LinkedIn is a powerful tool for B2B marketers, yet it gets widely neglected in a Facebook- and Twitter-centric marketing world. Even with over 150 million members, marketers forget about the power of a well-crafted LinkedIn presence. Even worse, individuals forget about the power of a completed LinkedIn profile.

In my marketing experience, I've created LinkedIn pages for my clients - and I've spoken on how to effectively use LinkedIn for both job seekers and small business owners. The result of this is a free ebook for my newsletter subscribers, "6 Ways to Get Linked."  In it, I explain:

• What your profile needs to be complete
• How to use Groups and Answers to network
• What you should do to keep your profile updated

Sign up for my newsletter at www.christineparizo.com/contact.html and check the box to get "6 Ways to Get Linked!" If you need a LinkedIn page for your company, let me know - I can help you with that too.

For business to consumer (B2C) enterprises, content can be fun.  Depending on the industry and the nature of the business, companies can let personality shine through in their website content, brochures, and other communications to draw in customers.

A great example of this can be found at Laurel Mountain Gift Baskets*, owned by a fellow former paralegal, Marie Lisewski.  Marie creates the most fun, original gift baskets I've ever seen, much cooler than anything purchased in a big box, mass market retailer.  Based out of Easthampton, Mass. and running Laurel Mountain as a solopreneur in the fun, artsy Eastworks building, Marie's content strategy includes her blog as a promotional tool and as a fun way to remind customers of upcoming holidays (and give them ideas on nifty gift baskets).  Instead of another "this is the promotion we're running this month" blog, Marie blogs as her (incredibly sweet) dog, Zeva, as well as herself.  Zeva adds a fun, quirky touch to the Laurel Mountain blog, where Marie also posts notes on the seasons and upcoming holidays in a casual, fun manner.

Obviously, blogging takes time, but the good news is, it can be outsourced.  A good copywriter can take the time to get the feel of your business, suggest topics, and help you develop a content strategy that fits with your business, whether or not you have a pet that comes to work with you.

The Giveaway
Yes, there's a giveaway with this post!  If you haven't already, visit Laurel Mountain Gift Baskets. Pick your favorite basket, and in the comments section below, leave a little feedback about which basket was your favorite or how you might make it better. The holidays are coming up, and Laurel Mountain wants to offer the perfect gifts for you to deliver to your loved ones. We are a community company and would love the community’s input. At the end of the week, Marie will combing through all the blogs and comments, and that's when she and Zeva will be picking the winners. If you are chosen, Marie will contact you based on the email/contact info you left in your comment, so make sure it’s accurate. From there we can make arrangements to get your basket out to you as soon as possible! Good Luck!


*Laurel Mountain is not my client, although I would be happy to take her on as one!