Terry Brock understands technology and how to use it to improve your business and personal life. He and Gina Carr have just written the definitive guide to Klout, Klout Matters (which I recommend). I asked him to share this guest blog so you would understand the relevance of Klout to your role as a leader.

What is Klout Really About?

Klout is a tool that measures your influence. Each Klout user is assigned a daily score from 0 – 100.  Klout serves as a measuring stick much like the BMI (Body Mass Index) helps with achieving your proper health.

Here are 3 specific ways you can use your Klout Score to 1) Generate more effective engagement, 2) Generate more business, and 3) Generate personal benefits.

#1 – Use Klout to Generate More Effective Engagement

Social media can be overwhelming. It’s like you’re in a small rowboat at sea in a storm raging in a dark night. In the midst of that storm, you look off into the distance and see a shining beacon of a lighthouse. As long as you’re moving towards that lighthouse, there is hope. Klout is that lighthouse for social media.

As you engage with others on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others, you need to determine your engagement effectiveness. By looking at your daily Klout Score, you can track what is working. Klout gives you a feature on their website, www.Klout.com, called Moments. This lets you see which actions you take generate the most action.

Engagement in social media is critical. As the lighthouse directs you where you need to row in that stormy sea, Klout helps you gauge your effective engagement in social media.

#2 — Use Klout to Generate More Business

Business is about building relationships that are mutually beneficial. Klout helps you as buyers see your score and look at your offerings. Today’s marketplace is hotly competitive and often slight differences separate the winners from the losers. A high Klout Score gives you an advantage.

How do you get a higher Klout Score? The best way is by engaging with others as you produce content that is compelling. It is most important to create consistently compelling content (good alliteration!).

How do you do that? Listen to your community. Listen to their problems and the concerns they express in social media. Don’t just spew out your own ideas of what needs to be done. Base your advice on solid feedback you’ve received from others. Do your research. Do your homework. Find answers that can help your community.

As you provide solid, problem-solving value in the form of text, audio, and video, you’ll help others.

#3 – Use Klout to Generate Personal Benefits

In addition to generating benefits for your business, Klout  helps you in a personal way. Klout has a feature called Perks where businesses work with influencers to give them “samples” of their products or services.

For instance, Chevrolet wanted to reach key influencers for the Chevy Volt.  They worked with Klout to find highly influential people in the areas of automobiles and concern for the environment. Chevrolet gave these high influencers use of a Chevy Volt for a long weekend. The recipients were under no obligation to say anything, pro or con. They were encouraged to enjoy the vehicle and feel comfortable to write about whatever they felt.

Recently American Airlines awarded a full day in their Admirals Club for anyone with a Klout Score of 55 or higher. You didn’t even have to fly American Airlines that day. This helped American Airlines target key influencers who travel.

Other businesses are realizing this is an effective way to connect with prospects. Rather than using the old “spray and pray” method of advertising, they use what I call “advocate marketing.” Brands today are using advocates to talk about their services and experiences to generate more favorable attention.

Klout is a tool that helps brands connect with customers. It is also helping Klout-saavy thought leaders like authors, speakers, actors and others to generate business. It is well worth embracing in today’s marketplace.

____________________________________________________

© Copyright 2013. Achievement Systems, Inc. and Terry Brock. All Rights Reserved. Terry Brock helps organizations leverage technology like social media and mobile devices to connect with customers and increase productivity. He is the Co-Author of the McGraw-Hill book entitled Klout Matters.

He can be reached at www.TerryBrock.com or on Twitter – @TerryBrock

_____________________________________________________