1 Peter – The Jesus Chick

Midweek services were last night which is my clothesline propping up point for the week. As I drove down the country roads to the church last night I was excited to see several houses lit up in celebration of Christmas. It’s where the title of today’s blog came from. “Varying Degrees of Light.” There were houses that were lit enough for planes to see them from the sky. There were others with just a few candles in the window and everything in between. They may or may not have been representative of what was going on inside. But the lights inside the children of God are far more telling than that.

2 Peter 1:19 KJVS

[19] We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

A Dark Place

Calhoun County, West Virginia, my earthly home til Heaven has few claims to fame. It’s population of a little more than 7000, its 281 square miles of land and it’s poor economic conditions make it a dark place for more than one reason. But on Route 16 south of Grantsville lies the Calhoun County Park that attracts people from all across the United States for the simple fact that it’s a dark place. Stargazers love the fact that they can gather on it’s high point, where the lights do not shine, and stare at the sky with an unencumbered view of the stars.

The number of lights on the homes last night didn’t matter when it came to attracting my attention. There are no street lights on our rural highways, so even the smallest of light shone brightly in the darkness. Even the smallest of bulb was important to the Christmas spirit. And regardless of your geographic location, your light is important in this dark world. You are there for a reason.

Jesus Christ is the only light that regardless of the time of day, or the conditions in life, His light never fails to shine. But we can hide it from the world by pulling the shades down on the windows of our souls and refusing to let Him do what He does best. SHINE!!!

Our Praise Shines

1 Peter 2:9 KJVS

[9] But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

My life verse! I chose it because of one word, “peculiar”. The best description anyone ever gave of me. Praising Christians are getting fewer and fewer. The sentiment is not appreciated by the world and so most Christians have allowed the world to dim their light for Christ by not sharing His goodness. Make it a point today to share something that God has done in your life recently. Someone needs to hear about it. Someone needs to see Jesus shine in you!

Our Gifts Shine

James 1:17 KJVS

[17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

A recurring theme in much of my writing will be on the gifts of God. It’s because I’m always shocked that He gave me any. I’m so unworthy. He didn’t just give me one gift, he gave me multiple. And though I never use them to their full potential, I try to use them in a manner that brings glory to His Holy name. I’m a failure. He is perfect in all His ways.

I encourage you today to use the gifts (and I’m sure they are many) within you to shine for Christ. Are you artsy? Create something for Him! Are you musically inclined. Sing for Him! Are you an encourager? Oh how the world needs you to encourage people for Him! What about being a person of honor? Oh how that glorifies our Father when they see a child of God living in such a way. Keep on shining with everything in you!

Our Hope Shines

2 Timothy 1:10 KJVS

[10] But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

As this world gets darker and more evil, we see less light shining in the world. Satan is turning off the light of the church, it’s people and it’s leadership one at time. Churches are closed, giving is down, outreach isn’t always what it should be and our world is hurting. They need to the light of Christ and the hope that come from Him. We can do that by sharing His word in every form possible.

I can’t help but think of my friend Doyle Ballengee who has going on to glory. Your seldom every met him that he didn’t pull a hand scribed index card out of his shirt pocket where he’d written down a scripture he wanted to share with everyone he met. Doyle was so little in stature, but his light shine brighter than anyone I know for the cause of Christ.

We are blessed with multiple ways of sharing Christ. Our media forms are almost endless. Use it for Christ. Tweet the Savior! Shine the face of Jesus on Facebook. Be instant in season and out of season on Instagram. Oh the places we can go with Jesus today!

Don’t let Satan have an inch of ground within the temple of Christ called You!

1 John 1:5 KJVS

[5] This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

LinkedIn has become a powerhouse for B2B marketing, offering companies a platform to network, build brand awareness, and connect with potential clients. With a user base of over 900 million professionals, LinkedIn provides a unique space to engage business decision-makers, influencers, and other key players. Here’s a guide on how to leverage LinkedIn effectively to drive B2B marketing success, from building a strong profile to sharing engaging content and utilizing LinkedIn’s advanced marketing tools.
1. Build a Compelling Company Page

Your company’s LinkedIn page is often the first impression for potential clients and partners, so it’s essential to make it informative and engaging.

Optimize Your Profile: Start with a professional logo, a well-written description, and relevant keywords that make your page searchable. Clearly articulate what your business offers and how it adds value.
Showcase Your Work: Use the “Featured” section to highlight case studies, client testimonials, or recent projects that showcase your expertise.
Include Contact Information: Make it easy for visitors to reach you. Include a link to your website and other ways for interested parties to connect directly with your team.

2. Define Your Audience and Goals

LinkedIn’s extensive targeting options allow you to precisely reach your ideal audience, but the first step is identifying who that audience is. Consider these tips:

Identify Key Decision-Makers: Narrow down your target audience based on job titles, industries, geographic regions, or specific companies.
Set Clear Goals: Define what you hope to achieve on LinkedIn. Are you looking to generate leads, increase brand awareness, or build relationships? Your goals will shape the type of content and campaigns you create.

By understanding your audience and goals, you can create more relevant and targeted content that resonates with potential clients.
3. Share Valuable Content Consistently

Content is key to driving engagement on LinkedIn, and by consistently sharing valuable information, you can position your brand as a thought leader in your industry.

Post Regularly: Aim to post at least a few times a week to maintain a visible presence on LinkedIn. Vary content formats to include articles, infographics, videos, and carousel posts.
Offer Insightful Articles: Articles on LinkedIn provide an opportunity to dive deeper into topics that showcase your expertise. Focus on industry trends, insights, or case studies that offer value to your audience.
Use Visuals: Posts with images or videos tend to get higher engagement. Visual content such as data-driven infographics, quick video tutorials, or behind-the-scenes footage can grab attention and boost reach.

4. Leverage LinkedIn’s Advanced Marketing Tools

LinkedIn offers a suite of marketing tools that can significantly enhance your B2B strategy.

LinkedIn Ads: With LinkedIn’s advertising options, you can run targeted ads, including Sponsored Content, Sponsored InMail, and dynamic ads. These allow you to target audiences based on job function, company size, industry, and more.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator: This tool is designed for deeper prospecting and is invaluable for sales teams. With features like advanced search filters, lead recommendations, and real-time updates, Sales Navigator helps you stay connected to prospects and build relationships more effectively.
LinkedIn Analytics: Regularly review LinkedIn analytics to understand what content resonates most with your audience. Track metrics like engagement, clicks, and follower growth to refine your content strategy and optimize performance.

5. Engage Through LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Groups are communities of professionals in similar industries or with shared interests. They’re a great way to network, participate in relevant conversations, and establish authority in your niche.

Join Relevant Groups: Find groups where your target audience is active, and contribute to discussions by providing useful insights or answering questions.
Share Expertise, Don’t Sell: The goal is to build credibility and relationships. Focus on contributing value rather than promoting your business outright.
Create Your Own Group: For a more controlled approach, consider creating your own LinkedIn Group around a topic relevant to your industry. This lets you build a community and position your brand as a leader in the field.

6. Implement Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) focuses on targeting specific, high-value accounts rather than a broad audience. LinkedIn is ideal for ABM due to its targeting options and professional user base.

Target High-Value Accounts: Use LinkedIn Ads to reach decision-makers within the accounts you’re targeting. Sponsored InMail, in particular, can be useful for delivering personalized messages.
Tailor Content for Specific Accounts: Customize your posts and messaging to address the unique needs of the companies you’re targeting. Sharing content directly relevant to these accounts can help build trust and demonstrate your understanding of their challenges.
Engage Directly: Engage with key individuals within these accounts by liking, sharing, and commenting on their posts. This interaction can help build rapport and make future outreach more effective.

7. Encourage Employee Advocacy

Employee advocacy is a powerful tool in B2B marketing. When employees share company content or engage with posts, it amplifies your brand’s reach and boosts credibility.

Provide Shareable Content: Create content that’s easy for employees to share with their networks. This could include blog posts, client success stories, or thought leadership articles.
Empower Employees to Engage: Encourage employees to comment on, like, or share posts from the company page. You can even establish an internal reward system to incentivize participation.
Establish Guidelines: Provide employees with guidelines and resources to help them share the company’s message professionally and consistently.

8. Measure Your Success

Measuring the effectiveness of your LinkedIn marketing efforts is essential to optimize your strategy and achieve your goals.

Track Key Metrics: Keep an eye on metrics such as engagement rate, follower growth, website visits from LinkedIn, and lead generation. These metrics provide insight into how well your LinkedIn efforts are performing.
Analyze Campaign Performance: For LinkedIn Ads, regularly analyze the performance of each campaign. Use the data to adjust targeting, ad format, or messaging to maximize results.
Adjust Based on Insights: Based on your analysis, refine your LinkedIn marketing strategy. For example, if certain types of content perform well, consider creating more in that format. If a particular post gains high engagement, analyze what made it resonate and replicate those elements.

Conclusion

LinkedIn is an invaluable tool for B2B marketers, offering a unique environment to connect with professionals, showcase expertise, and build relationships with potential clients. You can find the best way to use LinkedIn with experts like themarketingheaven.com. From creating a strong company profile to leveraging advanced marketing tools, LinkedIn offers endless opportunities for B2B brands to reach and engage the right audience. By focusing on providing value, engaging with your audience, and continuously measuring performance, you can transform LinkedIn into a powerful channel for driving growth and long-term B2B success.

Tag: 1 Peter

Varying Degrees of Light

Using LinkedIn for B2B Marketing Success