your main professional page.
This isn’t just about social media, but is included with how you email (spell check, please!) and how you present yourself in person. An established consistency with the level of professionalism and approachability you have produces a lot of value. It will increase sales immediately but also allow more referrals to come in.
Let’s put it like this: You never want to be referred to in a sense of hesitation. “Mike is great, but he’s a little rough around the edges.”
Takeaway: Make sure your pictures are appropriate and that your profile pictures on all social platforms are professional. Make sure your email signature is professional and matches your brand with up to date contact information and titles. Take a few extra minutes to quickly edit your emails before you send them regardless of how busy you are.
3. Posting Online
Flickr/Ryan Morse
This one makes me cringe a bit. The keyword I’ve used on this page is consistency, however, there is a difference between consistency and annoying individuals. You don’t want to be the pushy, hungry salesman on social media that comes across as desperate. You want to be the account manager that is on point as a resource for whatever it is you do.
You can ask for business and referrals, but that should just be part of your overall strategy. Think resource. Posting updates of the work you provide and stories that make a difference are two great ways that you can help someone online interested in your particular services and industry. The most important thing is don’t fake it.
Post something that provides the reader (not you) with value. That will drive much better results for you.
Takeaway: Create a strategy; even if it’s just in your head. You’ll share an interesting article on day 1, and on day 3 you’ll share a picture of your work. On day 5 you’ll post a status about a sale you have coming up and on day 7 you’ll link to your website for people to read about your services. Day 8, 9 and 10 you’ll share important updates related to your industry that could help visitors, and day 15 you’ll share a funny meme.
4. Outreach
Asking for business is an important part of all of our work so seeking ways to constantly improve upon this is essential. By far the biggest question I get asked is, “how can I generate more sales?” My response varies in nature, but my typical answer is usually that you need more leads. Leads are qualified individuals that could be interested in your service.
In some cases I will present marketing services, suggested improvements to their organization, and paid services that they can implement. However, this article is about the easy little things you can do now for no cost. So, we’ll focus on the starting point – outreach. Guerrilla marketing in its truest sense, asking for business from people you know, or don’t know.
This is where mistake #2 happens (posting numerously online was #1) Mistake #2 is reaching out to people you haven’t spoken to in the past years and focusing on YOU and YOUR services. If you fall into this boat, you aren’t the only one. Like it or not, the goal is simply to listen first. Reach out to people you have a relationship with first and just say hello. Ask how they are and what they have been up to. Ask what’s new, specifically mention something that brings them back to you and your relationship with them. During the conversation, in most cases they will ask how you have been and what you have been doing. At this stage, you want to naturally provide an update to your life. Explain your job without giving too much detail. You can casually mention how work has been, but you don’t want to push too hard. You’ll find that not only will this help naturally generate leads, but will also be a great way to improve your personal circle with little effort.
The more you do this, the more the phone will ring for you when people need the service you offer. The next time you reach out you can mention that you have a special going on and you thought of them. You can even request individuals that you think that you can help.
Be genuine with your approach and only offer a service that individuals want. If you are trying to sell a hotel, I don’t care how many times you reach out to your high school teacher, they aren’t going to have the money to buy it, no matter how friendly you are.
Takeaway: Create casual conversation via direct messages. Start with people you know. Ask about them and what they have going on. Make it about them, not you. Be genuine, listen, and engage.
5. Think outside the box
This one will require you to do more of the work. However, it should allow you to take what you are doing in the previous 4 bullets and help you convert at a higher level. Remember that every business is different, but the more you do what everyone else does, the higher chance you have to generate leads. Because you are now like everyone else you are now competing with everyone else. Having a good product, service, offering, and approach will all help, but thinking outside of the box to generate sales in a different way can help generate higher conversion leads.
To start, I advise you to use Google as a starting point. Google search: Lead generation tips for “industry/job title here.” Take note of ideas you think you can tweak and make your own. A few fun examples include:
- A business professional making an agreement with the owner of a coffee shop to buy the next 100-200 coffees for individuals that come in for a coffee. In return you setup your booth or just have some information on a table. These are 100-200 individuals you purchased a coffee for. This could be a handful of leads.
- If you work at a Beauty Salon, partner with other salons that do a different type of service. For example, a nail salon and a hair salon. By generating a referral stream back and forth it provides a benefit for both sides.
While these examples fall outside of the box and require a budget, the idea is that you can focus on less competitive areas that could result in higher quality lead sources.
Takeaway: Google different lead generation ideas for your service and jot ideas down that will work for you and your business. Make a plan to execute on a small scale to determine if it’s a viable lead source.
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