If Social Marketing is part of your Business development future, then it makes sense to see what the possibilities might be. As coaches, sometimes we focus on corporations of a particular kind, say Transportation companies, for example. We may also focus on individual people within those industries because we feel we can relate better to them and therefore be a better resource. Social Media gives us the opportunity to access new people as well as current contacts in some cases with one message. For business development, it seems like the internet at its best. While that has yet to be determined, the following article appeared in Linked In, written by Jim Gibson, who is a publishing partner with ONLINE MEDIA TODAY. I am sharing this article with you with his permission.
LinkedIn for the Business Community By Jim Gibson - Publishing Partner, Online Media Today
Ten Tips When Using LinkedIn!
LinkedIn Tip #1: Have a Plan
Decide what you want to accomplish before you start. LinkedIn, like other business oriented social networking sites, offer a number of ways to generate the results you are after. Want to present your company? Looking for a job? Network with like-minded professionals? Need an answer? Want to establish yourself as a thought leader in your space? Each of these approaches present excellent opportunities to leverage professional online networks but make sure your plan is solid before you start.
LinkedIn Tip #2: Make Your Profile Easy to Digest
Tell your story but keep it brief. Short, pithy, sentences are more likely to be read than lengthy paragraphs. It’s like an elevator pitch (explained in less than 1 minute). Use bullet points. Readers often scan content and bullets help to highlight your successes. Provide details of your work history and make sure to highlight your special skills. Above all, make sure to check for proper grammar. Make sure to use important keywords when describing your professional experiences as these can help others find you more easily. And before you post your profile, read it aloud to yourself to hear how it sounds or better yet, ask a colleague to read it and tell you what they think.
LinkedIn Tip #3 – Your Profile Photo
You must have a picture! But make sure it’s a good one and shows you in a professional light. This is not the time to be too cutesy. Don’t upload the picture you took at your last toga party. For women, this is not the time to strike that sexy pose. Choose a professional and friendly picture that demonstrates your real personality yet shows you are here for business.
LinkedIn Tip #4: Give (and ask for) Recommendations If you want recommendations on your profile, be prepared to ask for them. Look at those you are connected to and offer recommendations to those who deserve them. Make them short and to the point and be sure to include specific accomplishments – don’t be too general. The more genuine the recommendation you give, the more likely it is to be returned. Rule of thumb: if someone gives you a recommendation, thank them first then return the favor!
LinkedIn Tip #5: Join Groups
Be a contributor. Generate posts and respond to discussions. Group interactions provide you and your company great exposure. Check out other member profiles and follow their discussions. This is a great way to identify valuable contacts and network in meaningful ways.
LinkedIn Tip #6: Be the first to comment!
Clearly, it's important to engage and interact with your audience. This helps to establish you as a valued contributor and can lead to more meaningful connections. But what most people do is look for posts that already have lots of comments and, only then, do they add theirs to the mix. The common thought, naturally being, posting where there are lots of people = lots more visibility.
Don't get me wrong - that's cool. But the important thing here is to support the post originator and there's nothing cooler than to give that first (note: quality) acknowledgement. People post on social sites in order to get feedback and hate it when a post goes virtually unnoticed. The first one to post is a welcome sight (Ahhh.. someone noticed!) and helps to foster a new relationship with the person who started the discussion in the first place! This is the true meaning of social networking - one on one. But, by building relationships intelligently, one on ones ultimately lead to one on many.
Don't be afraid to be the first to post a comment. A good post originator will thank you, appreciate you and most of all notice you. It's done this way in real world social settings so why not acknowledge its effectiveness in the virtual world as well.
LinkedIn Tip #7: Connect with Thought LeadersFind those considered leaders in your industry. Search by company to find the people who are true influencers and follow what they are doing. Research who your industry leaders are through existing trade publications and find them on LinkedIn. If they are and we share a contact I know well, reach out through the contact for an introduction.
LinkedIn Tip #8 – Selecting Groups
Search groups using industry keywords and related topics Look at the groups of industry leaders, subject matter experts and top executives Look at groups your connections are members of Use pertinent Q&A category and ask what groups people belong to Pose the question in your current groups: “What other groups do you find useful?”
LinkedIn Tip #9 – Use the Search Feature
Using the “Search function on your LinkedIn home page (upper right), you can “search” on People, Jobs, Companies, Answers, Inbox and Groups.
If you move to the right of the search box and click on “Advanced,” you can search on keywords, name, company (current and past), geographic location, industry, job title (current and past), school, groups, by language, by the interest of those being searched, when they joined LinkedIn, those in or out of your network, and by relevance – and any combination of the above.
Find the companies you want to do business with and the people you need to meet at those companies. With over 50,000,000 business professionals registered, your search results can pay big dividends
LinkedIn Tip #10: Use Applications
LinkedIn has teamed up with some of the Internet’s premier companies to offer registered users access to new applications that enable you to collaborate on projects, get key insights, and present your work to your audience in interactive ways. Have a Power Point presentation you want to share? Install the free SlideShare app and instantly share your presentation to a wider audience. Need to brainstorm with your team on a new idea? Load Huddle Workspaces on your profile and instantly collaborate with your colleagues. There are many apps to choose from and several are showcased at: http://learn.linkedin.com/apps/
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Brett McBurnie Brett McBurnie comes to coaching from a diverse and unique background. Born in Toronto in 1951, he attended school in East York and eventually went on to study Classical Studies (Greek and Latin); at the University of Toronto , with the purpose in mind of pursuing a general but well rounded education. Full Profile & Contact Information...
