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LinkedIn was my first experience with social media.  Not Facebook, not MySpace, but LinkedIn.  Because of this unexpected occurrence, I immediately noticed the business potential of social media and related technologies BEFORE the personal, ‘fun’ aspects to social.

To be a great manager, put people development first. http://t.co/0LFBH7ZJ6r

— LinkedIn for SMBs (@LinkedInSMB) February 9, 2014

I quickly became a LinkedIn evangelist, with clients and anyone else I networked with.  However, I would continually ask others how LinkedIn was received in their workplace, and the reviews were mixed.

At first, bosses complained about LinkedIn usage because they viewed the social network as little more than a channel on which to post resumes – believing that their employees were secretly using LinkedIn to simply look for another job. 

Must See LinkedIn Profiles of 2013 from LinkedIn

This continued to be the prevailing assumption about 6-7 years ago, but sentiment changed when Groups, Company Pages, and other features began to appear.  As the company increased its functionality – perhaps owing to competition from Facebook and Twitter, or to provide additional services – organizations of all sizes began to recognize the fundamental business value of LinkedIn.

Going public in May 2011 didn’t hurt the company’s visibility among professionals either.

However, LinkedIn is still missing a huge swath of a professional audience, and I’m continually confounded by how many individuals are still not on LinkedIn.  Or, the response I get is, ‘Yes, I know, I have a LinkedIn profile but I haven’t done anything with it. 

One way to help get the most out of LinkedIn is to see how it is received by your company.  If resources exist to assist you in promoting your capabilities or utilizing LinkedIn’s vast, rich feature set, then additional value of using the social network is created.

Here are some considerations for utilizing LinkedIn on the job, for the benefit of yourself and your company:

1.  Find a LinkedIn champion.  Because of LinkedIn’s different audience and purpose, find an individual within the organization who can keep everyone updated on LinkedIn features and best practices.

I’ve found that a LinkedIn champion at a company is not necessarily a social media manager sitting in the PR or marketing department, but rather someone in sales, as many forward-thinking sales professionals have been quick to capture the potential of LinkedIn for prospecting and identifying opportunities.

Even if you are not in sales, nonetheless there could be much to learn from a LinkedIn champion from sales.

2.  Capture interactions in the company’s CRM system.  To prove to others – and senior management – of the potential for LinkedIn, track any relevant, valuable interactions with your network in your company’s CRM database.  These insights will not only bring you additional visibility, but it will garner a more organizational favor towards use of the social network.

Final Thought:  Spend more time on LinkedIn, even during the workday.  You may already utilize LinkedIn for your own personal professional development, but demonstrating value to others in your company will help you in other ways, and possibly net you additional resources (i.e., a premium subscription).  Agree to join your organization’s LinkedIn task force or dream team, and show others the benefits of engaging properly and professionally on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is expected to announce Q4 2013 earnings on February 6, and I’m excited to see their usage stats and new products coming down the pike.

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• LinkedIn Learning: http://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/530 (Webinars from LinkedIn, on how to optimize profiles, connect with others, and other activities)

• Social Selling for Sales Leaders:  How Social Selling Works: http://blog.hootsuite.com/how-social-selling-works/ (A blogpost and whitepaper on how sales executives can sell more effectively using social networks)

• Social Learning Best Practices for the Workplace: http://elearningindustry.com/social-learning-best-practices-for-the-workplace (From the eLearning industry, an article on how to instruct employees using social technologies and modalities)

Traditionally, referral networking has been the most effective way for Certified Personal Accounts (CPA) to find new clients.  However, with much of this networking happening online, CPA professionals must be proactive in their efforts to educate and engage prospects using the tools and platforms have prospects have become accustomed to using.  For this reason, developing a strategic digital marketing plan that incorporates multiple channels will create be the most effective way to grow a practice and attract new clients. 
Here are some important tools to use when creating a digital strategy to help grow your practice. 
Create a website that sets you apart from the pack
Your website is an important part of building an online presence and to be successful in this space you have to set your firm apart from other firms.  It is fair to say that there are other CPA firms offering the same types of services and expertise, so including some key features to your website can make a significant impact on the prospects online experience.  When considering a design for your website be sure that it is straightforward, scalable, mobile friendly, and includes the following tools:  
SEO Optimization- Make sure prospects can find you online using well-written, and unique content with keywords and backlinks 
Proof - Show clients how you will deliver on the promise to solve their problem by providing as much specific information that a client may be looking for. 
Associations - If you are a member of reputable accounting associations or groups, make it public knowledge. This adds credibility to your firm and again serves as proof that you are an expert in the field.
Testimonials – Whether written or in video form, testimonials have an important impact on your ability to acquire new clients and how potential clients perceive your business. 

Social Media Networking
An effective way to create new leads and cultivate relationships while positioning yourself as an authority and thought leader is through social media. Create business profiles on the popular sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to showcase your services, develop relationships and engage with prospects.   LinkedIn, is a particularly effective networking tool because it attracts professionals and decision makers from all industries.  However, to maximize your opportunities prioritize your social media profiles based on your goals and the behaviors of your target audience. Finally, approach social media networking the same way you would when networking offline-be proactive, add value to every conversation, and be consistent.  
 
Screenshot: The American Institute of CPAs LinkedIn group page
Measure your success
Now that you’ve taken steps to execute your digital strategy you need a way to measure your success.  Google Analytics is a free tool that will measure the success of your marketing effort through detailed statistics. You can view the volume of traffic to your website, track where your prospects are coming from and where they are going, and gain insights into their behaviors and their needs. By tracking the way people reach you and the devices they use to get there, Google Analytics helps you provide a better online experience for your clients or help you reinvent your strategy if needed. 

Final Thought
An important idea to remember about what drives potential clients is that people want to hire people not a firm.  To that end, keep in mind that an effective digital strategy will go a long way to generate referrals, as well as, keep you present and informed about what your prospective clients are doing. 

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Case Study: The AICPA’s LinkedIn Group Builds Community and Encourages Association Membership  http://linkd.in/1sLaum9
Accounting Today: 2014 Top Firms http://bit.ly/1vx4pw6
These Small Business Accounting Mistakes Come at a Big Cost http://bit.ly/1sverdf  There is money flowing out of your business right now as a result of simple small business accounting mistakes. Here are the top ten and how to fix them.