The Conference Coach™

While it is easy to put aside nerdy enthusiasm over the latest and greatest technology, it’s nearly impossible to ignore the growth of one of the world’s most popular social networking sites and the impact it has on marketing a business.  Just how popular is Facebook? Over 20 million people login everyday for an average of 20 minutes viewing over 54 billion pages every month.  In the matter of only months, using Facebook to get your business noticed has surpassed popular strategies including search engine optimization and online marketing. With the explosion of trendy sites such as Facebook, you can find everything to market your business on one website.   With the groundbreaking launch of Facebook and the excess of useful applications, the question is now, “what is your strategy?”

Personally, I am highly addicted to Facebook.   I can proudly say that my number of virtual friends far outnumbers the people I actually know.  This is, however, a great thing, especially in the business world.  I now use this social utility and the many applications offered, to strategically take my 954 virtual friends and convert them into sales leads.   Now that I have graduated from college and taken my first sales job, Facebook has an entirely new meaning:  I’m taking friendship to the next level…a higher level:  turning them into leads. Here is my strategy:

1. Expand network connections
2. Share your life (literally)
3. Customize & know your “page”

Increasing the number of friends is not hard; in fact, it’s almost too easy.  Expanding your network of connections means everything from processing endless friend requests, using interaction tools, joining every group Facebook has to offer, and the ever-so-basic posting on someone’s wall.  The random compilation of these little acts of networking will benefit your end result:  increased awareness of the services you want to sell.

To share or not to share:  SHARE.  It’s all about updating the world on what your business is up to:  new events, conferences, employees etc.  Collectively, by sharing your stream, you let other people feel like they’re apart of the business already.  It will be that much easier to convert them into leads; they are already aware of who you are and what business you’re in.

Facebook lets you customize your page which is similar to having your own website allowing you to track where your views are coming from, how many people view them, and to keep in touch with your current “fans,” better known as your potential leads.  For example, updating your page with photographs of the company, the employees, and also current articles on how the company is performing offers a more information to your “fans.”  In this way, you attract more people to the site, who can soon be transformed into sales leads and ultimately clients.

Additionally, there’s the question of how to proceed when you have all your fans and friends updated with your sites and pages.  The next step in the process is to ask for the required information from them for your business.  For example, in the Conferencing industry, you would ask for the vendor used, how many calls are made monthly with an estimate of minutes used.  With the information from the questions asked, you can then determine if they are the right profile you are looking for.  It varies for each company; however, in the Conferencing world, this is the protocol for sales leads.

In the end, with your increased number of connections, you will also have an increased number of leads.  There’s nothing better than getting your business out there and in turn generating more people to your attention to eventually and definitely sell.  Without letting up, there is one strategic tool that offers everything and beyond your average:  Facebook.  This is my strategy.  What’s yours?

About Conference Coach Brittany
Brittany West came to Copper Conferencing as an Account Manager in December 2008 to  manage a base of key customers along with generating new account acquisitions.  Brittany is focused, productive and exhibits strong sales skills. Brittany shows impressive initiative daily by tackling extra responsibilities such as monitoring our Business Webinar Series and targeting specific vertical markets of interest .  Her passion and initiative spills over into her personal life in which she is a skilled photographer, pursuing professional photography as a business.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Modern Language in Culture and an Associate’s degree in Applied Business from Kennesaw State University, Brittany is very interested in language, cultures, communication and business.  She is also active in competing in road races on the weekends that donate to different charities.