How to Connect and Prepare for Recovery with LinkedIn
Amongst all the operational challenges over the last six weeks, one thing has become very clear: lots of companies are neglecting communication.
It’s not just that they’re struggling to know what to say during the COVID-19 crisis; it’s also that they don’t know which messages to communicate to whom, or how to deliver those messages sensitively and effectively at the right time and via the most appropriate channels.
It’s a quagmire. Let’s face it, none of us have ever encountered a situation anything like this before and many feel ill-equipped. This has led many companies down one of two treacherous paths, they might either:
Say nothing because they’re ‘too busy’ to communicate or they’re not sure what to say
Or:
Send out lots of upbeat ‘business-as-usual’ communications, which makes them appear that they haven’t really thought things through and are unable to acknowledge the reality of the situation and its impact on us all
Clearly, the normal rules of engagement with customers have been paused for however long the lockdown period lasts. If there is any good news amongst all of this, however, it’s that technology is on our side. Even the most committed Luddites are turning to Skype and Zoom to stay connected with in-house teams and customers.
But now is not just a time to keep in touch, it’s also a time to raise your profile, differentiate and grow your networks. That’s why this blog will focus on LinkedIn and what CME can do to help you optimise this important digital channel through web-based tutorials and workshops.
Why LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is an established channel for business communication with more than 660 million users worldwide. That’s a pretty impressive little black book of potential customers!
For many companies, LinkedIn is already an important channel for sharing news, promoting products and services and maintaining visibility for their brand. Like your website, it provides a shop window to connect with existing and potential customers, employees and supply chain partners. Unlike your website, it also offers the opportunity for you to deliver fresh content direct to stakeholders in the news feed that they are already scrolling through every day.
One of the things that we have noticed since the COVID-19 situation started to unfold is that companies that have routinely been using LinkedIn as a primary marketing tool. We’ve also noticed that they have been posting a different kind of content on LinkedIn and creating less of it. Aside from the fact that events have been cancelled and the usual images of site progress or customer visits are no longer available or appropriate, the whole tone of business communication has changed. And nowhere is it easier to adapt to that change of tone than on social media channels like LinkedIn.
At CME, we advise clients on how to maximise the value of LinkedIn to build their brand, differentiate and generate business development opportunities. Our LinkedIn workshops can help you achieve the right tone and content during the COVID-19 crisis.
The reason that companies are posting less frequently at the moment is not just because markets have stalled, but also because getting the tone right is so critical. Businesses that continue to ‘sell’ on LinkedIn as though nothing is happening appear out of touch. Meanwhile, those who post about business-as-usual at a time when all companies have to adjust their criteria of ‘usual’ look ridiculous, and those that say nothing at all will simply fall off the radar.
The challenge at this time is to find the sweet spot where we can seize the opportunity to communicate during a period that offers greater potential to connect, without appearing cynical, callous or inappropriate. It’s understandable that companies are pushing out the business-as-usual message because they want it to be true. It’s not acceptable, however, and their customers will remember it as misleading, or even dishonest.
CME’s LinkedIn workshops can help your business find that sweet spot and utilise LinkedIn effectively to build customer loyalty and differentiate your brand.
It’s Not Just About Brands; It’s About People
Maximising the value of LinkedIn during the COVID-19 is not just about ensuring your company’s communication through this channel is regular, appropriate and sincere; it’s also about connecting with people.
At CME, we believe that customers trust brands but connect with people, so galvanising the team to stay in contact with customers and reach out to new audiences is also key. Our LinkedIn workshops can help you do that too.
Your team, in particular those in leadership and sales roles, should not only be sharing content from your company LinkedIn page, but should also be finding curated content that will help to inform and reassure stakeholders during these extraordinary times. Now is a good time to post original content too, whether that’s a technical article on a specific aspect of your area of expertise or a previous case study that reminds customers what you’re good at. Again, tone of voice is important; the idea is to inspire customers to look forward, not to overlook what’s happening now.
Let’s not forget, either, that COVID-19 is the single most significant shared experience we will ever have. It’s a human experience and the lack of face-to-face human interaction at the moment is challenging for many. LinkedIn also offers an opportunity to connect with others on a human level by referencing that shared experience. Whether that’s photos of your makeshift desk, the view from your home office or the pictures your kids have drawn at home-school, now is a good time to think creatively about how to build rapport through digital channels. It’s a professional environment and we must never lose sight of that, but it’s also a way of ensuring the ‘we’re all in it together’ mood of the nation is embedded in your online content.
CME’s LinkedIn Workshops can be delivered digitally to your whole team and are designed to ensure they:
· Understand the value of engaging with contacts on LinkedIn
· Maximise the potential of their profile
· Create engaging and appropriate content
· Can use the platform with confidence to interact effectively
· Are equipped with the tools they need to grow their networks online
· Utilise groups, endorsements and hashtags
Preparing for Digital Transformation
While we’re busy dealing with the challenges brought about by the pandemic, we’re also learning from them. With meetings, site visits and face-to-face sales at a standstill, one of the lessons we’re all learning is the value of technologies that can connect us digitally.
Those technologies are not new, but they are being used and understood as invaluable tools for business more than ever before. This means that a key legacy of the COVID-19 crisis will be increased adoption of digital platforms.
The question is, are you ready for that digital transformation? If the answer to that question is not a clear and confident yes, now is the time to invest on coaching that will help you stay connected now and drive commercial recovery when we come out the other side.