Not everyone is as curious as I am. Most people won’t hunt for a link to your website or search on Google to find your Twitter account.
That’s why it’s critical that you make it easy for people to find out more about you and easy to connect with you.
It’s also vital to personalize your interactions when connecting with new people, this makes the interaction much more meaningful.
Here are 7 simple changes you can make within minutes that will help you reach more people and connect in a genuine way.
1. Own Your Name
If your business name is not the same as your name, you need to buy your name domain and redirect it to your website (if you don’t know how to do this, ask your web person or your hosting company). A swell option for buying your name domain is Name Cheap.
For example, if you go to http://www.stephanieward.com you will automatically be redirected to my website https://www.fireflycoaching.com.
This makes it easier for people to find you in case they forget your company name but do remember your name. It’s also useful in case further down the road you decide to change the name of your business to your name.
An example of this is http://www.whitehottruth.com which was Danielle LaPorte’s previous company name and website. This website redirects to her current website http://www.daniellelaporte.com which she rebranded to her name.
2. Include Links on LinkedIn
Add your website link and other links (up to a total of three links) as well as your Twitter profile to the contact section of LinkedIn. Follow this link to see how.
3. Make it Public on LinkedIn
Make your contact information on LinkedIn public so it’s possible for someone who is not a connection to find out more about you. Here’s a how to from LinkedIn.
4. Get Personal on LinkedIn
When you invite someone to connect on LinkedIn don’t use the template they provide. Write something personal, remind the person where you met or how you know each other. It only takes a few seconds and your invitation will stand out because most people don’t do this.
5. Thank New LinkedIn Connections
Once someone has accepted your request to connect on LinkedIn, you will get an email letting you know (if you’re not getting these, here is how to change that.)
I always reply to this email notification and thank the person for accepting my invitation and add that I’m looking forward to their updates.
It takes less than one minute and it’s great for a couple of reasons. One, it shows you’re interested in getting to know the person.
And two, it gives you a chance to share your email signature which should contain a call to action (with a clickable link) along with other contact information. For more on this, watch my short video: 3 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid.
6. Thank New Facebook Page ‘Likers’
Did you know you can see who has liked your Facebook page? Under the ‘Admin Panel’ (if you don’t see the Admin Panel, click on ‘Show’ in the upper right-hand corner of your page) then click on ‘See Likes’ link and you’ll see all of the people who have ‘Liked’ your Facebook page.
If you click on a name you will be taken to the person’s profile and you can send a brief message saying thank you for the ‘Like’. You do this by clicking on the ‘Message’ button in the lower right-hand corner of the person’s banner image.
You can go one step further and thank them publically by including their name, and the names of other new recent followers, in an update. You can also invite them to introduce themselves on your page.
7. Add Live Links
Add a live (clickable) link your website on your online profiles when possible. To check if it’s possible, simply go into edit mode and add the http:// in front of your website url www.fireflycoaching.com and then save the information.
If you can click it, it works as a live link. If not, go back and remove the http:// because it takes up space and it is confusing because the link is not clickable.
I hope you’re starting to see how a few tweaks will make you, and your business, more visible and allow you to connect with more people.
© Stephanie Ward
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER, BLOG OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to create meaningful and prosperous businesses. Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: https://www.fireflycoaching.com.
Which of these changes will you make? What are your tips for getting found and connecting with people? Share below in the comments section.
