Based on the popular “Six Degrees of Separation” concept, LinkedIn helps you connect with customers, prospects, and colleagues. The idea is that you’re only a few steps away from anyone in the world that you’d like to meet (you know, all those prospects that need business software) based on who you know, who THEY know, and so on. In fact, LinkedIn can be a great way to expand your influence and generate business referrals. But in order for LinkedIn to work for you, you’ll have to do more than simply list some work experience and upload a picture.

Here are 4 simple steps to using LinkedIn to generate referrals.

1 – Build a COMPLETE Profile
If you do get a referral through LinkedIn, the first thing they’ll check out is your profile. So rather than quickly slapping something together using an old resume, take some time think about how you’d like to be perceived and build a complete profile – it’s a great opportunity to share what you think is unique about YOU and/or your company.

More than just ticking off check boxes and providing basic profile info, put some thought into creating a compelling summary of your background, specialties, affiliations, and expertise (maybe even consider having it professionally written). Take advantage of the opportunity to create links to your company website, blog, twitter account and other important online resources (found in the “Websites” section of your profile).

LinkedIn also offers fantastic (and free) “applications” that allow you to expand your profile by embedding blog entries, promote events you’re attending or offering, find local “meet-ups”, share industry articles, and much more.

2 – Expand Your Network
Once you’re comfortable with your profile, it’s time to start building (or expanding) your network … which is an important part of using LinkedIn and vital to your objective. In fact, LinkedIn provides a tool that allows you to import existing contacts (from Outlook for instance) or type in email addresses of people you know and determine if they, too, are using LinkedIn. Then you can invite them to connect. A good starting point is to connect with folks you already communicate with regularly, then see who THEY know and determine whether THEIR contacts are in your industry, are potentially good prospects, etc. Based on your network, LinkedIn will also suggest others that you may potentially know.

3 – Recommendations
Recommendations on LinkedIn are basically testimonials from your colleagues, clients and others that have worked with you … and they’re out there for everyone to see. Recommendations can be very powerful in motivating prospective customers or referrals to want to do business with you. When they read about the fantastic job you’ve done for someone just like them, they’re one step closer to engaging your services. To initiate the process, you can request recommendations from your network. But be selective in who you approach because if you have a bunch of them, folks aren’t likely to read every recommendation. So the ones you choose to display in your profile should carry some weight (you know, something more than “Gee, Mark Badran is really neato and works hard.”)

4 – Participate
Lack of activity and a static profile that hasn’t been updated in months probably won’t do much for you … but when you actively participate in conversations on LinkedIn, the benefit of online networking will become very clear. So to make LinkedIn work for you, it’s a good idea to join several industry groups, participate in online conversations, post frequent updates, comment on other postings/opinions, continually expand your network, and share perspective that demonstrates expertise in your field.

5 – Ask for the Referral
This is the tough part for some. Not everyone likes asking for a referral. But if you’re confident in your ability and have done a fantastic job for someone, there’s no harm in asking them to share their wonderful experience with a colleague. In fact, you can ask for a referral/introduction directly through the LinkedIn website. hen you ask for the introduction, LinkedIn provides fields for 2 messages … one to your network connection and another to the person you’re asking to be connected with (the referral). That way, the person in your network (making the referral) isn’t expected to articulate your value. They simply pass the message along with their implied endorsement.

5 ½ – Give to Receive
Sometimes the best way to GET a referral is to GIVE a referral.

It’s That Easy
So there you have it … 5 ½ simple steps to using LinkedIn as a referral tool. Build a compelling profile, expand your network, solicit recommendations, participate in online conversations, and ask for referrals.

Not Sure Where to Start?
Contact us and learn about our LinkedIn JuiceCast Series. These educational webcasts deliver both basic and advanced techniques for putting LinkedIn to work for you.

You can spend weeks researching articles, learning about LinkedIn,, and discover things for yourself through trial and error … or take the shortcut and let us show you how it’s done!

Send your request to info@juice-marketing.com for more information or to reserve your spot for an upcoming JuiceCast.

P.s. Space is limited to 10 people per webcast so we can answer specific questions from attendees.

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As a Sage business partner, a newsletter is perhaps the most versatile tool in your marketing arsenal.  This one, powerful piece of communication has so many different uses.

Lead Nurturing – The sales cycle for business software can be very long.  A newsletter keeps your company “top of mind” with prospects, making it easy for them track you down when they’re ready to buy.

Customers – A newsletter can provide your customers with practical tips, support updates, and add-on modules that will help them make the most of their software investment and relationship with your firm.

Alliance Partners – A newsletter puts you front and center with alliance partners, builds the relationship, and makes it easy for them to refer business to you.

Below are a handful of tips that will have your customers, prospects, and alliance partners looking forward to each and every issue.

1. Content is King – Research, writing, and editing article content is the single most time-consuming task in developing a consistent newsletter.  But remember, content is king.  The look and design of your newsletter can draw your reader in, but it’s the substance of your articles that keeps them coming back for more.

Thorough research should help you determine what’s relevant and timely. The key is to be objective while focusing on how the technology you implement solves common business challenges (duplicate data entry, poor reporting, inefficiency, etc).  Avoid the pitfall of simply restating product literature or copying boring product features and functions from a brochure.  A poorly-disguised sales pitch is never a substitute for a good newsletter.

2. Quality Over Quantity – The length of your newsletter is an important consideration. Remember that your readers are likely a diverse group of Owners, Managers, IT Folks, accounting   personnel, and more … each of whom have different preferences    (C-level Executives like it short and sweet while IT folks tend to be more “data hungry”).  It’s important to strike a balance between an overly lengthy newsletter with too much detail and a format that’s too short (leaving your readers wanting more).

At Juice Marketing, we’ve developed a shorter format that is both practical and cost-effective.  Shorter newsletters deliver a “quick read” which is appreciated in this age of information overload.  Plus, a shorter newsletter forces you to focus your thoughts and make every word count which shows that you respect your readers’ time.

3. Scanability – With the volume of information that we all   process everyday, it’s unlikely that your customers and prospects are going to read the newsletter cover to cover.  Designing your newsletter so that it’s easily scanned is an important consideration.  Break the text up into bite-sized pieces, keep paragraphs short, call attention to important words or phrases with bold font, and use bullet points when it’s practical.

And remember, there’s value in White            space.  Don’t try and cram too much content onto the page.

“We subscribe to 3 Sage newsletters with Juice Marketing. The article content is well-researched, thought-provoking and explores business issues that are important to our customers and prospects.”

- Jane Cavanaugh, REDW – Sage Partner in New Mexico

4. Compelling Subject Line – Most companies will use email to deliver their newsletter.  And why not?  Email delivery saves time and money in printing, mailing, and postage costs.  When it comes to an email newsletter, the subject line is the No. 1 reason a message is opened … or not!

At Juice Marketing, we recommend including content from the newsletter in the subject line … something relevant that grabs your reader’s attention like “Drive Sales Through the Roof with Sage CRM.”  That’s probably more compelling than a boring statement like “Sage Accpac Newsletter – Q2.”

And remember to avoid using popular buzzwords or special characters (like ! or $) that are certain to draw attention from a SPAM filter and get your newsletter kicked to the Junk mailbox.

Conclusion

With the right content, a few best practices and consistent delivery, newsletters can be one of the most versatile and cost-effective ways to build a stronger relationship with your customers, stay top of mind with prospects, and generate referrals from alliance partners!

Need Help with Your Newsletter?

Okay, so maybe you recognize the value of a newsletter but just don’t have the time to put one together consistently.  That’s where the Sage Newsletter Program from Juice Marketing comes in. 

Our cost-effective newsletters are available for Sage Accpac, MAS 90, MAS 500, Abra HRMS, Timberline Office, MIP Fund Accounting, and Sage SalesLogix CRM.

Since Juice Marketing is a Sage Preferred Vendor, our newsletters are pre-approved for 60% co-op reimbursement and we process your claim directly with Sage so there’s no paperwork to fill out!

Contact us by email or call for newsletter program details, pricing, or to see a few sample issues.

P.s. Mention this blog entry and get a hefty discount on your subscription.

According to social media guru David Meerman Scott, trying to measure traditional marketing ROI is a waste of time. His e-book “Lose Control of Your Marketing” brings some interesting thoughts to light about the old techniques of offline ROI measurement and the new world of online marketing. Here’s what we think bubbles to the top of a 30-page document that’s worth a read:

• Sharing ideas, telling stories, and creating interest are more important than capturing lead information.

• The old rules of measurement don’t apply to the new world of online marketing. (i.e. number of business cards collected, email addresses captured, or folks that filled out a form on your website)

• The very act of tracking leads prevents great ideas from being shared. Today, most people know that providing information (in exchange for a white paper for example) only leads to unwanted phone calls and email solicitation … so most won’t even bother.

• Obsessing over precise ROI measurements causes marketers to become cautious and boring

The New Metrics
Here are some NEW metrics to consider in determining whether your Twitter, LinkedIn, and other online marketing efforts are paying off.

• How many people are downloading your stuff?
• How often are bloggers writing about you and your ideas?
• Where does your company appear in search results for important search phrases?
• How many people are getting exposed to your ideas?
• How many people are engaging with you and choosing to explore your offerings?

As the tools of social media have changed the world of B-to-B marketing, many organizations continue to implement the command-and-control (and measure) methods of the past. They spam customers with so-called “free offers” or pay a PR agency big bucks just to score a few press “hits.” Many folks create valuable information, and then prevent those ideas from being shared by using subtle coercion tactics (lead forms) to capture phone numbers, email addresses and other information. Think in terms of spreading ideas, not generating leads and measuring ROI. It’s time to give up control, stop worrying about ROI, and freely share your views.

The New Reality
We no longer control the sales process. Rather, our potential customers control the buying process … we need to forget about the old measures of ROI and start publishing information that our customers can use and share with others … which will ultimately lead them to you!

Resources:
Lose Control of Your Marketing

Marketing ROI is BS

Juice Marketing has put together a list of 25 FREE Press Release Submission Websites that we’ve compiled from a variety of sources.  Click below to download the list of 25 websites in PDF format.

http://www.juice-marketing.com/Documents/Sage_marketing_25_free_pr_websites.pdf

And if you’re interested in how we combine keyword-optimized press releases with online newswire distribution to help Sage and Microsoft partners achieve higher search engine rankings, visit the Juice Marketing Press Release Program page at
www.Juice-Marketing.com/press.

25 Free PR Submission Websites

Generating Business Through Referrals

When you need a lawyer, doctor, or mechanic, you probably turn to a friend, family member or other trusted advisor for a recommendation.  The same holds true in the world of business software.  When a company realizes that their current system no longer meets their needs, often the first place they turn is to their CPA.

This probably isn’t news to most Sage and Microsoft business partners.  Many of you close a deal or two every year that came over as a referral from a CPA or accountant.  But if you take a moment to think about the characteristics of these deals, you’ll discover that:

• The close percentage is very high.  We’ve heard numbers as high as 90% conversion of referral leads from accountants or CPAs.

• The sales cycle is short resulting in a lower cost of sale and more profitable customer.  It makes sense if you think about it.  Your prospects are constantly inundated with marketing hype and they’ve become cynical about claims of product and vendor capability.  However if they’ve been “passed off” to you by their trusted CPA advisor, it’s effectively an endorsement of your capability that cuts through marketing hype and makes them feel confident in working with you…thus shortening the sales cycle.

• The deals are not highly competitive.  In some cases, you may be the only software provider they are considering (since you come so highly recommended!).  Contrast this with a prospect that began their search online and will be evaluating 5 products with 15 vendors over the next several months … and throw in a 50-page RFP.  Good luck!!

Expand Your Network

With that in mind, why not expand your referral network?  Instead of relying on a small handful of relationships that send 2 or 3 leads per year, try and expand your CPA referral network by proactively reaching out to them much like you would a marketing campaign to manufacturers or distributors.  For instance, you can buy a mailing list that consists of CPA firms within 25 miles of your office (check out www.infousa.com, select the Certified Public Accountants category, and plug in a radius around your zip code).  Then mail them a letter, follow up with a call, stay consistent in your follow up, and voila!  Now in instead of just 2 or 3 relationships, you have a group of CPAs in your community that have a place to send their clients when they ask for a recommended business software provider.

A Few Tips

Here are a few simple things to consider as you build your referral network:

Reciprocate – the best way to get referrals is to give referrals.  If you have any existing customers that would benefit from the services of a CPA, make the connection.  You’ll probably discover that the CPA then puts in a greater effort to seek out reciprocal opportunities for you in their client base.

Actively Manage the Relationship – help them refer business to you.  Don’t just sign them up for your referral program and walk away.  Make sure they understand what you do, what products you carry, what type of businesses you work best with, etc.  You’ll need to actively manage the relationship and touch base with your alliance partners on a regular basis.  Maybe a semi-annual lunch and learn (with CPE credit even!) or a newsletter to keep your name in front of them regularly.

Don’t be Afraid to Ask – don’t be afraid to ask for referrals.  Especially with CPAs that have referred business in the past for which you did a fantastic job for their client.  Ask to participate as a guest speaker at an event or provide them with letters or material that they can pass on to their clients on your behalf.

You may feel a little hesitant asking for referrals. It’s important that you do it in a way that’s comfortable for you, authentic, and doesn’t feel pushy.  But once you develop a comfortable strategy, you’ll probably be surprised to discover how cooperative your alliance partners can be.

A Simple Approach for Building Your Referral Network

We know you don’t have time to sit around writing letters and developing telemarketing scripts to get your referral building efforts started.  That’s why Juice Marketing created the Accountants Alliance Marketing Program that provides you with 2 business letters, a white paper (for Accountants), and a telemarketing script.  It’s a turnkey approach that will jump start you’re alliance building effort!

Download the Accountants Alliance Marketing program brochure for details.

A recent article, “Media, agencies battle to be king of content,” talks about the changing landscape of B2B marketing and the importance of offering great content to engage new buyers.

Today, successful marketing pulls prospects to your business with quality articles, case studies, white papers, and other content that demonstrate how your technology solutions solve their problems.

The old strategy of pushing salesy messages and expecting prospects to buy from you has become ineffective. This is particularly true with social media. Your prospects aren’t on Twitter and LinkedIn looking for sales collateral.  They’re looking for thought-leadership and information that will help them solve a problem.

Here are a few highlights from the article:

• Your website is not just an online brochure. You need case studies, white papers, articles, and other content to attract the attention of prospects AND search engines.

• The rise of social media is forcing marketers to create content they can share on LinkedIn or elsewhere to start conversations with potential customers.

• If you don’t have something valuable and relevant to share, you’re going to be ignored.

• Successful marketing is focused on informing, not just selling.

The point they’re making is that Content is King.  At Juice Marketing, we couldn’t agree more.  Quality content attracts buyers, draws them to your business, and keeps them coming back for more.

To learn more about a content marketing strategy, download our white paper “5 Reasons Technology Providers Need Great Content.”

5 Reasons You Need Great Content

How Content Marketing Attracts Prospects

Marketing is all about content. Whether you’re updating the company website, sending a newsletter, nurturing leads, or using social media, you need great content. It creates dialogue, engages your audience, educates your potential buyers, and keeps them coming back for more. Here are 5 reasons that content marketing will attract technology buyers to your company.

1. Thought Leadership – a thought leader is a person/business recognized for innovative ideas and industry expertise. According to Wikipedia: “thought leadership is an increasingly vital driver of business success.” You can establish yourself as a thought leader by sharing your perspectives on technology and conveying experiences in the field through articles on your website, email newsletters, blog posts, case studies, and white papers. All of this great content provides your prospects with a window to your expertise. 
2. Buyers are in control – Software and technology solutions are big ticket items that come with a long evaluation process. Your prospects are making a major decision and want to be educated before they’re sold to. You can’t sell until they’re ready to buy … so what do you do in the meantime? Provide them with great content (articles, case studies, etc.) to keep them engaged and ensure that your company and solutions stay top of mind until they’re ready to buy. 
3. Cut through the clutter – it’s no secret that technology buyers go straight to the web when they begin to research ideas to solve their problems. And while there’s plenty of free information on the internet, there’s also a lot of clutter. Quality content rises to the top, engages buyers, and drives them to your company. 
4. Better search engine visibility – the more content you have on your website, the easier you are to find. Especially if that content is optimized for keywords. But remember, the volume of content gets them to your website; the quality of content keeps them. 
5. Competitive Differentiator – compelling content can differentiate you from competitors that are pitching features and functions and trying to push a few boxes of software out the door. Before they even engage you, prospects will probably check your website, case studies, client testimonials, press releases, and industry articles to form an initial opinion about your capabilities and experience. If all you have on your website are brochures, biased sales collateral, and a ‘Contact Us’ form, you probably lost an opportunity to make a great first impression.

 

Need Great Content?

At Juice Marketing, we provide content to software and technology companies just like yours. We develop case studies, keyword-optimized press releases, engaging newsletters, and technology articles. If you hate writing, then email or give us a call. We’ll put some JUICE in your marketing that’ll have your customers and prospects thirsting for more.

“As we worked through our website redesign, I realized that about half of the content on our site was made up of case studies, newsletters, press releases, and customer testimonials that Juice Marketing had developed for us. Nice work guys!”

- Merilyn Van Zwieten

Partners In Technology | Chicago, IL