In part 1 of this series, I discussed different methods to use LinkedIn as a marketing tool, especially when you are trying to reach decision makers—the people that hire contract cleaning companies. Let’s assume you now have a list of about 250 quality connections. Your next step is to reach out to these people.
Some people email their connections and simply tell them a bit about themselves and their company. Very often they will write about a specific skill they can provide at a reasonable cost and ask the connection to call them. While it is OK to tell your connection about yourself, this type of selling rarely works well on LinkedIn.
There is another way to reach out to your connections that might prove more effective. Let’s say your contract cleaning company specializes in helping large facilities become more sustainable. You can help them use fewer natural resources and reduce their waste, energy and water use. An example of a what you might want to write to a connection could look something like this:
Hello (name)
We are both connected on LinkedIn, so I thought I would tell you a bit more about myself.
My company works with property managers who need help reducing their building’s environmental footprint. They are looking for ways to use less water and energy, which will also help them lower operating costs.
If these are concerns of yours, it is possible we could help you as well.
Would you like to schedule a brief consultation this week? I’d love to learn more about the properties you manage.
Thank you,
(Your Name)
There are some important things to notice here, for instance:
- You were more subtle about selling yourself and your services.
- You discussed an issue that many property managers are grappling with.
- You suggested a brief phone consultation; using the word “brief” seems to make the call safer and you did not use the word “call,” you used consultation. Using the word call tends to imply a “sales call,” which many people shy away from.
Always end the email with a call to action, in this case, a request for a phone consultation.
Be sure to close your email with a signature that provides your company web address as well as a link to your LinkedIn profile.
The Second Time Around
Once this email goes out to your selected connections, that’s not the end of the marketing program. Some people will respond to the first email and ask for a consultation. However, many will not.
Wait a few weeks and then send out a second email. Reference the earlier email and politely ask them once again if they would like to get on the phone for a brief consultation.
Interestingly, the second email often gets the results.
The third and final part of this series will focus on a variety of marketing tips that can help you build your presence—and your business—on LinkedIn.
