Are You LinkedIn?

10Oct08

By Beth J. Bates, New Media Special Correspondent

Networking is a key activity for any business professional. But, as we are all painfully aware, there are only so many hours in the day. LinkedIn is a great way to network with professionals worldwide 24/7/365. Imagine an infinite community of business professionals sharing leads, ideas and contacts on an ongoing basis – and its free. I find it so valuable that I use it as my business Rolodex. LinkedIn provides a myriad of services including:

• Groups – Companies, organizations and movements can create a “group,” which is essentially a network of professionals interested in a particular company or topic. Groups can be searched and are a valuable tool for targeting your questions and ideas.
• Discussions – Group members can initiate discussions about issues, events, etc. This is a great place to market a new service or get feedback about a new business idea.
• Jobs – By utilizing your network, LinkedIn is an effective tool for quality recruiting.
• Q & A – If you have a question on a particular topic, the Question & Answer section is incredibly helpful for getting answers from the entire LinkedIn network.
• Recommendations – I’m a firm believer that client testimonials are golden. By asking network members to recommend you as a professional, you build credibility. And remember – social networking is all about reciprocation. Don’t forget to provide recommendations for professionals that you have enjoyed working with.

For the newbie, it’s easy to set-up an account. Just keep in mind that the more complete your profile, the better. Here’s an example of my profile. I also recommend including a personalized link to your LinkedIn profile in your email signature. It’s additional exposure for you and your brand and it’s easy.

Tell us how you are getting LinkedIn – we’d love to hear your new ideas.

 

Beth J. Bates is a freelance social media strategist. Beth consults with Hinge on social media tool selection and strategy and helps its clients find effective ways to leverage these new mediums to meet business goals.

Filed under: Marketing, Social Media   |  2 Comments
Tags: LinkedIn, networking, Social Media, social networking