Posts Tagged ‘LinkedIn’

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Here are five ideas for leveraging LinkedIn

This is not rocket science, but if you put these ideas into practice, you will see results.

# 1- LinkedIn is a network and a database. The network is structured primarily around profiles and group memberships and the information is stored in a database. Once you realize this, you can approach LI with an eye toward understanding how to leverage the vast resources it offers.

For example, if you have a solution (product or service) that can help CPG companies where else can you search for professionals in this industry, connect with them, discuss CPG related issues in discussion groups such as the CPG Supergroup! and find potential new hires? Don’t stop there. Ask questions through group discussions, use the Poll feature, and message your contacts fifty (50) at a time.
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Recently we published a post on Tier-Two sites. Tier-Two Social Networking and Utility Sites

This post is a follow up to it and will be followed by more as the weeks roll on.

One of the newer sites to come onto the social media scene is Visible.me [don’t add dot_com]. This is a networking site that let’s you track activities across platforms. Visible.me. like other sites allows you to import profile data from other sources into your Visible.me profile.

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If you are reading this blog chances are good you have created a presence on one or more of the major social network sites (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, or Facebook). However, there are numerous (and a growing number) of what I’ll call Tier–Two sites that may be just as important to meeting your objectives as these well known Tier-One sites are.

See this post for more information Powering-up-your-social-media-presence
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Using Groups to Connect

Finally, we come to the discussion of how to use LinkedIn Group participation to help you connect with your target audience. As the screen shot below illustrates, Groups is one of the options for making a connection.

You can select Group, when you and the person you want to connect with are both members of one or more Groups. You can select any of the mutual groups you belong to and invite him or her to connect with you.

If you are not both members of a Group, check the person’s profile and find a group in which the person participates, preferably a group relevant to you, then join it. Once approved as a group member you can connect with people in this group.

LinkedIn as always provides the option to “Include a personal note: (optional).” However, we do not consider this optional - always Personalize Your Invitations (see examples below)
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In the second part of this three part series on LinkedIn Direct and Indirect invitations, we provide a few examples of customized invitations. First, however, let’s review what LinkedIn (LI) provides as a starting point when you click on the:

 

Include a personal note (NOT Optional) – Always personalize your invitations

If you select Colleague or We’ve done business together you will be asked to select a company

If you select Classmate you will be asked to select a school

Select Friend or Other and you will be asked for an email address

Selecting I don’t Know NAME is probably not a good idea.

We strongly recommend that you use the category that truly fits. If you play fast with the LI rules you could, as we have discussed previously, face a suspension or termination of your account.
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Inviting people to connect with you on LinkedIn is an important task.
A task you should take great care to do well.

Direct Invitation
There are several ways to connect with people on LinkedIn (LI). A direct invitation to people you know and who know you is the obvious place to start. Be careful to restrict your use of this approach to people who will recognize you. Sending an invitation to someone by claiming he or she is a colleague or friend who is not is dangerous. That practice can get you into trouble and ultimately end in suspension or termination of your account!

Personalized Message
If you invite a colleague, classmate, or friend, make sure the person you invite will readily remember you by personalizing the invitation, perhaps by referencing to the last time you spoke on the phone or met in-person. If the person you invite does not recognize you and tells LinkedIn “I Don’t Know” (i.e., IDK) this person, LI will contact you and they could suspend your account.

Search Your Contacts’ Contacts
One of the best techniques for finding people you may know who have an account with LinkedIn is to view the contacts of people to whom you are already connected. Often as you scan the person’s contacts, you will recognize someone’s name who you might not otherwise have remembered. This could be a person you worked with or a classmate that you know, but whose name wasn’t top of mind. Adding to your contacts using this approach is safe and easy; happy hunting!

 

This is a three part series, return soon to read parts two and three

Mastering LinkedIn is a Business Imperative in the New Millennium

Q: Why do users, like you, need to Master the Power of LinkedIn?
A: The answer is simple – To improve your business (career) opportunities.

LinkedIn is by far the most powerful social network to:

1. Develop business connections and expand your influence
2. Find partners, prospects, and customers
3. Market your expertise and value proposition
4. Improve your bottom line!

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It all begins with a compelling profile.

Next, add tactics to build a large and meaningful network.

Then take steps to advance your business objectives.

 

 

Step # 1 – Create an optimal and 100% complete LinkedIn Profile

a. Apply our Top 12 Improvements Program*
b. Optimize your profile to rank high on LinkedIn searches
c. Develop connections and recommendations** (To help rank high in searches)
d. Add applications and specialized sections (e.g., blogs, slideshare, publications)
e. Join and embrace LinkedIn Discussion Groups to enhance your authority

* We examined over 600 hundred LinkedIn Profiles to distill improvements with the greatest impact.
**Understand LinkedIn connections – what are levels, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Group, Out of Network

Step # 2 – Learn about LinkedIn Advanced Features

a. Know how to use the LinkedIn Menu (Polls, Answers, Tags and much more)
b. Discover the numerous features and functions available to you
c. Learn how to use advanced searches to find people and companies
d. Master the art of direct and Indirect connection methods
e. Learn best practices for using LinkedIn discussion groups

Step # 3 – Leverage LinkedIn and your Profile Using Advanced Methods

a. Apply tactics to continuously enhance your Internet presence
b. Drive people in your target market to your website
c. Develop partnerships and alliances
d. Create credibility – be an authority in your field
e. Avoid the minefield of LinkedIn defaults
And, much more. . . .

 

Mastering the Power of LinkedIn starts with a strong profile includes understanding the features and functions that LinkedIn provides and most importantly applies tactics and strategies to leverage this singularly powerful online social media tool.

Free LinkedIn Assessment
Contact me >> Unleash LinkedIn Now!

Call (508) 400-6837 for a consultation on LinkedIn and how to integrate the power of social media platforms and tools.

Start working on these steps right now
Profile Effectiveness – Discovering Features — Using Advanced Methods

Signup for our Five-Week LinkedIn Unleashed Program a $1297 Value  - Buy Now for $657!

 

 

 

Unsolicited Testimonials

“Awesome job!!! I have no questions and I am talking to many about your services. Hopefully, I can get you some business… Is there anything I can do for you at this time? Want me to tweet more about you? Thanks Bunches Carey! You are the bestest ever!”

March 25, 2011  Nina , Owner, Blue Iris Web Design

“I have been trying to understand how to market myself better through the social networks. Carey demonstrated some cutting-edge strategies on how to get my LinkedIn profile more attention and a larger following on my Twitter account. He has a deep understanding of the sales process for internet marketing that my business will use to get to the next level.”

 

March 16, 2011 David Goes, Owner, Patient Computer

“We are very proud to announce our next NEMRA Evening Seminar will be held at Bentley University in Waltham, MA. This year’s event features speaker and social media guru Carey Azzara with a Nuts and Bolts introduction to using LinkedIn and Twitter.

Mr. Azzara will show you how to quickly and easily ramp up your social media marketing efforts!  The seminar will introduce you to LinkedIn and Twitter, and explain how to use them both more effectively in your marketing initiatives. Come hear Carey Azzara, Social Media Guru of AtHeath, LLC, as he shows you how to leverage the power of LinkedIn and Twitter. This will be a fascinating, instructional discussion you won’t want to miss.”

Spring, 2011 “LinkedIn and Twitter Nuts & Bolts“  NEMRA’s Member Event

“Carey has been extremely helpful with teaching me about simple ways to use and improve LinkedIn as a tool to help me grow my business and social network. He shares valuable information in an easy to learn way.”

October 21, 2010 Wickel Donohue, Owner, Wickel’s Balloons

“Having been in the web hosting business now for several years I find it rare that I can find someone who understands the value of Search Engine Optimization and organizational skills the way that Carey does. His blogs along these subjects are so clear and concise that I have placed his link on the front page of our business site for our customers to use. I also find Carey to be ethical and full of an energy that is directed towards enhancing those around him, definitely a born leader.

I cannot imagine in any fashion any undertaking that he would venture into that would bring about anything less than complete success.”

April 6, 2010 Joe Tellup, Owner, Tellup Web Hosting

Start working on these steps right now
Profile Effectiveness – Discovering Features — Using Advanced Methods

Contact me >>Unleash LinkedIn  Now!
Call (508) 400-6837 for a consultation on LinkedIn and how to integrate the power of social media platforms and tools.

Open the door with a flexible approach to leveraging LinkedIn:
A.  One-on-one coaching
B.  End-to-end, done for you –  outsourced internet marketing
C.  A hybrid approach, which is the most popular program

 

 

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Default # 7 – Organization of the groups you are following.

LinkedIn generally and genuinely tries to be helpful in how information is organized. That said, the default listing of the groups you belong to is typically organized alphabetically and three groups are listed in the group drop down menu as “favorites.” These are groups you typically specified or perhaps you own or manage.

The good news is you can reorder all the groups you follow. You can also expand your list of favorites (up to 10) for greater convenience. We all know that social media is time consuming, so any little tricks to streamline our day are welcome.

If you belong to a long list of groups, but regularly visit only 20% of them you’ll find the favorite list a real time saver – much less scrolling!

Go to “Groups” on the LinkedIn main menu

You will see the following text:

Groups You’ve Joined (xx) Reorder  

Click on “reorder” and review the screen you see. Next, you can change the number of groups

Display the first [1-10] groups in the navigation. (Pending groups will not show up).

Select how many groups you’d like displayed in the drop down. Then order the groups so you see them in exactly the order you choose.

Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of the page to save your changes.  

or Cancel

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Default # 6 – LinkedIn offers a set of default options for listing your website, blog and other URLs on your profile. Rather than using one of these default options (e.g., Company Website, Blog), customize the names of your sites. Customizing the name improves the specificity of your profile and makes it easier for people to understand what you have to offer.

Take these step:

1. Go to “Profile” on the LinkedIn menu

2. Select the “Edit Profile” mode and click on “edit” in the area related to websites and blogs.

3. Select “Other” from the LinkedIn options

Linkedin provides a space for you to give each URL a descriptive name [rather than the defaults they provide]. Type the name of your website or blog in the space provided. In our case, we labeled the blog as “Blog: The Research Playbook.”

This is an easy step that adds a valuable element of uniqueness to your profile.

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Default # 5 – LinkedIn default Tags – nothing wrong with them, but they are certainly not sufficient and the people LinkedIn puts in each “bucket” may not correspond to how you would tag them. What am I talking about?

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Go to the LinkedIn menu and select “Contacts.”

Then examine the tags LinkedIn has used to organize your connections – many of which may be in a category titled “untagged.” LinkedIn has tried to use the information in your profile and each contact’s profile to tag him or her accurately, but again nobodies perfect!

Check each of the default tags that were set up.

Make sure the tags are correct for each person. Moreover, create tags that will help you organize your connections better – you can derive great value from this LinkedIn feature if you learn to leverage it well.