If you’re active on LinkedIn, and work in sales, marketing or HR, you’re probably aware of some of the key benefits of the world’s largest professional social media network.
However, persuading Senior Executives and CEOs to use LinkedIn much more effectively, can certainly be a challenge.
One of the most common takeaways from my Linkedin sessions with in-house groups is the need for Senior Executives to use the Platform – especially for posting content and engagement.
But how do you gain Senior Exec buy-in to use Linkedin?
In the following article I look at:
- The Challenges: Why so many Senior Execs have ignored Linkedin
- Benefits of Senior Executives using Linkedin more effectively
- How senior executives can utilise LinkedIn – for their own benefit, and that of the wider business.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR SENIOR EXECS
Many senior executives are missing out on the visibility, influence and relationship building that’s available via LinkedIn.
While there are lots of great examples of business leaders across the globe using LinkedIn very effectively, there’s still a surprising amount of business leaders who don’t activity use it.
But Why? Well, for a long time they have treated the platform as simply an online resume site. And as they typically weren’t actively seeking a job – they felt Linkedin was of little value to them professionally.
It’s also common for Senior Execs to:
- See LinkedIn as a space for marketing or HR to post content , but don’t actually consider the significant opportunities for themselves, been active on the platform.
- View LinkedIn as a platform for company page content – with the expectation that staff (particularly from comms and marketing) to post content from the organisation. So many don’t see a particular role for themselves!
KEY BENEFITS AND HOW SENIOR EXECUTIVES CAN UTILISE LINKEDIN
But when Senior Execs are involved in Linkedin training sessions, there always a realisation of the key opportunities for them on Linkedin. Typically these are:
Visible: Gaining a high degree of attention via posting content and growing a following as respected business personalities
Utilising Current Network: Utilising their already extensive influence to grow a community on LinkedIn – such as existing clients, key business stakeholders. Essentially utilising all the first world, real-life connections they have built up
Building Credibility: They will a big advantage on speaking out authoritatively about their business area – in a way that other staff won’t
Business Development: Growing opportunities to develop existing and new business leads
Power of the Profile and Being Highly Visible
LinkedIn is primarily based around individual professional. Senior executives are likely to have built up a good level of connections with customers and stakeholders. So utilising the great organic visibility that comes from posting via your personal profile – is a smart move!
Posting content: Developing and Posting content around some of the flowing themes:
- Authentic and valuable insights on business and leadership- that you believe in.
- Industry Comment – authoritative and interesting commentary on trends within your industry / sector
- Business Achievements: Big achievements within your business or unit etc – celebrate success of a team or campaigns
- Business Social: being social with stakeholders and industry peers – with event photography and engaging with others in a social way
Growing Networks:
It might come as a surprise, but so many Senior Executives haven’t actually built up a strong network of connections on Linkedin. This is even more so for Chief Executives!
While they may (and usually do ) have excellent networks in the real world – spanning business social connections, client, stakeholder and staff relationships – it a lot of cases , they just haven’t build up connections on Linkedin. This can mean the most potentially important figures for your company – may be having a low impact on the world’s most important B2B Network.
UTILISING LINKEDIN TO IMPROVE KEY BUSINESS FUNCTIONS
Senior Execs are also attracted to the ability to utilise Linkedin to improve Key business functions. So a big factor in encouraging buy-in is to demonstrate the business areas that can be positively impacted by LinkedIn including:
- Recruitment: attracting talent to your organisation among people using Linkedin for new career opportunities. AND significantly reducing spend on expensive recruitment consultants.
- Sales and Business Development: Building relationships and growing lead opportunities with businesses in current and new markets
Paul McGarrity,
Director, Octave Digital