Accord Mortgages is providing intermediaries with free tips and advice on how to effectively use LinkedIn to grow their business.
The LinkedIn guide is the newest update as part of the Accord Mortgages’ Growth Series hub that launched in 2018.
The guide highlights some specific dos and don’ts for using LinkedIn, such as do be active, engaging and post regularly on the site and always include a personal message when asking people to connect. Tips on things to avoid include trying to sell products, inviting your whole address book to connect and posting excessively off your company page.
The intermediary arm of Yorkshire Building Society has been providing guidance on how brokers can build their businesses, with more than 2,900 brokers signing up to receive the free material which is estimated to be worth the equivalent of £25,000.
Jeremy Duncombe (pictured), director of intermediary distribution at Accord Mortgages, said: “You’re more likely to get referrals from people you have a strong relationship with – and that is as true on LinkedIn as it is with face-to-face networking.
“You might feel quite proud of the fact you’ve got more than 500 contacts on your LinkedIn network but how many of those people really know you, and how do you take LinkedIn from being just a list of names to becoming a powerful business tool?
“As with traditional networking, you will be most successful if you turn up on a regular basis so that you can build relationships and stay ‘front of mind’. If you just dip in and out when you feel like it, you won’t be getting the most out of it. So think about how you can build a consistent approach into your routine and be visible.
“Things to think about are, what image does your profile give, how will you communicate with people, how will you connect with someone new and how will you continue the conversation.
“Above all, it’s important to be natural and authentic so try and come across on LinkedIn as if you were meeting someone in person. Always think about how you can help someone and add value rather than adopting a ‘what’s in it for me’ approach. The biggest turn-off is if someone connects with you and then immediately starts selling so aim to connect, maintain a regular presence and gradually grow the relationship.”
Other useful items available through the Growth Series hub include an online tool to generate emails requesting customer reviews, advice on using social media to raise the profile of firms and a guide on buy-to-let tax rules.
