With social networking sites cementing its existence in the lives of almost every internet user, there is still a new avenue not explored enough until now. LinkedIn graduates the regular social networker to a worldwide network of professionals. While quickly gaining recognition as a brilliant business networking tool, it provides opportunities to the user to capitalize on available industry development activities as well.
You can make the most of the LinkedIn as well with these quick tips on using it effectively and purposefully:
- Like most networking sites, LinkedIn is free! You have an option to upgrade to being a paid member but that will not stop you from using it effectively. Start by inviting people you know to connect with you professionally!
- You can easily track who has tried to connect with you because LinkedIn shows you who has viewed your profile. You can then begin interaction with them with a message or connection request. In this case, paid users benefit a little more with detailed information about the visitor to the profile.
- After your connection requests have been accepted, you receive an email. A great way to take this forward will be sending them a ‘Thank You’ email. Also, when you accept someone’s connection request, send them a message thanking them for the connection and telling them what you do and ask when they do, etc.
- Find LinkedIn Groups related to your industry and post your articles and blogposts to these groups, which can be a powerful syndication strategy for your content. Stay away from posting company profiles or promotions or an information overload would lead to an eventual ban from the group. This kind of interaction will increase the number of connection requests you will receive if your content is good.
- Leave LinkedIn Recommendations for others first proactively and they usually will reciprocate with a Recommendation for you. LinkedIn Recommendations can be really powerful at convincing people you are great to work with because they are usually positive.
- Connect with your connections’ contacts by sending them connection requests. This is an effective way to develop business connections through LinkedIn. Don’t be afraid to send connection requests through your contacts, that’s what LinkedIn is for.
Note: be nice, friendly and professional in your connection requests and don’t look at it as a “means to an end” outreach tool, and it will be more effective. - You are allowed to contact 500 members of Any LinkedIn Group you join even if you aren’t connected to them. This little detail can help you do much business talk within Groups.
- Your LinkedIn Profile can be customized and personalized to feature an aspect of your profile higher up on the page. Add add-ons to your profile from 3rd parties which really boost the functionality of your Profile.
- You can connect your Twitter account to your LinkedIn Profile so your tweets get posted on your LinkedIn profile. You can also connect other services as well.
- Keep an eye out for “status updates” that your connections make and then proactively interact with those posts to increase networking and building up good rapport.
- Set up a Company Profile on LinkedIn. Include content, add staff members, and collect company recommendations which can be powerful for convincing people to work with you.
- You can export your LinkedIn connections to a spreadsheet so you can look at them all at once and send email to people you want to contact. You can also share your contacts with trusted people that will reciprocate…talk about getting ahead quickly!
We hope these tips get you started on your way to effectively building your professional network.
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