How to generate business leads from social media with no budget
Social media has yet to become a line item on the marketing budget for most companies, and even in
enterprises with robust marketing budgets, a dedicated social media budget is still part of overall online marketing budgets. But a good marketer should not ignore this channel just because it doesn’t have a budget, and as social media rise in importance, expectations to generate business leads from social media are increasing as well. With no resources other than time, and imagination, the social media marketer should use basic innovative thinking and the resources that today’s web offers.
We listed a few tips we think are important for the “poor” social media marketer in his or her mission to take over the social web.
1. Monitor the web for conversations about your industry, product and brand. Do so via RSS feeds, Twitter, Google alerts, and other social media tools. Comment when appropriate and include your brand name and a link if possible.
2. Join in to the conversation–don’t be promotional, be helpful—and earn trust.
3. Show you are a contributing member of a group and not just a transient guest.
4. Make a personal connection–become a face not just name. Use the same name (use it always), post a good picture, be as transparent as possible, and always be honest.
5. Offer help.
6. Expand your network, and this includes fans, followers, and network, subscribers. Make it easy for people to find you and to join your network.
7. Create relevant and targeted content. Create the right content based on what you are hearing, and be generous with your content and links.
8. Be patient!
Do you have other tips, tricks, or comments? Share them with us in this open thread. You can also check our discussion on LinkedIn, and our latest post Social Media marketing: Generating Business Leads
