If you've been working on growing your IP practice, becoming a thought leader and developing a personal brand, you might be ready to level up your business development activities. Here are some easy ideas to take it up a notch.
Level up your speaking engagements
One of the best ways to build your brand is to speak at various events. How can you take it up a notch if you are already a seasoned speaker?
A key benefit of a speaking engagement is having a captive audience already interested in what you have to say. These connection are already "warm" so make sure you collect contact details so you can reach out and follow up.
An easy way to encourage audience members to give you their details is to offer them something of high value. Bonus points if you can link it back to your presentation or the service you offer.
If the event is virtual, offer something that can be sent over email. For example, an ebook or article that you have written that provides a deep dive of the topic. Or you could offer a free 30 mins consultation. This may be particularly useful if you are targeting start ups or SMEs.
If the event is live, you have some room for creativity. Is there a cool promotional and branded item you can give each audience member? What about access to some free resources in exchange for signing an attendance sheet?
Creating a value-add way of obtaining contact details with your audience keeps you from passively waiting to be contacted by someone when they need assistance.
Level up your social media
Even if you have been posting on social media regularly for a while, you might be able to get a little more "wow" factor into your posts. On LinkedIn, set up to do live posts and interact with your audience in real time. If you're not quite ready for that, then record and post a short video. If even that's a bit much for you, if your profile offers the option, record a short intro video in place of your profile picture.
Research the hashtags you use. On LinkedIn, search a hashtag to see how many followers it has. Once you have an idea how popular some relevant hashtags are, decide which hashtags to use.
Expand into other social media platforms. If you're an expert at LinkedIn, branch out and try Instagram or a YouTube channel.
Use email to reach out to your target audience
An email campaign is a marketing strategy that involves using a series of emails to guide potential customers through the sales process. The goal is to create a relationship with the prospect and ultimately convert them into a paying customer. Here are some steps to create an effective email campaign:
1. Create a value-added free resource: To attract potential customers to your email list, you need to offer them something valuable that solves their problems. This can be an eBook, a whitepaper, a checklist, or a webinar.
2. Opt-in for emails: Once visitors have entered their email address, they should be added to your email list. To ensure that you have permission to email them, you need to set up an opt-in process. This means that visitors must confirm that they want to receive emails from you. Always ensure you comply with all laws and regulations.
3. Send newsletters, case studies, and sales material: The emails you send should be designed to educate, inform, and persuade the prospect. Newsletters can provide updates on new laws, case law, industry news, and useful tips. Case studies can demonstrate how your product or service has helped other clients.
4. Monitor and optimize: To ensure that your emails are working effectively, you need to monitor the metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. You can use this data to optimize your emails and improve the results.
Conclusion
By implementing any of these tactics you are sure to level up your business development.