Online discussion forums often allow us to post comments and pin them to top of the feed. But where did these terms come from? Think of a cork bulletin board — perhaps there is one in your office. When you have something to contribute, you take a pin and post it to the board for others to see and respond to. 

By Ellie Clifford, account executive

Participating in online discussion forums is a great way to build on your company’s existing PR strategy. To have the greatest impact, you need to find those that are relevant to your industry and for many, LinkedIn groups are a great place to start.

Stand out from the crowd

Participating in forums relevant to your target audience and sharing your company’s expertise gives potential customers an extra platform for research. It can improve your reputation amongst others in the industry. Publicising your business in this way can result in new business leads, which if you convert, means more customers and increased sales.

By browsing industry-relevant LinkedIn groups, you can gain insights into the activities of your competitors. Are they offering any products or services that you need to catch onto to remain competitive?

Forums aren’t just useful for attracting more customers. The competition is also rife when it comes to seeking new employees. By increasing your presence on LinkedIn groups, you could increase the number of applications to your job vacancies, meaning you are more likely to find the ideal new team member.

Customer satisfaction

LinkedIn groups provide an opportunity to enhance your market research and more closely match your offering to your customers’ needs and expectations. If you read comments, complaints and appraisals from your customers to build an accurate picture of their demands, you can act on them to keep your customers happy.

By encouraging discussions between LinkedIn group users, you can effectively outsource some of your customer service. For example, if a customer posts a question, others can answer  them, saving you the job.

You no longer have to pin a post to a cork bulletin board to have your say. Head to LinkedIn to increase your customer base, improve your reputation and keep your customers happy.

For more advice on how to get involved in LinkedIn groups and other discussion forums to give your business a boost, contact Stone Junction on 01785 225416 or e-mail me directly at [email protected].