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Adrian Pitt

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“I WAS a “Linkedin Lurker”…

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"Hello, I'm Ade. I WAS a "Linkedin Lurker".

It's Social Media group therapy night here in Shropshire! I've just stood up. My fellow trainers and I are discussing the pros and cons of digital marketing for our training companies. The results are in...

Carol enjoys Twitter. It's simple and straightforward. She Tweets like a crazed canary with moments to spare before appointments. 

Sheila's a Facebook fan. My esteemed colleague helps business start-ups, mentoring folk on taking their products to market. Facebook has visual appeal. An opportunity for entrepreneurs to show off their wares.

I've taken a liking to Linkedin. Problem is, a personal profile is a bit like a Tamagotchi - if you don't feed and nurture it, stroke its ego every now and again and exercise it in the art of selling - there's a tendancy for it to fade away. You don't want potential clients looking for another virtual pet, surely? (When I was young, all I wanted was a thirteen-colour biro!).

Seven years ago, newbie self-employed, I set up a Linkedin profile (not really knowing what I was doing). It hung around like a bad smell. I'd log in every now and again and then lurk in the shadows, no engagement whatsoever. Are you the same?

I'm REALLY keen to know which of the "big three platforms" have benefitted you as trainers?

Your feelings about Facebook? How you've tackled Twitter? Tips and tricks not to become a "Linkedin Lurker"?

Ade.

2 Responses

  1. Hi Ade,
    Hi Ade,

    Since setting up, I’ve found a couple of forums for Trainers on Facebook really helpful and although we post across the usual culprits of social media, probably the best for us has been LinkedIn in terms of B2B, although I still think it’s important to have a presence on a selected few of the others.

    I’m always conscious of being less ‘lurky’ too (!) and so try and make a conscious effort, particularly on the LinkedIn groups I’m a member of, to contribute there.

    Totally agree about the importance of nurturing your LI profile too – has grown increasingly more important and there are always ways to improve it. I found this a while ago and it really helped every few months when I take another look at it – https://www.leisurejobs.com/cheatsheet/ultimate-linkedin-cheat-sheet-A4.pdf.

    Chris
    http://www.righttraxtraining.co.uk

  2. Thanks Chris,
    Thanks Chris,

    Excellent tips, I’ll have a look at that “cheat sheet”, too! I find Facebook for business to be a bit of a bind, if I’m honest. If I closed my Page down tomorrow, I don’t think the bottom would fall out of my business world.

    Twitter’s OK. Like my colleague, Carol, I use it to Tweet what we’re up to training wise, or signpost people to my website or other social media sites. If I spot an article that I think would interest my Followers from similar career backgrounds to me, I’ll Tweet the links. I think I’ve only ever secured one piece of work off Twitter that I’m aware of in the five years or so I’ve been on the platform.

    LinkedIn has CERTAINLY brought in work. Me an my colleagues have won quiet a few contracts because of my LinkedIn presence. I was SO cynical at first. I produced my profile and then let it hang in mid air. By becoming more proactive, little and often etc. slowly but surely people are noticing.

    What about the rest of you? Is social media working for you?

    Ade.

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