This week we will examine some of the ways (20) you can use LinkedIn to Scale-Up your Start-Up business!
The inspiration to write the subject of this Newsletter came during my attendance at the “Scale Up” event which was organized by the Scholars’ Association of the Onassis Foundation in Athens, Greece, where i had the pleasure of introducing LinkedSuperPowers to numerous Greek Start-Up Entrepreneurs as well as attend the workshop of Stelios Pigadiotis, founder of Scout-Global.com and trainer of a very interesting experiential entrepreneurship workshop in relation to Scaling-Up your Start-Up business:
So, what is “Scale-Up”? Generally speaking, it is the evolution of a Start-Up business. It is the concept of the sustainable development and growth of the Start-Up. So how do you move towards the Scale-Up your Start-Up with the assistance of LinkedIn? How can you use LinkedIn to evolve your Start-Up into a value generating, viable business?
It is an indisputable reality that LinkedIn is a key driver of growth for numerous businesses and it should certainly be leveraged as a strategic advantage for many Start-Ups going to scale.
So let’s get straight to the point!
As a Start-Up looking to Scale-Up, you can strategically use LinkedIn to:
- Inform your audience and prospects about the nature of your business.
- Present your Start-Up in the most professional way to interested parties & audience.
- Expand your Internet presence.
- Improve your search engine optimization on both LinkedIn and Google and get found by your target prospects.
- Build a strong brand (brand awareness) and solid online community.
- Identify brand ambassadors who will provide you with the exposure you need to grow.
- Recruit the most talented team members.
- Identify new leads for your products or services.
- Get referrals for your business.
- Provide better customer service.
- Learn about your customers via relevant LinkedIn stats and analytics.
- Gain valuable feedback from your customers.
- Network with the right people and explore new opportunities.
- Enter into discussions and exchange opinions and suggestions with other entrepreneurs.
- Form new partnerships and collaborations.
- Identify interested investors for your Start-Up.
- Gain media coverage.
- Position yourself as a subject matter expert and thought leader in your industry.
- Monitor, listen and adapt to your market.
- Observe, learn from and react to your competition.
Therefore, as a Start Up, don’t just “be on LinkedIn” – USE it!!
Think of LinkedIn as a large networking event in your industry where people come to do business – not just as an online resume. If you’re a Start Up and not regularly active on LinkedIn, in the eyes of many you don’t exist. If you’re active but have a poor & unprofessional brand presence and message, you still don’t exist.
So what are you waiting for? Tap into the power of LinkedIn and give your Start-Up the sustainable growth it deserves!!
Can you think of any other ways that you can strategically use LinkedIn as a Start-Up, in order to Scale-Up?