10 Ways a Private Equity Firm Can Tap the Power of Social Media

For those in the private equity fund sector, the idea of tapping the power of social media might feel like a better fit for other industries. But social media can’t be ignored. It’s just too powerful.

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There are 10 ways a private equity firm can use social media to generate leads:

1. Hop on to LinkedIn. It’s a who’s who of industry professionals. It’s like an online business mixer where you can stay connected with colleagues and associates, as well as reach out and make new business connections.
2. Build your Facebook profile. You don’t want to miss out on the most visited site on the Internet, do you? Build a strong Facebook presence by asking people to “like” your company so they follow everything you post. Then take advantage of that be frequently updating with company news, blog posts, or interesting photos or tidbits of information.
3. Tweet this. Twitter is the fastest growing social media site. This is a great tool to get your firm’s name and there and give your company a little personality.
4. Weekly blogging. Blogging is where it’s at. Try to post a new entry every week and you’ll find your company higher in the search engine rankings and you’ll get your company’s name out there as you become a new member of the blogosphere.
5. Email-newsletters. If you get those interested in your firm on an email mailing list, take advantage by keeping your company name on their mind every so often with an email newsletter. Quickly highlight what’s new with your company. About once a month will do the trick.
6. E-mail signature deals. Everyone in your company should have email signature links to their own Facebook and LinkedIn pages, as well as the company’s pages. This way anyone receiving your emails who would like to know more about your firm can get it with a simple click of the mouse.
7. Don’t wait; start now. Private equity firms aren’t known for their social media presence. Be the first one out there among the competition.
8. Get the latest news. It’s not unusual these days for news stories to break online on social media sites before they hit the major news outlets. Stay on top of industry news and trends by having an online presence.
9. Discover new horizons. With social media you can gain contacts you never would have otherwise. Take advantage of it.
10. Analyze. One of the great things about having an social media presence is that you can track how much of your web traffic is generated by Facebook and LinkedIn through avenues such as Google Analytics. You’ll be able to tell if social media is making a difference, and, if so, how much.