Ever heard of Yahoo Answers? LinkedIn? How about Quora?
These are all online communities where people go to ask questions and find answers about anything under the sun. These forums are also an excellent place to generate new business.
How?
Simply join the conversation! Answering questions in an open forum is a great way to: build credibility, demonstrate expertise, and discover potential customers. Because these boards “never” disappear, they rank highly in search engines when people asking the same questions or use similar keywords. Whether you sell a service or a product, chances are someone is out there asking a question that you have the answer to.
To begin:
1) Start Googling for any of the keywords that your website already uses – just add “How” and turn the phrase into a question.
Example: For CityMax.com, we might search for “how website builder yahoo answers” or “easy website builder linkedin.”
2) Identify the forums where your relevant questions are being asked.
3) Sign up under your name or business name.
4) Craft a well thought out personal response. If it’s not obvious, add a disclaimer about who you represent (i.e. don’t pretend to be a happy customer).
Warning: Llike anything, there’s a way to take this too far. If you start spamming message boards you’ll quickly tarnish your name. Make sure you leave off with an invitation to try out your product/service or contact you. Remember, people buy from people!
What answer forums have you used in the past?
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