Why it’s a good idea to work with your VA to create your own LinkedIn group?
When we are building our online presence we know that we need to be as specific as possible when choosing our keywords and our niche. These days it’s not good enough to cast your net as wide as you possibly can, expecting to catch enough fish to make a good living. Within the net, you will find plenty of the wrong type of fish and will have to spend time, resources and energy trying to separate the good ones from the bad. In short, you need to be as specific as possible and don’t be afraid to drill down quite a long way until you arrive at the right niche for you.
Once you are sure that you have identified the right type of profile or avatar for your ideal client you then need to work out how you are going to reach that market. In other words, how are you going to use your chosen keywords effectively online so that you garner the attention of the right people?
Work with your virtual assistant to create a LinkedIn Group of your own. You may not be aware of the existence of the Groups feature in LinkedIn, but it can be a great way of not only reaching the people within your category but also establishing yourself as some kind of a leader and thought initiator, as well.
Have a look to see what kind of Groups exist within your industry in general and within your niche, specifically. It’s possible that there are no Groups that are entirely dedicated to your area of speciality as yet. This is an opportunity for you to create a presence and to reach out to people appropriately.
Put the keywords that you have chosen in the title of your group and in the description so that members of your target market will be able to find your group when they search. Be very clear what it’s all about and why you have started a group in the first place. Focus on what the real value is within the group and why people should take the time to not only join but to interact as often as possible.
You should make sure that your virtual assistant is notified every time a member applies. The group should be open to all, but you should insist that pre-approval is switched on and regulated. Remember that you do not want any kind of spam in here and the less you regulate the membership the more that is likely to happen and consequently the less value everybody is going to get from the group.
Remember that this is not a place to be overtly trying to sell your products or services. This is meant to be a group of value to its members. Look after that philosophy and the long-term financial ambition will look after itself. This is a place for professional conversations and it’s a great place for building your network and getting to know people who may be able to help you in the long run. The more help, advice and assistance that you give away within such a group, the better.