Using social media to generate leads is not difficult. There are many consultants out there who try to make social media seem complicated, almost unattainable.

Of course they do! They're consultants! They want to make money!

In fact, it's very simple. Here, I will outline a method that I know works for any company, large or small.

Social media requires groundwork first

Before we begin, we need to do some groundwork. But I promise, it's not that difficult.

Here it comes:

1. You need to have created a number of lead magnets. These are items (almost always knowledge you possess) that your employees download in exchange for their email address.
2. You need to have a number of good blog posts that link to these lead magnets.
3. Ideally, you should have gathered these under one easily accessible roof—a good example is the company Tolpagorni, which I work with, which has placed all its lead magnets under its "Product Management Knowledge" page. (I must say that I am hugely impressed by the people who work at this company.)
4. Ideally, you should also have created automatic flows that take care of your leads.

If you have these foundations in place, you are ready to start preparing your social media strategy. (If you don't, I would recommend starting with this first, as these foundations are not only necessary for success on social media, but also for all other marketing you do. If you haven't already done so, it may be time to invest in a good marketing automation system.)

Bonus: If you can get your employees to blog, for example once a month, this is a big WIN for both you and them. More on that below, in italics.

Social media preparations

Now it's time to make your specific preparations for social media. Follow this list:

1. Ensure that all your employees update their profiles on the most popular social media channels (primarily LinkedIn). Organize a two-hour workshop with them where you first go through what they should communicate to enhance their skills, and where everyone actually does so. Explain that the goal is for them to look as competent as possible. This is a win-win: a win for your employees because they can improve their careers, and a win for you because you gain greater trust with employees who can highlight their skills.
2. In connection with step 1, ensure that all your employees' profiles link to your knowledge page.
3. If you've been able to get your employees to blog regularly (as I wrote in the "Bonus" section above), make sure they link to a page where all their blog posts are located! Another win-win: They look better, and you get more promotion.
4. Ensure that you collect contacts in a list that your employees can access in a central location, such as your CRM or marketing automation system. Each employee should have their own list of contacts with whom they have the best relationship.
5. Go through all groups (e.g., LinkedIn groups) and forums that are relevant to you. This can be done in a 2-hour workshop. Then divide the groups among all your employees based on their specialist skills and interests. Write down all the groups and the "employee responsible for that group" somewhere.

Now you're ready! Now it's time to actually start promoting.

And to do that, we'll first set up a process that willimmediately get you more followers and readers.

From now on, share ALL blog posts on social media

Agree with all employees (e.g., during your initial social media workshop) that from now on, everyone will subscribe to your blog. Make sure everyone subscribes right then and there!

Then agree with everyone that from now on, the following will happen:

Every time a new blog post appears, everyone at the company should automatically share it on their social media channels: Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

In addition, appoint someone to be primarily responsible for your social media promotion (yourself?). This person's job is to share every blog post on your company's official channels.

Ensure that this process is followed. I promise you will see results quickly. What will happen is that more people will read every blog post you write, and a certain percentage of them will become leads (if you have done the groundwork I mentioned in the first paragraph).

After a while, you will see a sudden spike in the number of visits. Someone who would never have seen your post before will have read it, found it interesting, and shared it with someone they know.

The longer you keep at it, the stronger this effect will become. Be persistent and continue to follow the process: blog, share, blog, share!

And now we come to the very core of your social media work.

Create a social media checklist and a regular social media hour

Set aside one hour every other week or every month in all your employees' calendars. Call it "Social Media Hour."

During this hour, everyone at the company should gather and go through your Social Media Checklist.

The checklist should be a document containing the following step-by-step guide, which all employees should be able to work through during this hour:

Your social media checklist

Step 1: Maintain your contact list

1. Open your personal contact list (the one you created in your CRM or marketing automation tool).
2. Go through your list and see if you can contact or share knowledge with anyone on your list: See if they have updated their LinkedIn profile, comment, email, and ask if they want to have lunch or coffee to keep in touch, or send them a link to one of your lead magnets or blog posts that might be of interest to them right now.

Step 2: Share information with one of the groups assigned to you

1. Go to one of the groups you have been assigned to (based on the list you created together in the preparatory steps).
2. Post something in the group that's related to one of your lead magnets and link to that lead magnet.

Step 3: Participate in group discussions

1. Read the posts and discussions in your assigned groups.
2. Comment, share your knowledge and experiences, or link to one of your lead magnets or blog posts.

Why this social media strategy works

This social media strategy works. You don't need anything complicated, you don't need to pay expensive consultants, and you don't need to agonize over it. If you do the groundwork and then follow these processes, you will see great results.

Note the magic behind it all here:

1. Your job is to make your employees look as good as possible. This creates a win-win situation. You get good employees and your employees advance their careers. Since they got there with your help, they will be more loyal to you.
2. Then you want to help them spread the knowledge they all actually have as much as possible.
3. Your employees' profiles link to your lead magnets and blog posts.
4. When your employees look good, people get curious and read their profiles, which link to your lead magnets and blog posts.
5. The above processes will ensure that your blog posts receive the widest possible distribution.
6. All blog posts lead to your lead magnets.

All roads simply lead to your lead magnets.

And if youmarket intelligently,you know that the purpose of your lead magnets is to give your readers a new pair of glasses to see the world through. That way, you not only get leads, but also dedicated followers and more likely buyers.