Costly LinkedIn Mistake #12: Operating Without a Plan
This is #12 in a series of mistakes we address in our report on the “12 Costly Mistakes Tech Marketers Are Making on LinkedIn and What You Can Do About It.” Click here to get your copy of the full report.
Of the 12 costly mistakes we see companies making on LinkedIn, every single one of them can be avoided or minimized simply by having a solid LinkedIn plan. However, in the current LinkedIn environment, well-planned strategies and programs are a rare bird.
Most B2B sales and marketing people jumped onto LinkedIn for personal reasons (visibility to hiring managers and general networking) and as they begin to use LinkedIn to help them perform their current job, they do so without taking the time to think through exactly what they or their company wants to accomplish.
Why this doesn’t work
LinkedIn is just like any other marketing program. To be successful it needs objectives, target audiences, a strategy to meet those objectives and a way of knowing whether or not the program is successful.
Without a plan, companies are not in control. They wander around trying this and that, never knowing what worked or why, unable to repeat rare successes or to identify and maximize opportunities.
How to develop a LinkedIn plan
Keep it simple. Complex planning can be an excuse for not taking action. Start by asking yourself the following questions:
What are our objectives? Why are we investing time and effort on LinkedIn?
Who is our target audience(s)?
What problems do they have that we can help solve?
How are we unique from our competitors?
What actions do we want prospects to take?
What content will we use to help move them through their decision-making process?
Who will be involved in our LinkedIn program? Marketing people, sales people, subject matter experts, executives and others.
How will we measure success?
To get a complete copy of The Conversion Company report about 12 Costly Mistakes Tech Marketers are Making on LinkedIn and What to Do About It, click here.
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