A Contractor Business Guide to Using LinkedIn.

As a contractor business you could be offering a wide range of services. It might be general contracting in the construction industry, electrical work, plumbing, landscaping, painting, consulting or project management. For any or all the above services offered, you definitely need to incorporate LinkedIn. As a contractor business keen on growth, LinkedIn can help you reach a larger audience, showcase your expertise, highlight your accomplishments, network and generate leads. As of January 2023, LinkedIn has over 900 million registered members. Some people within your vicinity and areas your services can reach are certainly part of that large number. Being on LinkedIn can also help you learn from professionals in your field who are doing things differently or have been in the contracting business for longer.

You have seen how valuable LinkedIn can be as a marketing, networking and learning platform, now let’s learn how to use it effectively. Here is a contractor business guide to using LinkedIn;

#1. Optimize your profile

Optimize your LinkedIn profile to showcase your contractor business in the best possible light. Make sure your profile photo and headline are professional and fill out all of the sections with relevant, accurate information about your background and experience. Your LinkedIn profile should be consistent with your website and other social media profiles. This will help to create a unified online presence for your personal brand, helping to build recognition and credibility.

#2. Share relevant and engaging content

Create valuable content for your LinkedIn profile that informs, educates and sometimes entertains. This could be blog posts, videos, images, industry news and product updates. Make sure to use keywords and hashtags that will help people in your target niche find your content. Combine popular hashtags that are relevant to your industry with less popular hashtags that will help you reach a more targeted audience. All this will help to show potential leads that you are an expert in your field. Share content that educates, informs and entertains your audience on the day-to-day of contractor business. You can also use LinkedIn Pulse to share longer form articles.

#3. Engage with your audience

Once you have chosen to have your contractor business on social media platforms, you have no choice but to be responsive and engaging. No business wants to be associated with poor response turnaround times or none at all. Employ an expert social media manager to run your page if you have to. Promptly responding to comments and messages from your audience shows that you value their feedback and that you will treat the business they give you just as seriously. This will show that you value their feedback and are interested in building relationships with them. Encourage engagement by asking questions and starting conversations.

#4. Build a network

Build a network of connections on LinkedIn by connecting with other professionals in your industry. You can search for people by their name, job title, or company. Once you’ve made connections, engage with them by commenting on their posts, sharing their content and sending them messages. Make sure to join LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your industry and participate in discussions of common interest. You can join existing groups or create your own, and use them to share content, ask questions and engage with other members. Be willing to offer advice where you can. This is a great way to network with other professionals and share your expertise. You will be sure to get some referrals from your network if they have a client they cannot onboard at a certain moment.

#5. Use endorsements and recommendations

Encourage former colleagues, partners, past and present clients to write endorsements and recommendations on your LinkedIn profile to vouch for your expertise. This will help to show potential leads that you have the skills you claim to have on your profile and build your credibility. More often than not, people will take their business to someone that can be deemed tried, tested and proven trustworthy.