Are professional services, including lawyers, accountants, independent financial advisors and management consultants waking up to the idea that social media can help them generate business?
The perception is that social media was more of a reputational risk than an actual asset. It was something to be controlled, or tolerated at best.
Much of distrust has arisen from a misunderstanding, or lack of knowledge, about how best to use social media to engage with clients and prospects. In fact, it has the ability to enhance a brand or business, by humanising it.
Open to Opportunity
“As a professional you have two lives. Your actual physical existence and your online presence,” explains Jowita Penkala of Uniqua Brand, in Leeds. “And there’s a growing realisation that the online life is as important, in business terms.”
Businesses need to market themselves and at the same time look for new angles to present their offer to potential clients, while consolidating existing ones. Social media marketing presents businesses with a wider range of opportunities because it is always evolving, with different platforms and a whole host of channels through which to reach an audience.
Relative to its wide reach, it is also very cost effective.
“It should be less of case of why would you use social media as why wouldn’t you,” Jowita points out. “Really it’s a no-brainer, when you think of the potential online audience and the ways in which you can attract and engage them.”
Social media is easy enough to access, but getting the strategy right is the tricky part. Too many people working in professional services have seen it as a rather inferior add-on to their core business, unsure of how to use it in such a way as to maximise its potential or get a return on investment.
Social Media Strategy
“Social media activity should be integrated into an overall business development strategy and its effectiveness depends on having clear objectives as a part of this business development.
Our work, with a national law firm, resulted in a 34% growth in business because of this, so it is possible”
Jowita Penkala, Uniqua Brand
It should be about building a following, sharing interesting, relevant news and opinions, and generally building up the firm’s reputation in its target markets.
“Organisations shouldn’t be afraid of personalising their presence by allowing team members to be authors of online blog posts and articles. This is about building a reputation for expertise through individuals. It can make a powerful connection with an audience. It’s to do with trust”
Jowita Penkala, Uniqua Brand
Reputations are earned through social media, not simply given. But the rewards come in terms of increased access to clients and the means to create a meaningful dialogue with them, with a consequent growth in business.
To discover how you can use social media to achieve double-digit growth for your business please call Uniqua Brand on 0113 252 0797 or visit uniquabrand.co.uk
