4 Ways to Use Social Media to Generate Leads [Updated]

Are you using social media for generating inbound leads to your business? Not sure about how and where to focus efforts? Knowing how to pull the leads and generate marketing leads from conversations on such platforms takes practice and knowledge

#1: Twitter Chats

Because each Twitter chats is using a particular hashtag so that users can follow the discussion even though topics change with each conversation, they are a great location to participate in chats and generate business leads. Join chats related to your business, industry or start your own chats and gain visibility with the correct people. Be a good participant. Correctly use set hashtags and display your market prowess. Follow potential customers, share additional information as you chat and wait for the right time during chat t o bring up your business offerings.
Remember to Tweet with your connections even out of chat. When you gauge time to be correct, send them direct messages and share any additional links to marketing materials or content. This will have the advantage of further establishing your business expertise and gives them what your business may offer to them. It is important to be strategic and sensitive as you apply your sales pitch. Never over-tweet, oversell, spam or be business vague.

#2: LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Groups brings together professionals having similar business interests to discuss issues that to that business. You can find and generate potential leads through either forming your own Group or joining existing ones that focus on your area of interest or expertise. Remember it is possible to join even over 50 Groups and it is best to focus and concentrate your efforts to just a few right Groups that are ideal for your business. Look for groups that ask questions, answer from within, and follow up with more in depth via private message feature. Let tem know for more discussions even by phone. Be focused on establishing business credibility and slowly gather business leads.

#3: Facebook Advertising

Running Facebook ads can generate business leads from the correctly targeted audience. Promoted Facebook posts will highlight your business content on the newsfeed of potential customers. Use promoted posts for highlighting content from your Page or website.
It is possible build trust with FB users by consistently distributing quality business content and by engaging them in to one communications achieved by maintaining long term relationships.

Share links to your contest, video, ebook, blog post, instructional video. Use a click-through feature of a page or just the facebook tab after customer has submitted needed information.
Personalize according to the data, information you now have about your potential customers and build relationships that last.

#4: Google+ Hangouts

Today, Google+ Hangouts have given you the ability to directly communicate with connections in real time online.
It is worth considering about hosting a focused hangout regarding your business offerings to give the audience what is unique about you, the value. More importantly, it brings the human face behind the business to the fore. Hangouts which are potentially beneficial include:
• Customer service and relations sessions
• Experts and leaders interviews
• Contests and giveaways
• Demos for free product

There are various ways of hosting a Hangout on air. One you could let anyone just join the conversation or you could limit conversations and discussions to just a few individuals. What is most important is choosing that approach that suits your business goals best.

Define from the beginning, exactly what you are searching to achieve from the hangout, plan how to connect during the conversation and even after.

Above everything else, offer value. Make use of strong calls to action all through the hangout while on hangout on air. Encourage your viewers and participants to interact more with your business, to learn more and more about your business offerings and always give them information and tools they may need to make those informed decisions regarding their purchases.

Record the proceedings of your Google plus hangout and save or link it to YouTube so that you are able to use the video on your blog post, share it on social media and even add it to those relevant YouTube playlists that are available online.

Further drive more leads for your business by adding links to the services and products discussed during the hangout to the YouTube description for easy reference.

Great business opportunities to connect with very many potential customers and create quality content have been given to you by Google Hangout on Air. Take advantage of it to the maximum.

Today, social media is offering you many untapped business opportunities of connecting with potential business leads. There are other ways that you can use online to take advantage of social media networks to create useful leads, market and grow your business and also to give direction to your time spend on social media.