Last week I shared five ways to market your business on LinkedIn. Since then, I have received several requests for specific information on how to effectively use LinkedIn in B2C marketing.
Most people believe that LinkedIn is a B2B social network and that you need to use Facebook or another more "public-friendly" platform to reach B2C customers. In fact, LinkedIn is also an effective B2C marketing tool.
Here are five ways to use LinkedIn to market to B2C customers:
1. Offers and Discounts to your Customers via the Company Page
Social media marketing is all about connecting: with your friends, colleagues, and in the case of B2C marketing, your customers and the public. By giving your customers and potential customer offers and discounts, they feel connected to your company.
One of the best places to do this is the LinkedIn Company page. The products and services section of the Company page is an online brochure and a gateway to your own website's marketing section.
Set up a portion of the Products and Services section as a "Special Offers" link. Describe what a customer will receive once they click on a link, or offer a discount code that can be activated by going directly to your website.
Next, promote this section in your other marketing venues - emails, other social sites, and drive traffic to both your LinkedIn Company page so customers can learn more about your company.
2. LinkedIn Polls
LinkedIn Polls is a simple way to further brand your company but in a much more subtle way. With Polls you ask a question and give up to five answer choices.
You can promote the poll on LinkedIn as well as Twitter and Facebook. While you can't set up a direct link to your website, you can "brand" the question by phrasing it to include your company name, such as "Social Mediat Today wants to know: what is your worst computer nightmare?"
Once you've set up the poll, a link is generated - along with a code that can be embedded in your blog or website.
LinkedIn Polls is a quick and easy way to connect to consumers and extend your reach beyond traditional marketing.
3. Answers - Seek Out Your Customers
Last week I talked about asking questions on the LinkedIn Answers section to market your brand. While that's one way to use Answers, a better way to reach B2C customers is by answering questions that they pose.
How do you find those questions? LinkedIn is a massive search engine. You can search for People, Jobs, Companies, Group and Answers (just to name a few) using the search functionality on the home page.
By searching Answers for questions pertaining to your services, you will discover potential customers with real issues or problems that you may be able to solve.
An example: Someone I know posted a question on Answers asking for advice on the best way to refinance their home in North Carolina. Several firms commented back and offered to provide more information to the questioner. As a result, he hired one of the firms to help with the refi.
4. Groups Where Your Customers Live
There are a lot of ways to use LinkedIn Groups for marketing. In fact, LinkedIn Groups is probably the most effective marketing channel available on LinkedIn. But, can you reach B2C customers? The answer is a resounding - YES!
Again, LinkedIn's search engine allows you to search Groups and find the ones that are pertinent to your industry, products and services. Take some time and research the groups where your customers live.
Once you've established this list of groups, join the ones that make the most sense for your company. Remember you can join up to 50 groups.
Next, introduce yourself to the group by posting a discussion. Remember, most groups don't allow for blatant marketing - but they will let you explain who you are and what you do.
Contact the group owner and ask if you can post group member offers and discounts for your company. Many groups are open to that idea, and will let you do so.
One caveat - don't oversell! If you post an offer as a discussion - do it once a week - not every day. Set up the "rules of the road" with the group owner before assuming you can do whatever your please in the group.
Finally, pay it forward first. Many of you know I'm a pay it forward advocate, and I truly believe that by helping someone else, you in turn help yourself. Ask what you can do for the group. See a group member with a problem or issue? Offer to help or for your company to help.
5. LinkedIn Focus Groups
While not an official feature, one way to market to B2C customers is through a LinkedIn Focus Group. Specific to the LinkedIn network, a focus group can be used to promote your company while at the same time finding out valuable market intelligence.
Invite consumers to participate by posting a link to a survey on your website. Promote this on the LinkedIn Status Bar, in Groups, and on Answers.
When the focus group is run and completed - post the results on your LinkedIn Company Page and on the Status Bar - a link to the results is all you need.
This is a quick and easy way to tap in to a network of more than 165 million active LinkedIn users.
Final Thoughts
We are all consumers. We all buy goods and services. Professionals on LinkedIn are no different than Facebook "fans" or Twitter followers. They have homes, use computers, go out to dinner. With LinkedIn, you have access to more than 165 million consumers.
The only difference is the tools you use on LinkedIn to reach them and how you shape the message to fit the LinkedIn audience.
Marketing to B2C customers can be accomplished using LinkedIn. By researching the most effective ways to reach your B2C customer base, you can make it happen!
If you have questions on LinkedIn, please send them along and I'll endeavor to answer them in future columns. Want to connect on LinkedIn? Send me an invite and I'll gladly accept your invitation!