This social media platform is also known as ‘the grown-up platform.’ It is the business site and the place that professionals go to meet and build their network.
Advantages
- LinkedIn provides individuals the opportunity to highlight their professional background. This person can be an advocate for a company—the deeper their understanding and knowledge pool, the more credit the company receives. The same goes for its employees.
- It is populated almost entirely by professionals who are also looking for ways to grow their business.
- Job opportunities in the pool and hot tub industry are vast—from installers and part-time delivery workers to sales and retail level employees. Seasonal help is vital to the success of the industry and is an area everyone will agree that finding the right people to fill these positions can be problematic and costly. That said, LinkedIn dedicates a section of its platform to job-seekers. There is even a dedicated app available.
Disadvantages
- Not everyone is actively engaged on LinkedIn; therefore, some may find it takes longer to make connections than on other platforms.
- LinkedIn has a reputation for being a platform that involves more spam messages than other networks.
- Unless people have been endorsed by multiple reliable sources or have included information that can easily be confirmed, LinkedIn users cannot guarantee that someone has the experience they are claiming or is an expert in any regard. It is important to take time and practice due diligence prior to committing to any business agreement.
Tip: This is not the platform to post personal opinions. LinkedIn conversations should be business focused to ensure a professional reputation is maintained. Other people may discuss politics, religion, or social issues, but these sensitive topics should not be discussed on LinkedIn. If someone feels the need to express himself/herself in this manner he/she should use their personal Facebook account.
Content marketing strategy is and will continue to be at the heart of effective social media marketing. Dive in and test the waters, see what works and what does not and plan for a summer full of pool and spa related posts.
Crystal Lengua is the sales and marketing manager at SMP Ultralift and sits on the Pool and Hot Tub Council of Canada’s (PHTCC) national board of directors, as well as on the PHTCC’s Toronto chapter board of directors. A graduate of marketing, public relations and corporate communications, professional sales, social media marketing, and event management, she has positioned herself as a leader in digital and traditional marketing methods. Lengua is dedicated to staying well-informed in the ever-changing/fast-paced marketing world by attending workshops and completing continued education courses. Featured in Mississauga Life magazine in 2014 as a leading female entrepreneur, she is also a keynote speaker, blogger, and social media maven. Her past experiences include seminars geared toward digital efforts for pool and spa retailers nationwide, social media boot camps, and small business focused empowerment groups. Lengua’s efforts have grown audiences tenfold in the industry and her social campaign creations have resulted in increased sales for B2B and B2C companies. She can be reached via e-mail at c.lengua@smpmetal.com.
