Have you made a great contact that turned into business through Linkedin?
Gotten a job through Linkedin?
Run across a college professor who helped you decide what you wanted to be when you grew up on Linked In?
I have done all three….and now have become a full-on Linkedin believer!
Since 2002, LinkedIn has been building the world’s largest professional network on the Internet. It now has more than 100 million users in 200 countries, who conducted nearly two billion people searches last year.
How to best utilize the power of these 100 million users depends on your goals, but there are some universal rules.
-Complete your profile…The details in your profile help others to find you. Jobs, education and organizations all give others an opportunity to find you and join your network and possibly become your best contact ever. Make sure to put a current photo and make sure you list your name the way people know you. Include your maiden name or any nicknames people may know you by. Make sure to include your company website and a personal website if you have one. Don’t forget to update your profile often, not only when you change jobs. Updating keeps your profile fresh and highlights you, your skills and services to your network of contacts.
-Build your network- Each person YOU add to YOUR network adds their contacts to YOUR network. When you invite people into your network make sure to personalize the invitation especially if it has been a long time since you connected. No one really wants a form letter invite.
-Join Groups…Lots of them- Each group gives you access to a new circle of people who share a common professional interest. It gives you ideas and suggestions and lets you (if you choose to) participate in group discussions.
-Recommendations- Ask your professional contacts for recommendations and give recommendations to those you think highly of- It is a two way street. Don’t be afraid to include specifics (and to ask the folks that are recommending you to do the same) as that is what make a recommendation powerful. Bob was a fantastic sales manager. He brought high energy leadership and product knowledge to his team. This passion resulted in a 30% increase in sales in his department.
-Check LinkedIn often- For people trying to reach out to you- for the section called “people you may know” for activity in your groups and new members in your network.
And remember, unlike Facebook, no one will care to see your 3rd grade picture.-However, they may want to learn about you and how you can help their business!
written by Sharon Kitroser
