How Do You Profit from Social Media Profiles?

Return on Investment.

It's a tricky notion when it comes to Social Media.

What most business folk are used to is, "never spend a dollar unless you can make or save MORE than a dollar."

And this is terrific advice. I fully advise it on every business decision.

So, how do you get your Social Media profiles to pay off? How do you make your tweets and wall posts and friend requests add up to "more than a dollar"?

It's very simple. Since this is new territory for many business folk, I'll break it down into a few basic steps. Let's begin with the end in mind:

1.) Have a Marketing & Sales System that captures a prospect's attention, causes them to desire more information about how YOU can help solve their problem(s), and eventually converts them into a client. This is the KEY to making your Social Media investment payoff. If you don't have a system for capturing Leads and building value while further qualifying them and eventually converting the most qualified into sales, then you will not likely see the ROI. It's that simple. It's like fishing with a worm and a line, but no hook. You're not likely to land the fish, silly.

2.) So what is the "hook"? It's also known as a Lead Generation Magnet and looks like a Name & Email capture form that is connected to an auto-responder or CRM. Typically, a Free Report that promises some answers or vital information that a qualified prospect would desire and value make a great Lead Generation Magnet. Free consultations also work well, depending on your business model. The hook will be offered on your blog and your website, though not on your Profiles. Occasionally, you may post or tweet a link about it, but infrequently as this will turn people off.

3.) Funnel your prospects from your Profiles to your Lead Generation Magnet page. By integrating your Blog with your Social Media Profiles like Facebook and LinkedIn, you will be writing interesting content that is automatically disseminated to your Tribe (aka: list, herd, friends...) When people are interested in you, what you have to say, or what you have to offer, they will dig deeper into your information. They will click on your blog, or your website, and see the Lead Capture Form. They will enter their name and email in order to get your Free Gift. That's when they have raised their hand as a qualified prospect who you can begin to convert - to SELL to. All your Social Media Profiles are intended to funnel qualified prospects back to your Lead Capture Form. Trying to sell directly on the Profile is tacky and people will un-friend you.

4.) Profile Content is the final step in this system. It's such a broad topic that I am going to cover it in a separate post: Suffice to say, your Content is what people are most interested. Why? Because people do business with PEOPLE. Social Media is about PEOPLE. So, while your Lead Generation Magnet is about selling, your Profile Content is about YOU. Anyone interested in working with you will want to know more about YOU than your business vision and mission. They want to feel they can trust YOU and that means they have to have a window into your life. Your best, longest term clients will be the ones you have the most affinity with, shared interests and values. The bottom line on Profile Content is this: Be Authentic!

If you follow this simple formula, you will see an ROI on your Social Media investment. It will not come overnight, though. It takes time to get the swing of things with this new Marketing Channel, build a Tribe, get some viral exposure to new prospects via your existing Tribe, and perfect your Lead Generation Magnet.

In the next post I will delve into Profile Content and how to Be Authentic!

Cheers,

Craig


PS - If you know you need a social media presence and a strategy for attracting clients, then send me an email, or connect with me through the social media profiles I've listed below. We've got entire done for you packages that include a comprehensive strategy session, integration with your blog and CRM lead capture form, and a host of other neat tricks that would take you hours and hours to figure out on your own. Contact me today!

Craig Filek
Your Social Media Maverick
Read Blog: Social Media Maverick Blog
Email Me: CraigFilek(at)gmail
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