5 Ways to Gain More Exposure & Sell More Services

Gaining exposure for your brand, product/service and you personally is what anyone in business should endeavor to do. But how do you stand out and get people to take notice? How do you let your expertise shine?

When I work with individuals on creating an eye-catching LinkedIn Profile, I always convey the message that we are all more than our title! So a quick glance of your profile should make a great first impression leaving someone wanting more. A great online profile is a first step in making that all important impression, but it is also about influence. 

Here are five ways to gain more exposure both online and offline building influence and leaving people wanting more from you.

1. Social Media: LinkedIn

Social media, love it or hate it – most people use it. When it comes to business, the majority of professionals focus on LinkedIn as a means of building a personal brand and making connections. LinkedIn remains the ‘go to’ platform for people who want to do business and be taken seriously.

That’s not to say other social platforms would not be important to your business. It’s knowing where your ideal clients spend most of their time that matters and then you market to them there.

Regardless, if you market on other platforms, your LinkedIn profile remains an important piece of your digital footprint because when you name comes up in a Google search, you will find your LinkedIn profile in one of the top search results if not #1 so think reputation management when you think of your profile.  In addition, maintaining a stellar profile that demonstrates your credibility in your niche can make or break a lead from contacting you or doing business with you.

I personally allocate some of my advertising budgets to Facebook ads because I do connect with my audience via that channel, so don’t assume your audience is only in one place.

Advertising is very different than posting self-promotional content. I often see people’s posts on LinkedIn all about their services, that is advertising. Posting content should be about sharing information that is helpful to your target audience.

One last mention about social media, getting overly political or hateful on social media can be a recipe for disaster! I’m all for freedom of speech but always use discretion.

2. Set up more phone ‘get to know you’ calls

Who you know can build your business! Expanding a network of business connections can lead to referrals and leads. Simply said, conversations lead to more opportunities so when you connect with people on LinkedIn or other social media sites, you want to take the next step in getting to know people. Setting up a ‘get to know you’ 15-minute phone call with someone gives you the opportunity to tell them what you do.

Don’t overthink this…approach people authentically and if they are someone you want to know look for an opportunity to open a conversation. Research something interesting they may be involved with, a group or association they belong to or post they made that you could comment on.

In other words, look for authentic ways to get into a conversation and invite the person to a 15-minute call.  Most people will give up 15-minutes for a phone call as long as you don’t approach the person with a sales pitch!

Remember, give the person a reason to want to jump on a call with you that is valuable for them. (Asking to pick someone’s brain is never a good way to get a yes.)

I will always send a link to my calendar to make it easy for people to book a call on my calendar, the easier you make it, the more likely they will be to respond.

3. Develop quality content

Posting content that informs, is interesting and builds your brand and expertise in your niche by adding value to those you want to influence.  This is a key strategy for today’s modern business pro.

In my recent article, 4 New Tips About Posting on LinkedIn You May Not Know I break down the types of content to post on LinkedIn. Most people stick to the same type of post, but mixing types and testing what your audience reacts to can vary.  I have tested my own content many times and creating lists or a number of tips works well for my audience. This style may not work as well for you so it’s all about testing.

One of the newer styles on LinkedIn is the document post. When done well with large font and colors that stand out, can get a greater reach from LinkedIn which means they show the post to more people in your network.

I suggest finding out if your competitors are producing content, if they are you want to learn what types of content are getting the most comments and likes. I find that in many industries people are not producing content of value, this is where you can gain a competitive advantage when you step into the market and develop a solid content strategy.

So, isn’t it time to build a brand that builds your business?  

4. Topic expert presenter/speaker

Businesses and conferences hire topic expert speakers. As a presenter you are automatically considered the expert, so leverage this in your favor and get paid for doing it. You don’t have to be a keynote speaker to land these jobs, in fact, many conferences offer break-out sessions. 

I recently presented a topic to the National Association of Credit Managers annual conference where I taught two sessions of the same topic. I love speaking at conferences because it gives me the opportunity to get in front of many people at one time. You never know who is in the room that could ask you to speak for their company or event.

5. Free workshops

Holding free workshops are a great way to get more exposure for your expertise. These can be in-person or online and should be a lead into one of your paid services. There are many ways to promote a free workshop, here are a few ideas:

• Find a relevant partner who may want to sponsor you. Example, perhaps a real estate office would sponsor a topic on how to hire a remodeling contractor.
• Offer to do a workshop for an organization that aligns with your message. For example, I teach business workshops for SCORE.
• Market your own workshop and get people to register so you capture their emails for follow-up. You can post your event to LinkedIn’s event section, inside a Facebook group and through paid advertising.

Free workshops are a great way to nurture those people who don’t know you through your sales funnel.

Gaining more exposure for you and your services takes some planning and showing up in a way that adds value to those you want to serve. As long as you remember adding value is key to starting the relationship, you will build both your brand and your client list.

-> Learn how to create a better marketing strategy for LinkedIn