Web 2.0: Utilizing LinkedIn ‘Answers’ to Create Buzz and Expert Status

LinkedIn Answers lets you tap the knowledge of your professional network. It also allows you to answer questions, and in the words of LinkedIn “By providing the best answers to questions, you earn expertise.”

One of the goals for any professional (e.g., accountants and lawyers, architects to some degree) in any online marketing campaign should be to gain “expert status.” Because we as service professionals deal in the intangible — information and knowledge — it is crucial to “package” ourselves in a way that relates to current and potential clients.

One of the best ways to do this is to provide guidance, or as I would prefer to express it, “shed SOME light on the subject without giving away the complete answer.” After all, knowledge is power money. You, after all don’t want to give away the cow, just some milk.

LinkedIn has provided an opportunity to do just that with their Questions and Answers area

You can browse through Open Questions as well as through different categories — such as Finance and Accounting. It is important to note that many of the questions are asked by folks who are already in your general industry. However, the questions usually focus on some specific area within that industry … an expert’s area.

Some of the questions include:

• If annual reports contained EEOC statistics, what would we learn about most companies?
• Know a good accountant in St. Louis, MO who has experience working with early-stage start-ups?
• I would like some information on how to do accounting for businesses out of my geographic reach, can i log in onto the client’s computer to update / maintain their accounting records?
• Can you help me to connect with CPAs or other financial services professionals in the New York metro area or Florida that service small business clients?

By participating in such an envoronment, you are connecting with othe like-minded people, creating a network of contacts, and perhaps getting some great information for your own website (see 8 Reasons Why Client Questions Make Great Blog Content by the Blog Squad).

A good strategy is to look at questions in related industries. for example, a corporate attorney may want to look at questions in a business owner related category where legal questions come up. Of course, there will always need to be a disclaimer for most professions to saeek out competent advice, etc.

Wendy Maynard @ Kinetic Ideas makes an excellent point:

People don’t buy things. They buy solutions to problems; they want to fulfill a desire or meet a need. To market your business effectively, you have to KNOW your target audience and what problems they face. In your marketing efforts – whether written, online, or in person – you should be able to provide your audience with a solution that is specific and directly benefits them…AND you should care about their problem.