Today more than ever businesses and business professionals are looking for way to gain more exposure and to network with others. Networking is about building connections with others. These can be businesses that you hope to possibly work with or individuals that you’d like to learn more about or use their services.
The social media world has become an outlet for many to build not only their reputations but the reach of their businesses as well. Social media allows people and businesses to connect with others that they normally would not have come in contact with.
For the business professional there is a social media outlet that is designed with them in mind and it’s known as LinkedIn. LinkedIn has a network of over 150 million members all across the world. While you may feel that you know how to use social media, the truth is that if you don’t use it effectively it could do more harm than good.
Tips to Make LinkedIn Work for You
#1 Stay Active
Social media is about being “social”. So in order to build your brand, your reputation and to build your network of connections you need to stay active with social media. Many tend to put social media on the back burner because they feel they simply don’t have time to dedicate to it. Social media works but it doesn’t take working all day on it for it to be effective. You can update social media manually each day or you can schedule batches of updates via platforms like Hootsuite.
LinkedIn is social media for the professional world. So staying active on this outlet is important. Those who remain active are the ones who are most often seen in the newsfeeds. They are the ones who get noticed.
- Stay active by doing a status update at least 3 to 5 times a week. These updates don’t have to be lengthy but they do need to be focused and attention grabbing.
- Comment on the updates of others within your network. This builds a rapport with them and can easily kick start a conversation that is beneficial for you both.
- Join LinkedIn groups that not only interest you but also may be starting points to finding potential new clients or business partners.
- Seek others on LinkedIn to add to your network. Look for experts in your field as well as those who you may be able to help down the road.
#2 Keep Your LinkedIn Network Growing
The point of social networks is to be social so that you can network with those who have similar interests personally and professionally. There are always new opportunities available on LinkedIn to connect with others.
LinkedIn gives you a helping hand suggesting people you may know or want to connect with. Part of your LinkedIn profile is a box entitled “People You May Know”. These suggestions are based on a variety of information from your profile such as:
- Common Connections
- Professional Field
- Email Contacts
- Interests
- Geographical Location
- And more…..
Always be aware of potential connections. LinkedIn helps you see possible connections where you may not have normally looked.
#3 Be Responsive
When you post updates, some of your connections may post a response. It is crucial that you are responsive to these comments. This may seem like common sense but you’d be amazed at how many people actually don’t respond to comments. Being responsive creates dialogue. The more responsive you are; the better the relationship you build with your connections.
#4 Be Choosey with What You Say
What you say matters a lot so make sure what you say is important and focused. You want to share news that is important to your business and is relevant to what is going on in your niche market today. While some may re-quote others, it’s important to be original in what you say. You want to be known as an expert; a leader within your industry so stand out from the crowd by being original in what you post.
Lab 42 in August of 2011 posted results of a study on LinkedIn users. The study was performed between July 1 and July 5, 2011 and included a sampling of 500 users. The study was conducted to get a better understanding of LinkedIn users as well as what they deem as important on linked in. While users may be members of numerous social media networks, 61% stated that they used LinkedIn the most for professional networking. 81% of users stated that they participate in at least one LinkedIn professional group and 53% of those participate regularly in group discussions. The largest percentage polled stated that they used LinkedIn for professional networking as well as job searching. This study shows that LinkedIn has been gaining momentum for quite some and is only growing amongst business professionals.
Lewis Howes, a former American Football League player found out how much of an impact that LinkedIn can have on establishing a professional presence. Three years after getting injured, Lewis created a new business with the help of building his connections on LinkedIn and created a 7-figure business.
LinkedIn is more than social networking; it’s changing the face of business. Do you have a LinkedIn profile? If not what are you waiting for? If you do have a LinkedIn profile, are you using it effectively so that it will benefit you and your business in the end? If you haven’t been on LinkedIn for quite some time then there is no time like the present to get back on and see where it can take you. Change begins with you. The only way to change tomorrow is to begin today.
Always track and monitor your Social Signals with our Social Metrics Pro.
About Daniel Tan
