Gabriela asked me: Sarah, I launch a new seminar with some colleagues, published on a common site, and I wanted to know what was the best way to publish it on LinkedIn?
It’s a good question, no?
Inspire, don’t advertise!
Before I give you some ideas on how to share a new seminar program, product, etc. on LinkedIn, I would like to confess that I’m allergic to the word ‘ad’. It’s true, it’s almost something physical! 🙂 No but seriously, unless you are Nespresso or Coca Cola, don’t advertise, especially on LinkedIn! If you are a service provider, your communication on LinkedIn aims to tease, to inform, explain, educate …
The difference between an ad and an inspiring publication?
The ad
An ad only talks about the service or product, without bringing any added value to the reader (subject, date, location, and investment of the seminar).
An inspring publication
This article provides an added value, teaches me something about the theme of the seminar (text, video, testimonials) and makes me want to participate.
And now, the different sharing options on LinkedIn
Via the home page “Share an update”
You could, for example, share an article that you’ve written about the subject of your seminar, and mention that you are going to launch a new seminar…
In the groups
LinkedIn groups are a great lever for even more exposure, beyond your network. Find some relevant groups, and share your article as a discussion in each group. Warning: again, it is not a matter of just promoting your new seminar (it could be considered SPAM by the group moderator and they may prohibit you from future access to the group) but sharing an article about the theme (and then you specify in the comments that a new seminar is taking place at such and such a date).
Via Visuals
After having communicated and provided the added value, you may very well create 2 or 3 visuals to share via your homepage (‘upload a photo’). I personally like to use Canva.com to create my visuals.
Via LinkedIn Pulse
Finally, there is LinkedIn Pulse, a blogging tool available to us for free by LinkedIn. Once again, do not overdo it just to publish your ads! Think ‘content and added value’! If you’re new to LinkedIn Pulse, read this article on how to get started.
I hope, Gabriela, that I have given you some ideas on how to announce the new seminar. Good luck with the launch!
Social Selling on LinkedIn
If you want to learn the practices of social selling and develop a real strategy for prospecting on LinkedIn by applying the concept ‘I give before receiving’, the next ‘Social Selling on LinkedIn‘ course starts again in January 2017. It is an online training course that lasts three weeks. All details and registration are available HERE.