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Enhance Your Networking with LinkedIn (part 3 of 10)

September 21, 2009 By Sean Nelson 11 Comments
Enhance and Expand Your Network
The core of LinkedIn revolves around connecting to other business professionals, which is networking.  Networking exclusively on LinkedIn, though, ignores the human element of face to face interaction.  Understanding, once again that LinkedIn is a tool, how do you use it to enhance your other networking?
I do a lot of networking in my local chamber.  When I first joined the chamber I hadn’t really been active on LinkedIn.  At meetings I would try to meet as many people as possible, but in a room full of 50 people and only 30 minutes of open networking it was hard to meet everyone.
For those I did not meet I could try again at the next meeting, but that depended upon whether or not they returned.  At the meetings they photocopied everyone’s business card and each person got a copy.  From that I could also call those I had not met to try to set up a meeting.  Other than a name on a card, though, there was no connection.
LinkedIn changed that.  I found that with LinkedIn, I could connect to those that I hadn’t had a chance to meet.  Then I could review their LinkedIn profiles to determine who were the most beneficial to meet.  I also found that if they were at the next chamber meeting, that the LinkedIn connection provided a great way to break the ice.
In the end it’s a two way street.  LinkedIn provides a level of connectivity until I can strengthen the networking relationship through a face to face meeting.  And the chamber meeting provides a fresh batch of potential LinkedIn connections.
Some of my best networking relationships have developed from simply being at the same networking event, connecting on LinkedIn, and then finally taking it offline and meeting in person.
So here’s what you should be doing.  After every networking event, send a LinkedIn connection invite to those you did not get a chance to meet.  (Here’s where you want to customize that LinkedIn invitation. )  Send the following invitation:
Joe,
We crossed paths at the Chamber (or whatever event it was) today but did not get a chance to meet you in person.  I am using LinkedIn to enhance my Chamber networking and would like to add you to my LinkedIn network.
Sean Nelson (I always add my last name since I do not know this person yet)
More often then not, this leads to a LinkedIn connection.  Now it’s up to you to take it further to develop the relationship.  Remember it’s not about adding just another connection; it’s about expanding and enhancing your network.  Only send the invite to those that you want to get to know.

The core of LinkedIn revolves around connecting to other business professionals, which is primarily networking.  Networking exclusively on LinkedIn, though, ignores the human element of face to face interaction.  Understanding, once again that LinkedIn is a tool, how do you use it to enhance your other networking?

I do a lot of networking in my local chamber.  When I first joined the chamber in the spring of 1996 I had not yet joined LinkedIn.  At meetings I would try to meet as many people as possible, but in a room full of 50 people and only 30 minutes of open networking it was hard to meet everyone.

At each meeting they would  photocopy all of the business cards and each attendee received a copy.   From that I could call those I had not met to try to set up a meeting.  Other than a name on a card, though, there was no connection.  I could also try again at the next meeting if they returned.

LinkedIn changed that.  I found that with LinkedIn, I could connect to those that I hadn’t had a chance to meet.  Then I could review their LinkedIn profiles to determine who were the most beneficial to meet.  I also found that if they were at the next chamber meeting, that the LinkedIn connection provided a great way to break the ice.

In the end it’s a two way street.  LinkedIn provides a level of connectivity until I can strengthen the networking relationship through a face to face meeting.  And the chamber meeting provides a fresh batch of potential LinkedIn connections.

Some of my best networking relationships have developed from simply being at the same networking event, connecting on LinkedIn, and then finally taking it offline and meeting in person.

So here’s what you should be doing.  After every networking event, send a LinkedIn connection invite to those you did not get a chance to meet.  (Here’s where you want to customize that LinkedIn invitation. )  Send the following invitation: [Read more...]

Filed Under: LinkedIn Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Why Are You On LinkedIn? (Part 2 of 10)

September 14, 2009 By Sean Nelson 10 Comments

In Part 2 of the 10 Part Series “Can LinkedIn Work for You?” we start with a question…“Why are you on LinkedIn?” LinkedIn takes time and effort to produce results.  Without knowing the answer to this question how do you know what actions you should be taking?

Most people initially joined LinkedIn because either they stumbled across an article saying how great the site was or because someone told them they have to be on it.  There was probably some excitement about the possibilities that quickly faded once you realized you had no clue what to do now that you had an account.

By its navigation structure LinkedIn is telegraphing some of this potential:

  1. People:  Find people you know and build a trusted network.
  2. Jobs:  Find a new job or advance your career.
  3. Answers:  Share and discover information.
  4. Companies:  Be found  by others and have a way to promote your company.

All are great ways to use LinkedIn but what’s missing is the most important reason…to grow your business and make more money.

When I conduct LinkedIn workshops I always poll the audience to see why they are on LinkedIn.  Usually about 75% say they are on it to network, 20% say they are on it to find a job or advance their career, and 5%  or less say they are on it to grow their business and make more money.

If you think about it, networking and advancing your career are part of the process of growing your business and making money. [Read more...]

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LinkedIn User Guide

September 10, 2009 By Sean Nelson 1 Comment
Mondays are the day that I post my most significant blog post for the week.  If you’re looking for Part 2 in the 10 Part LinkedIn series it will be released on Monday.
One of the statements I made in Part 1 was that I wasn’t sure why people chose to sign up for a LinkedIn account and then did nothing.  Someone posted a comment to the blog stating that most people don’t know what to do once they sign up for an account.
I can understand that lack of knowledge would lead to lack of activity.  The next question I have, though, is “why is anyone letting a lack of knowledge get in the way of a potential resource that can help you grow your network, develop relationships, and drive new business?”
With any new tool, technology, etc. you have the choice in how long it takes to go from a novice to an effective user.
You can choose to do nothing
You can choose to learn it on your own
You can choose to tap into the knowledge of others
You can choose to outsource the activity
When I started to learn how to use LinkedIn I chose #2 and #3.  First I looked around the site to see if I could figure it out on my own.  While I learned the basics I decided I would be better served tapping into the knowledge of others to speed up the learning curve.
I started reading any blog I could find that talked about LinkedIn.  At the time there weren’t that many so I bought a LinkedIn ebook.  This one ebook provided the framework I needed to build a foundation of knowledge.  It also introduced me to some tips and strategies to put to work immediately.
The book I purchased was a high level overview of LinkedIn.  When I decided to write my first LinkedIn ebook I decided I would take the opposite approach and write a very detailed book.  I also decided to base the book chapters on the navigational structure of LinkedIn, making it a great reference tool.  Have a question about Groups, go to the Groups chapter.
In June I released the revision of my first book re-titled as the “LinkedIn MBA”.  I also wrote a workbook, the “LinkedIn MBA Workbook” to help people create a “killer” profile, begin building their credibility, and extend their reach.  Combined the two form a perfect resource for someone who has a LinkedIn account but is not sure what they should be doing.
The book is over 150 pages with close to 100 screenshots and the workbook is around 21 pages.  So you have a choice.  You can continue to do nothing.  You can invest the time to learn it from scratch.  Or you can invest $9.97 (the cost for the book and workbook combined) and begin putting LinkedIn to work for you as soon as today.
The question to ask yourself it what is your time worth?  The minimum wage is $7.25 so if it takes you 40 hours to learn what is in the book and work book your time in cost at a minimum would be $290.  (the average hourly rate for a LinkedIn member is actually $52.40 making the time cost $2,096.15)
The information I share on this blog is free and you can learn a lot by reading through the posts.  I just don’t have the space to provide information in as detailed a manner as in the book.  Also the blog is written based on what I find interesting each week, whereas the book is organized more on a start to finish basis.
For more information on the LinkedIn MBA and the LinkedIn MBA Work book go to http://socialmediasonar.com/book.html
Stop by next Monday for Part 2, “Why are you on LinkedIn?”, of my LinkedIn series.

LinkedIn MBA Cover 200 LinkedIn User GuideMondays are the day that I post my most significant blog post for the week.  If you’re looking for Part 2 in the 10 Part LinkedIn series it will be released on Monday.

One of the statements I made in Part 1 was that I wasn’t sure why people chose to sign up for a LinkedIn account and then did nothing.  Someone posted a comment to the blog stating that most people don’t know what to do once they sign up for an account.

I can understand that lack of knowledge would lead to lack of activity.  The next question I have, though, is “why is anyone letting a lack of knowledge get in the way of a potential resource that can help you grow your network, develop relationships, and drive new business?”

With any new tool, technology, etc. you have the choice in how long it takes to go from a novice to an effective user.

  • You can choose to do nothing
  • You can choose to learn it on your own
  • You can choose to tap into the knowledge of others
  • You can choose to outsource the activity

When I started to learn how to use LinkedIn I chose #2 and #3.  First I looked around the site to see if I could figure it out on my own.  While I learned the basics I decided I would be better served tapping into the knowledge of others to speed up the learning curve.

I started reading any blog I could find that talked about LinkedIn.  At the time there weren’t that many so I bought a LinkedIn ebook.  This one ebook provided the framework I needed to build a foundation of knowledge about LinkedIn.  It also introduced me to some tips and strategies to put to work immediately.

The book I purchased was a high level overview of LinkedIn.  When I decided to write my first LinkedIn ebook I decided I would take the opposite approach and write a very detailed book.  I also decided to base the book chapters on the navigational structure of LinkedIn, making it a great reference tool.  Have a question about Groups, go to the Groups chapter.

In June I released the revision of my first book re-titled as the “LinkedIn MBA”.  I also wrote a workbook, the “LinkedIn MBA Workbook” to help people create a “killer” profile, begin building their credibility, and extend their reach.  Combined the two form a perfect resource for someone who has a LinkedIn account but is not sure what they should be doing.

The book is over 150 pages with close to 100 screenshots and the workbook is around 21 pages.  So you have a choice.  You can continue to do nothing.  You can invest the time to learn it from scratch.  Or you can invest $9.97 (the cost for the book and workbook combined) and begin putting LinkedIn to work for you as soon as today.

The question to ask yourself it what is your time worth?  The minimum wage is $7.25 so if it takes you 40 hours to learn what is in the book and work book your time in cost at a minimum would be $290.  (the average hourly rate for a LinkedIn member is actually $52.40 making the time cost $2,096.15)

The information I share on this blog is free and you can learn a lot by reading through the posts.  I just don’t have the space to provide information in as detailed a manner as in the book.  Also the blog is written based on what I find interesting each week, whereas the book is organized more on a start to finish basis.

For more information on the LinkedIn MBA and the LinkedIn MBA Work book go to http://socialmediasonar.com/book.html

Stop by next Monday for Part 2, “Why are you on LinkedIn?”, of my LinkedIn series.

Filed Under: LinkedIn, Social Media/Networking Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Can LinkedIn Work for You? (part 1 of 10)

September 8, 2009 By Sean Nelson 26 Comments

Almost one year ago I started a 10 part series on LinkedIn asking the question “Can LinkedIn work for you?”  LinkedIn has changed somewhat in the last year, so I think now is a good time to revisit the series.  Starting this week I’m going to take a look at each article and update them.   In some cases I’ll combine or delete those that are no longer relevant and add one or two new parts.

There are over 45 million people now on LinkedIn but only about 25% are active users.  I don’t really know why some people sign up but do no participate and others hit the ground running from day one.  What I do know is that once you find some success you’re likely to become a regular user.
For the first two years that I was on LinkedIn I was simply a member.  It wasn’t until I actually developed new clients from being on LinkedIn that I became a regular user.  At that point I decided if LinkedIn can help me grow my business than I better know as much as possible about it.
You can grow your business and make money by being an active participant.  I know this for a fact and can point to clients that I have that I would not have if it were not for LinkedIn.  I know that as I grow my network I find more opportunities.  I know that the more I learn and participate the more I encounter new opportunities.
One of the first things that I realized about LinkedIn was that it was simply a tool, much like my chamber of commerce, that could help me connect to others.  For some people membership in a chamber is economically beneficial.  For other it’s a waste of time and money.
It’s how you use the tool that determines the winners and losers.

There are over 45 million people now on LinkedIn but only about 25% are active users.  I don’t really know why some people sign up but do no participate and others hit the ground running from day one.  What I do know is that once you find some success you’re likely to become a regular user.

For the first two years that I was on LinkedIn I was simply a member.  It wasn’t until I actually developed new clients from being on LinkedIn that I became a regular user.  At that point I decided if LinkedIn could help me grow my business than I better know as much as possible about it.

You can grow your business and make money by being an active participant.  I know this for a fact and can point to clients that I have that I would not have if it were not for LinkedIn.  I know that as I grow my network I find more opportunities.  I know that the more I learn and participate the more I encounter new opportunities.

One of the first things that I realized about LinkedIn was that it was simply a tool, much like my chamber of commerce, that could help me connect to others.  For some people membership in a chamber is economically beneficial.  For other it’s a waste of time and money.

It’s how you use the tool that determines the winners and losers. [Read more...]

Filed Under: LinkedIn Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

5 Top Ways to Leverage LinkedIn

August 24, 2009 By Sean Nelson 12 Comments

This is the third part in a series on the 3 Basic Keys of LinkedIn.  Part one covered “optimizing your profile” and part two looked at “building your networks”.  If you followed the tips and strategies you should now have a pretty good profile and be on the way to expanding your reach on LinkedIn.

Leveraging LinkedIn simply means that you are making it work for you.  You’re in control and taking the actions that support why you are on LinkedIn.  I’m here to make money so everything that I do is geared to communicating a message to my networks.

Over the last two years I’ve learned how to use the various social media/networking sites to develop new business for my Individual Health and Employee Benefits companies.  Last week alone I received 3 calls from prospects.  What’s interesting about that is that I’ve updated my profile and activity to focus more on the social media consulting that I’m doing.

My prior and continued activity has allowed people to get to know, like and trust me.  So, even though the focus isn’t 100% on health insurance it still drives results.  And I’m starting to see results from the social media/networking side as well, having received a call from a technology company to discuss their social media/networking strategy.  Four leads in a week with a potential of over $20,000 in revenue.

Social media/networking works if you leverage the tools available.  With that in mind, here are 5 Top Ways to Leverage LinkedIn: [Read more...]

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Radio LinkedIn Interview with Gravity Free Radio

August 19, 2009 By Sean Nelson Leave a Comment

radiox graphic Radio LinkedIn Interview with Gravity Free Radio

This past week Erik Wolf and Stephanie Frost, hosts of the Gravity Free Radio show were desperate for a guest so they turned to Scott Dunn and myself.  I’m always happy to be filler for Erik and Stephanie.

In addition to the show Erik and Stephanie run Zero-G Creative, a killer web design, graphic design, and web tools company that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique website and online presence.

The show covers LinkedIn bouncing from building your network, optimizing your profile, and leveraging LinkedIn.  There’s a better explanation on the show at the Gravity Free Radio show

To listen to the show go to  http://gravityfreeradio.com/archives/187

Filed Under: LinkedIn Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Your 2 Critical LinkedIn Networks

August 17, 2009 By Sean Nelson 12 Comments
Last week I covered some tips to Optimize Your Profile which was the first part of the Three Basic Keys to LinkedIn.  Today we cover the second Key…Building Your Network.
You can have the best profile on LinkedIn but if your network is not significant enough it won’t matter.  You have to connect to others.  If you’re more of an open networker, you’ll find it easier to build your network.  If you’re more restrictive in whom you connect to then you’re going to have to get out and meet people.
Your Direct Network:
I’ve heard different number as far as how many direct connections you need to have…100, 250, 500, or more.  What I do know is that 100 connections is probably better than 50 and 500 is probably better than 250.  My thoughts are that if you get active in your community you should be able to build up at least 500 local connections.
I got lucky on LinkedIn.  When I received my first referral from another member I only had 19 connections.  That was enough to wake me up to the potential.  The spigot didn’t start flowing immediately but as my network grew little by little so did the referrals.
Another benefit I noticed was that connecting on LinkedIn added another degree of depth to my relationships within my chamber.  It gave me a point of reference and an immediate ice breaker the next time I saw the connection.
During the next year I grew my network by sending connection invitations to everyone that attended the networking events I attended.  In the invitation I simply said, “Our paths crossed today at the Chamber meeting.  We didn’t have an opportunity to meet but I am using LinkedIn to enhance my networking.  I’d like to extend an invitation to connect”.
If I actually met them then I added a note about our talk.  Personalizing your invitations will increase the likelihood of it being accepted.  Avoid using the canned LinkedIn invitation, it doesn’t say much about you or why you want to connect.  It makes a difference.
I currently have about 2,800 direct connections and about 800 of these are local.  Some of these connections I know some are simply part of a network.   I’ve heard the arguments that connecting to those you don’t know devalues your network.  I simply disagree.
Last week I introduced a connection I didn’t know to another connection I didn’t know.  I was simply the hub in the process but the introduction was made.  The value of that introduction remains to be seen but an opportunity has been created.
How you choose to connect is a decision you have to make.  For me open networking has been a good choice.
Your Group Network
Most people are aware of their group network but don’t realize that they have a Group network as well.  The people that belong to the same groups as you are represent a network.  I define a network on LinkedIn based on my ability to communicate a message.  Groups allow you to do that.
If your primary reason for being on LinkedIn to network then the only value in groups is their ability to help you find more people to connect to.  If you’re on LinkedIn to make money, and you should be, then you’ll realize that the value of groups is that they extend your reach.
I may have 2,800 connections but the 50 groups I’m in now have over 800,000 people.  Locally the groups I’m in extend my reach from 800 local professionals to over 30,000.  That’s a healthy extension of my reach on LinkedIn.
The beauty of groups is that they are formed around a uniting factor.  It could be a location such as Linked Georgia (have to be a resident of Georgia), a type of employment such as Self Employed Atlanta (be self employed and live in the Atlanta Metro), and alumni group such as Georgia southern University (graduated from the University), or even based on LinkedIn recommendations such as Top Recommended People (have 10 recommendations or more).
You simply need to identify the groups that your prospects belong to and join.  Then begin interacting and communicating with them.
Your networks represent opportunity.  Each person in your networks is a potential client, referral partner, business alliance, or simply a hub that could help you connect into an opportunity.  You determine the size and scope.
Next week we’ll talk about how to start leveraging LinkedIn to take advantage of your “killer” profile and the network you’re building.

Last week I covered some tips to Optimize Your Profile which was the first part of the Three Basic Keys to LinkedIn.  Today we cover the second Key…Building Your Network.

You can have the best profile on LinkedIn but if your network is not significant enough it won’t matter.  You have to connect to others.  If you’re more of an open networker, you’ll find it easier to build your network.  If you’re more restrictive in whom you connect to then you’re going to have to get out and meet people.

Your Direct Network:
I’ve heard different numbers as far as how many direct connections you need to have…100, 250, 500, or more.  I’m not sure that there is a definitive number, but what I do know is that 100 connections is probably better than 50 and 500 is probably better than 250.  My thoughts are that if you get active in your community you should be able to build up at least 500 local connections.

I got lucky on LinkedIn.  When I received my first referral from another member I only had 19 connections.  That was enough to wake me up to the potential.  The spigot didn’t start flowing immediately but as my network grew little by little so did the referrals.

Another benefit I noticed was that connecting on LinkedIn added another degree of depth to my relationships within my chamber.  It gave me a point of reference and an immediate ice breaker the next time I saw the connection.

During the next year I grew my network by sending connection invitations to everyone that attended the networking events I attended.  In the invitation I simply said, “Our paths crossed today at the Chamber meeting.  We didn’t have an opportunity to meet but I am using LinkedIn to enhance my networking.  I’d like to extend an invitation to connect”.

If I actually met them then I added a note about our conversation.  Personalizing your invitations will increase the likelihood of it being accepted.  Avoid using the canned LinkedIn invitation, it doesn’t say much about you or why you want to connect.  It makes a difference.

I currently have about 2,800 direct connections and about 800 of these are local.  Some of these connections I know some are simply part of a network.   I’ve heard the arguments that connecting to those you don’t know devalues your network.  I simply disagree.

Last week I introduced a connection I didn’t know to another connection I didn’t know.  I was simply the hub in the process but the introduction was made.  The value of that introduction remains to be seen but an opportunity has been created.

How you choose to connect is a decision you have to make.  For me openly connecting has been a good decision.

Your Group Network
Most people are aware of their Direct network but don’t realize that they have a Group network as well.  The people that belong to the same groups as you represent a network.  I define a network on LinkedIn based on my ability to communicate a message.  Groups allow you to do that.

If your primary reason for being on LinkedIn is to network then the only value in groups is their ability to help you find more people to connect to.  If you’re on LinkedIn to make money, and you should be, then you’ll realize that the value of groups is that they extend your reach.

I may have 2,800 direct connections but the 50 groups I’m in now have over 800,000 people.  Locally the groups I’m in extend my reach from 800 local professionals to over 30,000.  That’s a healthy extension of my reach on LinkedIn.

The beauty of groups is that they are formed around a uniting factor.  It could be a location such as Linked Georgia (have to be a resident of Georgia), a type of employment such as Self Employed Atlanta (be self employed and live in the Atlanta Metro), an alumni group such as Georgia southern University (graduated from the University), or even based on LinkedIn recommendations such as Top Recommended People (have 10 recommendations or more).

You simply need to identify the groups that your prospects belong to and join.  Then begin interacting and communicating with them.

Wrap Up:
Your networks represent opportunity.  Each person in your networks is a potential client, referral partner, business alliance, or simply a hub that could help you connect into an opportunity.  They also provide a larger audience to provide value to.  You determine the size and scope.

Next week we’ll talk about how to start leveraging LinkedIn to take advantage of your “killer” profile and the network you’re building.  What’s your connection strategy?

**If you would like to learn more about how to use LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and Business Blogs to grow you business, SONAR Connects offers two options:

  1. Social Media Training that teaches you how to optimize your accounts, build communities of friends, followers, and connections, and how to monetize social networking and social media.
  2. Social Networking/Media Management: We take on the responsibility for managing your social media accounts including creating and writing your business blog.

Social Media Sonar provides the following four resources for FREE… 1.  The Blog, 2. The Online Marketing/Social Media Blueprint, 3.  Conversion Rate Optimization Guide, 4.  Resource Center.  If these help you implement your own online marketing program, great. We love helping people. If you decide you need some help, great. We love new clients.  Contact Us if we can help you.

Filed Under: LinkedIn Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Secret to Twitter

August 11, 2009 By Sean Nelson 10 Comments
The Secret to Twitter
Guess what, it’s the same as on LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media sites.  Provide value to others and you will eventually benefit in return.  Eventually might be right away or it might be a year from now.
On LinkedIn I can answer a question in depth, I can write a detailed recommendation, and post discussion questions and information in groups.  In each I have time to lay out a set of facts and follow up with information to support the point or to share information.
On Twitter you can pretty much put a short statement out and that’s it.  140 characters doesn’t seem like a lot, but you can accomplish a lot with brevity.
The number one use I see in using Twitter is to share information.  It might be a link to an interesting news article, it might be a quick answer, or it might be a link to one of my blog posts where I can provide valuable information.
For me that’s the value.  I can capture attention and clicks to my site by writing a good headline tweet and directing people to my blog.  The responder benefits from the information I share in my blog post.  I benefit by adding blog visitors that hopefully find value and continue to return.
It all comes back to providing value.  If I disguise a spam post as a legitimate post over time I’ll render my account worthless.  That’s why you see a lot of the same links to spam posted by different “people”.  Ever notice that the picture normally all look like young models?  Profile photo’s straight from istockphoto.
If I provide value though then my credibility is enhanced and the next time I post a link to a new blog post, I’m likely to get a return visit.  Even better I may wind up with several retweets which helps spread my link and further increase traffic.
As a final word, I use Twitter for business purposes only.  I don’t post that I’m enjoying a latte at Starbucks…who cares.  Maybe if I were Chris Brogan that might be news.  He’s built his brand and people are interested in whatever he does.  People read my blog to know how to more effectively use LinkedIn and other social media.  I know my place.
Think about why you are on Twitter, and if it’s a business person, act appropriately.  Post Tweets that support your brand, provide value, share good information, and be yourself.
What do you think?

twitter large The Secret to TwitterThe other day someone asked me what the secret to Twitter was?  Guess what, it’s the same as on LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social networking/media sites.  Provide value to others and you will eventually benefit in return.  Eventually might be right away or it might be a year from now.

On LinkedIn I can answer a question in depth, I can write a detailed recommendation, and post discussion questions and information in groups.  In each I have time to lay out a set of facts and follow up with information to support the point or to share information.

On Twitter you can pretty much put a short statement out and that’s it.  140 characters doesn’t seem like a lot, but you can accomplish a lot with brevity.

The number one use I see in using Twitter is to share information.  It might be a link to an interesting news article, it might be a quick answer, or it might be a link to one of my blog posts where I can provide valuable information.

For me that’s the value.  I can capture attention and clicks to my site by writing a good headline tweet and directing people to my blog.  The responder benefits from the information I share in my blog post.  I benefit by adding blog visitors that hopefully find value and continue to return.

It all comes back to providing value.  If I disguise a spam post as a legitimate post over time I’ll render my account worthless.  That’s why you see a lot of the same links to spam posted by different “people”.  Ever notice that the pictures normally all look like young models?  Profile photo’s straight from istockphoto.

If I provide value though then my credibility is enhanced and the next time I post a link to a new blog post, I’m likely to get a return visit.  Even better I may wind up with several retweets which helps spread my link and further increase traffic.

As a final word, I use Twitter for business purposes only.  I don’t post that I’m enjoying a latte at Starbucks…who cares.  Maybe if I were Chris Brogan that might be news.  He’s built his brand and people are interested in whatever he does.  People read my blog to know how to more effectively use LinkedIn and other social media.  I know my place.

Think about why you are on Twitter, and if it’s a business purpose, act appropriately.  Post Tweets that support your brand, provide value, share good information, and be yourself.

What do you think?

Social Media Sonar provides the following four resources for FREE… 1.  The Blog, 2. The Online Marketing/Social Media Blueprint, 3.  Conversion Rate Optimization Guide, 4.  Resource Center.  If these help you implement your own online marketing program, great. We love helping people. If you decide you need some help, great. We love new clients.  Contact Us if we can help you.

Filed Under: LinkedIn Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

5 Tips to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

August 10, 2009 By Sean Nelson 37 Comments

blog 5 tips to optimize profile 300x74 5 Tips to Optimize Your LinkedIn ProfileSeveral times a month I speak at events talking to others about how to use LinkedIn more effectively.  I’m constantly revising the presentations; trying to come up with one that balances showing new members what LinkedIn is while providing value to those that have been members for a while.

The latest presentation focuses on the three areas I wrote about in the 3 Basic Keys to LinkedIn:  Optimizing Your Profile, Building Your Network, and Leveraging LinkedIn.  From this I have put together a list of Tips for each area.  I’ll cover each in separate posts over the next two weeks.  Today we focus on 5 Tips to Optimize Your Profile.

Tip 1:  Have a Relevant Profile Photo

No discussion on creating a better profile can exclude the impact of the photo.  Having a photo simply allows people to place a face with a name.  Not having a photo says that you don’t get “it”.

Having a logo, a product shot, a cartoon etc. isn’t much better than not having a photo.  Doing this also says you don’t get “it”.  Having a photo that is hard to see, doesn’t match your brand, or that is not properly formatted says the same thing.

What is “It”?  “It” is the fact that social networking is about people interacting with people.  Not with companies, products, logos, or cartoon characters.  Being a professional network for business people, What might be acceptable on MySpace of Facebook doesn’t work on LinkedIn.

Tip 2:  Title verses a Tag Line

Titles tell people what you are.  Tag lines can tell people what you can do for them.  For example, there’s a huge difference between “Social Media Consultant” and “Helping business build communities and monetize social networking and media”.

If I’m the CEO for a company maybe I stick with the title.  If I’m a sales person I’d rather people know what I can do for them.  Remember whenever your mini profile is displayed (answering a question, posting a discussion question, posting a news article, etc.) viewers see your photo,  name, title/tag line.

Tip 3:  Customize Your URL’s

In your profile you have the ability to add 3 web links.  Typically you see these on a profile listed as My Website, My Blog, My Company, etc.  Each of these can easily be customized so that My Company is changed to SONARconnects, or MY Blog is Social Media Sonar Blog.

To make the change simply go to you “Edit Profile” page and click on the “edit” text link next to your URL’s.  Then click on the drop down box and choose “Other”.  This allows you to then type in a name to list for the link.

You also are assigned a URL for your Public Profile page.  It typically looks like this:  http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sean-nelson/10/6a4/3b6.  A customized Public Profile page URL would look like this:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/seannelson.

The customized web links and the customized profile URL will have an effect on your ranking in the search engines.

Tip 4:  Add Applications

Your profile is made up of a lot of static information.  You can update it over time which is good for two reasons:

1.  You want the information listed to be as up to date as possible; and

2.  Every time you update your profile your network is notified that something has changed.  This generates profile visits.

Applications allow you to present information in a variety of formats.  You can add videos,  PowerPoint presentations, white papers, brochures, one-pager’s, case studies, etc.  Not everyone visiting your profile will view the information, but for those who want to know more about you, this is a great way to share information about who you are and what you do.

For video I prefer the Goggle Presentations application.  For presentations I use Slide Share.  And for files I use Boxnet.  I also use the Word Press application to import my blog into my profile.

Others are using the Amazon application to share information on the books they like and TripIt to show others where they are traveling to.  You don’t have to use every application but a few can take your profile from 2 dimensional to 3 dimensional.

Tip 5:  Add Keywords to Your Profile

Your profile is searchable, whether it’s on LinkedIn or from search engines such as Google.  The more effectively you use keywords in your profile the better you will display in search results.  I’m not a fan of adding a string of keywords, but with the various places to add information you can sprinkle them naturally in your descriptions.

I wrote the LinkedIn MBA Workbook to provide a systematic way for someone to build a “Killer” profile.  The workbook is over 20 pages so there are a lot of other tips to optimize your profile.  If you do nothing but focus on the five I’ve listed above you will have a better profile tomorrow than you did today.

Your profile is where people that find you on LinkedIn begin forming their first impression.  Make it a good one and make sure that when they leave your profile they know exactly what you do and how you can help them.

What are some profile tips that I should have included?

**If you would like to learn more about how to use LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and Business Blogs to grow you business, SONAR Connects offers two options:

  1. Social Media Training that teaches you how to optimize your accounts, build communities of friends, followers, and connections, and how to monetize social networking and media.
  2. Social Networking/Media Management: We take on the responsibility for managing your social media accounts including creating and writing your blog.

Social Media Sonar provides the following four resources for FREE… 1.  The Blog, 2. The Online Marketing/Social Media Blueprint, 3.  Conversion Rate Optimization Guide, 4.  Resource Center.  If these help you implement your own online marketing program, great. We love helping people. If you decide you need some help, great. We love new clients.  Contact Us if we can help you.

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6 Top LinkedIn Tools

August 4, 2009 By Sean Nelson 14 Comments
We all get the point of LinkedIn…extend our networking by finding other business professionals to connect to with the hope that this will lead to more opportunity and eventually help us grow our business.  Some people do this more freely then other, but regardless we all want to be able to do it more effectively.  With that in mind here are 5 top LinkedIn tools.
Build a Better Profile:
The Linkulator:  The Linkulator is the first tool that grades your LinkedIn profile from 0 to 100, compares your score to the average LinkedIn user, and provides some tips to help you improve your score.  I’m partial to this tool because I built it.
Expand Your Network:
WebMail or Mail Client Import:  This tool simply looks at the people you communicate with through email, imports them into LinkedIn, and then shows you which of your imported contacts are already LinkedIn members.  You can then click to invite these people one by one or several at a time.
The Webmail option is simple and you just need to supply your login information.  The Mail Client (Outlook, Lotus, Mac, etc.) requires that you export your contacts to a CSV file and then import that to LinkedIn.  Instructions are available for the different programs making it a simple process.
Find a Job/Advance Your Career
Jobs Insider:  The Jobs Insider comes with the LinkedIn Browser toolbar.  With it you can see how you connect into a job listing and see how you are connected to the position.  The tool works with Monster, CareerBuilder, HotJobs, Craigslist, SimplyHired, Dice, or Vault
Build Your Credibility
LinkedIn Answers & RSS Feeds
Track topics based on keywords and categories in LinkedIn Answers to review and respond to questions posed by other LinkedIn members.  When you look at a category on the right side at the bottom of the Browse box is a text link to “Subscribe to new questions in” whichever category you are currently viewing.
Click on the RSS link and it will allow you to choose an RSS Reader from the list.  I use My Yahoo to view news stories and have set up an RSS feed to show me the most recent questions in several categories.  I can quickly find the most recent questions asked and build my credibility through sharing information and demonstrating my expertise.
Communicate Your Message
Blogs are a great way to provide value, share information, and communicate your message in a non-sales manner.  The WordPress or Blogger applications allow you to pull your blog into your profile, adding another dimension to it.  Blogs are easy to set up and you can have one up and running in less than 20 minutes.
We all get the point of LinkedIn…extend our networking by finding other business professionals to connect to with the hope that this will lead to more opportunity and eventually help us grow our business.  Some people do this more freely then others, but regardless we all want to be able to do it more effectively.  With that in mind here are 5 top LinkedIn tools and a bonus tool.

Build a Better Profile:
The Linkulator:  The Linkulator is the first tool that grades your LinkedIn profile from 0 to 100, compares your score to the average LinkedIn user, and provides some tips to help you improve your score.  I’m partial to this tool because I built it.

Expand Your Network:
WebMail or Mail Client Import:  This tool simply looks at the people you communicate with through email, imports them into LinkedIn, and then shows you which of your imported contacts are already LinkedIn members.  You can then click to invite these people one by one or several at a time.

The Webmail option is simple and you just need to supply your login information.  The Mail Client (Outlook, Lotus, Mac, etc.) requires that you export your contacts to a CSV file and then import that to LinkedIn.  Instructions are available for the different programs making it a simple process.

Find a Job/Advance Your Career
Jobs Insider:  The Jobs Insider comes with the LinkedIn Browser toolbar.  With it you can see how you connect into a job listing and see how you are connected to the position.  The tool works with Monster, CareerBuilder, HotJobs, Craigslist, SimplyHired, Dice, or Vault

Build Your Credibility
LinkedIn Answers & RSS Feeds (the link takes you to the Start Ups and Small Business Category.  RSS feeds are available in each category):  Track topics based on keywords and categories in LinkedIn Answers to review and respond to questions posed by other LinkedIn members.  When you look at a category on the right side at the bottom of the Browse box is a text link to “Subscribe to new questions in” whichever category you are currently viewing.

Click on the RSS link and it will allow you to choose an RSS Reader from the list.  I use My Yahoo to view news stories and have set up an RSS feed to show me the most recent questions in several categories.  I can quickly find the most recent questions asked and build my credibility through sharing information and demonstrating my expertise.

Communicate Your Message
Blog Applications:  Blogs are a great way to provide value, share information, and communicate your message in a non-sales manner.  The WordPress or Blogger applications allow you to pull your blog into your profile, adding another dimension to it.  Blogs are easy to set up and you can have one up and running in less than 20 minutes.

Bonus Tool
Resume Import to Create Profile:  Building your profile can be time consuming when you first start out.  Many people start and stop and only get to a detailed profile after many update sessions.  LinkedIn now allows you to upload your resume to build your profile.

I have to admit that I have not used the tool…my profile’s been built for a while…but anything that makes it easier is a good thing.  Just be sure to double check it because you never know what translation errors may occur.

Wrap Up
That’s it for the Top Tool tips.  They are many other tools available to help you more effectively utilize LinkedIn.  What are some of your favorites that I did not include?

Social Media Sonar provides the following four resources for FREE… 1.  The Blog, 2. The Online Marketing/Social Media Blueprint, 3.  Conversion Rate Optimization Guide, 4.  Resource Center.  If these help you implement your own online marketing program, great. We love helping people. If you decide you need some help, great. We love new clients.  Contact Us if we can help you.

Filed Under: LinkedIn Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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