lead generation from online networking

How To Generate Leads via Online Networking

10 Steps to Success

Peter Caputa IVFounder, PC4Mediawww.pc4media.net

HYPE9 - 5/20/08

1. Have the Right Attitude

• Givers Gain – The more you help people, The More they’ll want to help you.

• Establish Yourself as a resource.

• Establish Yourself as a connector.

• Be clear how people can help you. Practice your “positioning statement”.

2. Set Up Your Profiles

• Include Previous Jobs, Awards, Education

Other Sites:

-Plaxo

-Facebook?

-Naymz

-BlitzTime

-Inquisix

-FastPitch

-Meetup

3. Build Your Network

• Classmates, Coworkers, Family, etc

• Weekly Activities – People you meet, clients, partners, etc.

• Instantly See Who They Know…

4. Exercise Your Connections/Work the Online Room

• Pay Attention to Other’s Activities: Read your contacts’ job postings, q&a-s, profile updates, new contacts, etc.

• Reach out to see how you can help them.• Proactively introduce people. Proactively

endorse other people.• Ask connections who TRUST you if they’ll

introduce you to people. Again, focus on how you can help their contacts. Help your contacts first.

5. Endorse Other People

• They Will Reciprocate

• Your Endorsement Leaves a Link to Your Profile on Their Page

6. Ask & Answer Questions

• Answer Questions that Demonstrate Your Expertise

• Your answer leaves a link back to your profile. All of the people in the questioner’s network see your answer.

• Recommend Your Trusted Contacts as Resources

7. Graduate to the Open Web/Blogosphere

• Identify blogs that talk about what you do and/or reach your audience.

• Start leaving relevant insightful comments on those blogs.

• Insert a link to your website/linkedin profile.

Finding Blogs

-Technorati, sphere, google blog search

-Search google for “real estate blog”

-Del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, GReader

-Follow blogrolls (best)

8. Start/Add to Conversations on Forums, Digg & Q/A sites

• Search for questions you can answer.

• Ask questions you need answered.

• Insert links to your website

Others:

-Fluther

-LinkedIn Answers

-Digg/Reddit (Social Bookmarking)

-Twitter, FriendFeed

-Google Reader Share

9. Starting a Blog?

• Be educational• Link to Other

People – They’ll link back.

• Find blog buddies. • Ask people to

leave their thoughts in the comments.

- Start a blog on your own website.

-Attracts more traffic from search engines

-Blog visitors are only a click away from reading about your business

BLOGGING = Networking on Steroids

• My Blog is My 24/7 Networking Event Where I am the:– Host– Expert– Connector

• It allows me to: – Introduce people and what they do to the world. – Make Connections By Linking To Other Bloggers– Establish Expertise, Authority…. Thought Leadership– Answer Questions and Educate Prospects– Get Prospects Engaged in a Conversation– Let prospects get to know me on their timeline and terms– Get Prospects to the Point Where they Are Ready to Buy– Attract a crapload of traffic from search engines, other blogs and

social media sites.

But, How Do I Get the Support of My Organization?

10. Generate Leads & Business• Most People Are not going to fill out your companies “contact us” form.

•You need to be more creative:

•Offers, Free Trials, Webinars, White Papers

•Good Calls to Action Placed Prominently

•Attract them in through SEO, blogging, Social Media. Then, give them reasons to share their contact information and express their “interest” to learn more.

Measure, Measure, Measure

• What Keywords Are You Ranking for in SEs?

Measure, Measure, Measure

• Where Are Visitors & Leads Coming From?– What Keywords, Other Websites Generate the

Most Leads?

Measure, Measure, Measure

• What Forms Convert Visitors to Leads the Best?

Measure, Measure, Measure• What Marketing Activities Generate the

Most Leads?

Measure, Measure, Measure

• What Does Your Marketing and Sales Funnel Look Like?

Connect with Me…• Preferred: LinkedIn, Twitter, BlitzTime, Next Level

Executives Online Community• Blog: http://www.pc4media.net/blog• Contributor: http://blog.hubspot.com• Let me know how I can help…

Peter Caputa IVpc4media@gmail.com http://www.pc4media.net508 579 6987

• Follow Up BlitzTime Speed Networking Event?