Is LinkedIn Worth It for Local Businesses?

When people think of LinkedIn, they often picture corporate professionals networking globally or large organisations building their brand. At first glance, it can seem like a lot of over-inflated hype!

But what about local businesses like yours? Is it worth the effort if your clients are right on your doorstep? From experience with my own clients, absolutely and here’s why.

1. Become the Go-to Business in Your Industry

As a local business building reputation and trust is key. If you aren’t wanting to compete on price (i.e. be known as the cheapest), then you are being compared on reputation and value. Being active on LinkedIn allows you to:

• Share valuable insights through posts
• Highlight client success stories
• Build credibility with testimonials and case studies

When you consistently show up as an industry expert, people associate your name with quality and reliability which can often increase perceived value. 

2. Expand Your Local Visibility with a Bigger Reach

Even if you only serve a local clientele, your network isn’t limited to your location. As we all know, Silverdale’s population has had massive growth in recent years. Business owners, decision-makers, and referrals also happen online. LinkedIn can act like a digital word-of-mouth referral system, something a lot of businesses aren’t making the most of. A strong LinkedIn personal and company presence tuned to attract your ideal market can help you to:

• Show up in online searches locally (Your LinkedIn profile can often show in a google search above your webpage)
• Industry peers and potential clients discover you through your content
• Even out-of-town connections can easily refer you to local clients

3. Attract Clients, Partners and Collaborators

I’m sure you have heard it before, people do business with those they know, like, and trust.
Being active, or event semi active on LinkedIn, can help you create opportunities to:

• Be discovered by local clients and partners
• Build relationships through authentic engagement, e.g. comments and referring
• Stay top of mind when someone needs your service or product

4. Strengthen Your Hiring and Reinforce Retention

Looking to grow your team or fill a key position? Most Job seekers research businesses before applying. Having a consistent LinkedIn presence tells a story about your business, which lays the groundwork for:

• Showcasing and adding a human element to your company culture
• Attracting talent who can easily identify your company values
• Position you as a credible and desirable employer in your field

I’ve been observing several companies active on LinkedIn simplify their job search by creating a post about a role and successfully asking their LinkedIn community to share it. If you are wanting to attract talent by digital word of mouth, this is a great way to go.

5. It’s Not Just About Selling

One of the biggest LinkedIn myths is that it’s just another stuffy sales tool.  With a bit of strategy training, you can easily: 

• Develop business relationships with potential clients and strategic partners.
  Share value with your potential clients before asking for their business.
  Stay visible to your network so when people need your service, they think of you first!

QUICK ACTION STEPS FOR YOU

1. Update your personal and company profile.  Quick start Tip: If your website is up to date borrow phrases from there for now, but always write in first person. Don’t be tempted to use the LinkedIn AI help headline and About section tools, they aren’t great (yet). 
2. Engage with your potential and existing clients – comment on their posts with an authentic comment, just like you would if you were at an in-person networking event.
3. Take 10 minutes to use LinkedIn’s keyword search to find and connect with potential clients, then send them a connection request with a friendly note. 

If you’d like further help with using LinkedIn for your business, get in touch, I’d be happy to chat further.