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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.

ChangeU: For independent study

• 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)

MCSA.  MCSD.  CCNA.  CFA.  FRM.  CAIA.  PMP.  The list goes on for certifications that companies and organizations offer to individuals in the hopes of helping professionals further their careers.

Of course, in return, companies further their mission and messaging through the use of such certifications.

As technologies and processes become increasingly more complex – and as users find themselves without formal training from their employer – many companies, especially those in enterprise software or professional services, have been creating certification programs for their products.  The idea of having an army of users certified in a particular program carries innumerable benefits, though the marketplace is crowded with offerings.

Benefits to the User

For several years, there has been much fiery debate about the ‘skills gap’ in the U.S. workforce.  Essentially, good people can’t find jobs, while companies complain that they cannot find the right people to fill positions.

As jobs become more skills-based and task-oriented, traditional education offerings run counter to the needs of corporations, especially those in technology and financial services. 

Many mid- and even senior-level professionals have begun to rebuild their skillsets and educational profiles by taking courses leading to specific industry certifications.  A rundown of benefits include:

• Recognition of a professional credential, demonstrating aptitude and ability
• Opportunity to join local networking organizations and usergroups affiliated with the credentialing organization, as well as affiliated online communities
• The acronym is often a search-term in applicant tracking systems used by hiring managers
• Personal satisfaction of having completed a rigorous professional program and earned a designation, boosting confidence and self-esteem

…and for the Organization

Organizations realize innumerable benefits of creating and launching a certification program.  The first, of course, is revenue:  if a company sells a highly-sought-after technology or product, and knows that professionals seeking to become more knowledgeable and marketable would willingly pay to get certified, then a certification program is born.

Microsoft figured this out as early as the mid-1980s, as its software was already being distributed to corporations and governments worldwide.  Information technology professionals quickly saw the value of holding a Microsoft designation, as it opened doors to jobs and projects that would have otherwise been impossible to get.

Certifying organizations can create profitable education ecosystems whereby

• Professionals pay the company to sit for the exam
• Professionals pay the company directly for study materials or courses
• The company publishes study books and sell them through retailers
• The company license training schools and programs to teach preparation courses for professionals

These are just a handful of the benefits of creating a certification program.  Indeed, it includes the idea of building an educational brand.

Measuring Success

Organizations offering the credential have several measures of success, from tracking the number of individuals who demonstrate interest in a credentialing program, to the fee income from test registrations, to the satisfaction rates of professionals who have completed the program.

Some organizations’ professional designation had become so sought-after and recognizable, that they rebrand themselves to be more closely aligned with the credential.  In 2004, the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR) rebranded itself as the CFA Institute, in part to demonstrate awareness and leadership of its flagship Chartered Financial Analyst professional certification.

Final Thought:   Companies wishing to spread their influence can do well by developing and launching certification programs and selling them to professionals seeking to acquire a new credential.  In return, professionals can exploit these designations to their advantage by using them as sharp networking tools.

There seem to be a plethora of options for certifications, and both sides need to demonstrate the value.

Want Help? Contact our team today to ask a question via the form to the right.

ChangeU: independent study…

Oracle Certification: http://goo.gl/x72Bbo The portal for one of the largest providers of IT training and certification.  Oracle has acquired dozens of technology companies and has maintained the majority of these certifications in its portfolio.

Product Certification: http://goo.gl/3Ujhl9 A guest post in Tech Cocktail discusses how certifications can leverage third party professionals to get tasks done.

Consumer Product Saftely Commission: http://goo.gl/udLVxR Though not a certifying organization for professionals, this is an interesting look at what manufacturers must know in order to get their products certified.

Today more than 2.92 billion people worldwide use the internet to find products and services, including maintenance and repair for everything from cars to homes and appliances. The key to successfully tapping into such a huge resource is creating a digital marketing strategy that will help you find and communicate with your target customer in the local area to show them why your business is the best choice.  
Establish your brand with your website 
Your website is your online storefront and should immediately tell the customer what your business does, while giving the impression of expertise and professionalism. It is also a business tool that will be instrumental in defining your image, as such your design should be consistent with your core message.     Make sure you have a website that is SEO optimized, up to date with current information, license numbers, services, hourly rates, hours and works well on mobile devices. Since your primary business is offline it is very important that you encourage potential customers to take action by adding direct call-to-actions, like ‘Call Us’ or ‘email us for a free quote’ on pages throughout the entire site.  Furthermore, a website establishes an online presence so that potential customers, industry professionals, and even potential employees can easily learn more about your business. 

Maximize your exposure with local directories
To increase the likelihood that more local customers will find your business and use your services, add a listing on the local online business directories like Google+ Local and Yahoo! Local.  It would also be a good idea to get your business accredited and listed on the Better Business Bureau directory.  While it is best to add your business to more than one directory do some research to determine which ones are ideal for your business.  Some are automatically generated lists that you can add your business to, which help you get more inbound links to your website. Others allow users to optimize their listing by adding content, pictures, and even video, which improves the initial perception of your business.  Many of these are also community-based websites that mean visitors can rate and review your business.  
 
Dynamic Repairs and Renovations, LLC Business listing on Yellopages.com
Build Your Reputation by responding to reviews
Leverage the viral effect of online review to build a positive reputation.  Online reviews are a great influencer for consumers and play major role in the decision and purchasing process.  Moreover, customers seeking your services do not want to interact with you more than absolutely necessary. So, reading a review about how reliable your work is can set you apart from other local maintenance and repair businesses.  Reviews most often posted on general rating and review sites like Yelp and YellowPages.com but they can also be posted on social media pages as well.  Regardless of where they are posted you want to respond to these reviews in a personal and professional way in order to help you build relationships with your customers. Positive feedback can make the difference in a customer calling your business over the competitors when a problem arises.  Thank people for their positive feedback. Conversely, look at negative reviews as an opportunity to engage and learn how you can create a better experience for them. Customers will appreciate your proactive approach to resolving problems.  
 
Use social media to increase your referrals 
Word of mouth advertising coupled with social media networking can go a long way in building trust by allowing you to personalize your interactions, both of which influence customers’ decision when searching for a maintenance and repair business.  Set up a Facebook page for your business and start actively promoting it through your website, marketing materials, and in store on signage or customer receipts. You may even consider offering rewards or coupons to return or frequent customers that ‘Like’ your page. Encourage satisfied customers to share their experience on their Facebook page as well.  The point here is to build trust that will translate into recommendations to family and friends that need these type of repair services.  It can also be beneficial to create a LinkedIn company profile for your business in order to network with other professionals in the industry. 
Final Thoughts
Create a digital marketing strategy that makes it easy for people to do business with you.  When people find a reliable business to maintain and repair their home, car, or etc., they generally will maintain that relationship for years, as a result finding new customers can require some creative strategies.  A good digital marketing plan that includes a variety of techniques to enhance your online presence will keep existing customers coming back and win over new ones. 
 

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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. 

ChangeU: For your independent study ...

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. 

How can Realtors improve their Digital Presence?
Technology is giving real estate agents easier and more efficient ways to communicate with prospective buyers, as such it’s an ideal platform to create and build a process to generate leads and sell more homes.  By taking action and building an online brand you can separate your business from your competitors.  
Here are some ways to save you time grow your brand to grow your business.
Make an impression with your website
                 
Claire Jacobs Dream Home Specialist
•        Fresh Design:  Go a step further than posting photos of available homes, invest in a custom design that will ‘WOW’ home buyers while showcasing your brand and who you are. 
•        Dynamic: Make sure your design is responsive; the user experience should be seamless and consistent on mobile devices. Buyers may be directed to your website via mobile home buying apps, once there, they will expect the same level of functionality and sophistication experienced on a computer.        
•        Call-to-Action:  An important element on your website is content.  When developing content always have a call-to-action in mind.  If you ask visitors to do something be specific.  Remember to answer the question of “Why, do you want them to call you.”  Make it a direct action, such as “Call me for a free home consultation.” or “Sign up for my newsletter for home buying tips.”   
•        Be active: If you are going to add social media to your website make sure you are active on these sites. Post blogs regularly, update your status, create a presence on each of them.  
•        Video Customer testimonials:  The average user spends 88 % more time on a website. So invite your satisfied home buyers to share their stories by making a video, then upload it to your site. Note: you must make this process very simple for them.  Video is powerful medium as it provides a real source, while making visitors feel connected to your brand. 

Create New Opportunities        
According to a study done by the National Association of Realtors, 92% of people turn to the internet as the first step in the home buying process, making it increasingly important for realtors to provide them with information on the networks they are familiar with. 
A savvy realtor understands that this sometimes means going beyond the usual social networking platforms, like Facebook or LinkedIn, to generate leads. Social networking sites like Trulia and Zillow provide comprehensive information about homes, neighborhoods, etc., as well as group potential buyers into targeted and specific communities in which realtors can engage. 
Building a profile on industry specific social sites has enormous potential to generate lead by allowing sellers to engage and start discussions with buyers early in the process. This is a simple yet effective way to generate leads, particularly if you are just starting your business or if your marketing budget is limited.  Treat these sites just as you do your social media pages, with regard to being consistent and active. 
  
Trulia, Real Estate 

Use Social Media to Connect with Prospects 
In order to build a sustainable online brand and business you must engage your visitors and potential buyers on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram without being too aggressive or pushy.  Use these platforms to gain insights into the needs and expectations of buyers in more personal and casual manner. Some ways to do this are:  
•        Ask questions: Where they are located?  What are your home buying concerns? How is your day going?  Start a discussion and ask for feedback.  
•        Offer something of value:  Give them information they can use, such as the latest home loan rates in their area. Give free online home buying seminars, or tips about home repair. 
•        Be Personable: Use platforms such as Facebook or Instagram to show who you are on a level outside of real estate. Prospective buyer may share a common interests or hobby, which increases the level of connection and trust. Remember, buying a home is a very personal purchase, and people buy property from realtors they trust, like, or respect.  

Final Thoughts
Today there are many avenues for real estate agents to generate leads and market themselves, the key to success finding a way to merge all the elements together to build a successful brand. Finally, use these social platforms to nurture communication throughout all the stages of the buying process- before, during, and long after it’s completed.  

The internet is the first place people turn to when looking seeking general legal advice or the services of a lawyer.  It is important to develop a clear digital marketing plan for your law firm you can help you identify the right potential clients and grow your practice.  
Here are just a few tips to help you build an effective digital marketing strategy for your practice. 
Invest in your website
Your first plan of action to attract more clients is upgrading your website to stand out from other law firms in your area.  Focus on what you do best by highlighting your specialties because people don’t come to your website to purchase goods, they want to see what you do and how well you do it.   An effective website should be use an advertising channel like search engine optimization to make it easier for potential clients to find the legal representation they are looking for.  Your website should be easy to navigate, have contact information, credentials, office hours, location. Lastly, it is important to note that since law firms are subject to rules of ethics you should make sure that the content on their website is in compliance.
Maintain a legal blog 

Having a blog provides the foundation for social interaction and should be an integral part of your website.  By maintaining a legal blog you can provide clients with useful information and drive traffic back to your site. The content you discuss in your blog will help establish credibility and expertise which can influence a potential client’s decision to choose your firm over the competition. When writing posts be mindful of how you present the content, avoid too much legal jargon as your potential clients are not well versed in legal terms and this could possibly alienate them early on. 

Have a mobile plan
Like most other businesses the success of your practice is affected by how you respond to the emerging technology.  Since you invested time and money in building a great website you will want to reach your audience on the mediums that they have become accustomed to, which is mobile.  A mobile site is easier to navigate and responds to the need for instant access to information, while allow you to offer a more direct call-to- action to ‘Contact Us. This increases your opportunities for success because visitors often want legal advice right way.  Also, in order to stand out among so many other law firms, keep your mobile site focused on a very specific area of law. Being too general will cause visitors will pass up your site in favor of one that advertises a particular expertise.   

Social media
Lawyers need to be active on select social media sites to not only attract new clients but to build a level of trust well.  LinkedIn is one of the best professional social sites used by business owners or people searching for professional services.  However, sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ are also effective for boosting your visibility, as well as long as you invest the time to create profiles that will speak directly to people looking for legal advice. You can do this by providing useful legal resources to your targeted audience 
Final Thoughts
A digital marketing strategy is critical to the success of your law firm because it provides a unique opportunity to be in constant contact with new and existing clients.  You firm will see the greatest results by identifying the synergies between traditional methods of marketing and new online technology.   

ChangeU: for your independent study ...

Lexis Nexis Resource Center http://bit.ly/1z3ZViU

You know the law, we know law firm marketing. Access these free resources to gain insight into best practices in online marketing for your law firm. Fresh resources are added often so come back frequently to keep abreast of the latest trends.

Business Development for Lawyers: Strategies for Getting and Keeping Clients by Sally J. Schmidt. http://amzn.to/1qSrMbD  

Written by one of the leading law firm marketers, this guide covers the gamut from positioning to preparing pitches and proposals, helping lawyers create their own sources of work

Solo and Small Firm Resource Center  http://bit.ly/1D6UnTa  

Marketing, Technology, Practice Management, CLE & Substantive Law Resources for SOLO Lawyers & Small Firms

How do your customers find you? The hospitality industry is a huge market with a wealth of competition so regardless of your specialty you need to be doing something that makes your business attractive enough to get people through the door.

Where are your customers?
Some of your customers will physically see your business, others will be referred via their networks and if you are lucky you may engage people via good media coverage. However it is, when you create an exciting digital presence you open up huge opportunities to grow your business.

Why? Because:
• 81% of consumers have searched for a restaurant on a mobile device and 75% say they often choose a restaurant to dine at based on those search results
• 65.4% of hotel bookings are made on home website and 65% of same day hotel reservations are made from a smartphone

If you are not easily found online customers will simply bypass your business – it is important to not just have a presence but one that stands out.

What makes up an exciting online presence?
The good news is that with a bit of creative thinking you can use both paid and free options to build an engaging online presence. Let’s have a look at some of the things you can do:

1. Digital front of house – your website
All digital avenues should lead back to your website so this is where you start. Make sure that it:
• Is easy to navigate to the essential sections like how to make a booking – obvious calls to actions are key;
• Has lots of gorgeous images that show people interacting and loving your services/products/venue – you want people to want to be your customer;
• Includes videos so that users can feel that they are virtually there;
• Has friendly and welcoming content – less is better. Use enticing language rather than great slabs of text that most will give up on after the first couple of sentences;
• Optimize for all devices so the person on the move can easily access critical information.

Examples: http://bit.ly/1z4dfig | http://bel50.com/

2. Social Media aficionado
Don’t make the mistake of getting onto any one of the popular social media sites and simply pushing sales. You do need to create awareness of your brands goods and services BUT make sure you create a network of loyal followers, otherwise anyone that does land on you page can easily drift away.

Try:
• Uploading interesting content that suits the platform – encourage interaction and make sure that you acknowledge comments and use them to start a longer conversation;
• Understanding your demographic and solve their problems BEFORE they mention them in relation to your particular niche;
• Creating giveaways and competitions - they are always popular and perfect for expanding your fan base.
Examples: http://on.fb.me/1CPDkYE | http://bit.ly/16Ot6tx

3. Customers are going to talk
They say that any exposure is good exposure – not true especially in the digital world where news travels fast and your business can be damaged before a customer has even left the premises.
There are two parts to the way people talk about your business:
a. They love you – people have had a great experience at your restaurant, hotel, casino and are raving online in all of the right places. Enough said this is great for business;
b. They hate you – we all make mistakes and sometimes customers don’t have the greatest time, the key thing for you is how you deal with it. They will talk online and potential customers will see negative feedback and make a decision about using your services. Answer quickly and positively and always apologize – even if you don’t think it was your fault. Remember people are watching and this can be crucial to your ongoing business success.
Example: http://bit.ly/1zGsJwv

4. Third party buy in
There is a broad range of third party sites that you can use to list your hospitality business. One of the most popular is Trip Advisor.
Listings are free for accommodation and restaurants and this is seen as the go to site for travelers when they want to find out how good you are – you may already have been reviewed there, always check in case it is bad.
Example: http://bit.ly/179jDha

Final Thoughts

What we have included here is a small selection of options available to you. Create a digital marketing strategy before you get started. If you don’t have the skills, time or personnel a specialist agency can help guide you in the right direction.
A successful digital marketing strategy must communicate your business’s brand, features and overall experience to customers using a combination of tools or an all-in-one digital marketing management platform. More importantly, regardless of which tools you choose, they must be flexible and prepare your business for the constantly change demand of digital marketing.

ChangeU: For your independent study….

Customer Preferences for Online, Social Media, and Mobile Innovations in the Hospitality Industry - http://bit.ly/1FtHJ1o
Hotel Online Reputation Research, Statistics, and Quotes - http://bit.ly/1DezJBZ
Mobile & Online Hotel Spending Soars – Is Your Digital Presence Ready? - http://bit.ly/1FtHN16
The Website Rules That Will Drive Hungry Customers To Your Restaurant - http://onforb.es/1EVdF1j