LinkedIn for Business

LinkedIn? Do I need a profile here? Not sure… read on for simple advice and a step by step guide or bookmark this page for later.

Why LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a social networking site for businesses, which is mainly used for professional networking. With over 80 million registered users in more than 200 countries it is the ideal platform for business networking, allowing registered users to build a list of contact details of connections that they know and trust.

As a LinkedIn member you are able to make connections and build your professional network, update your status, share information and contribute to discussions. Public and private messages can be sent to your connections.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a LinkedIn profile – http://www.linkedin.com
Completely fill out your profile… the more information the better as this will help to build trust and improve your ability to make connections. A LinkedIn profile should be a true reflection of you and your current situation.
Checklist

• Headline – use a strong headline which includes relevant keywords
• Picture – people connect with people so a photo of you is recommended
• Summary – add a detailed and interesting summary that includes your specific skills and abilities.
• Contact – state how you want to be contacted… through LinkedIn, by email, or over the phone.
• What do you want to be contacted about? Interests like reference requests, consulting offers, or career opportunities.

2. Build your network
Use LinkedIn as your professional address book and connect with everyone you know and meet. Import contacts from Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail and connect with people you meet in business meetings. Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your business, participate in a few discussions and add news that will be of benefit to the group. Take a look at the members in the group and send personal invitations to those that you would like to connect with.

3. Be an expert in your field
Participate in the LinkedIn Q&A section. Answer questions to show your expertise and ask questions to better understand what customers or potential prospects think.

4. Make it interesting
Update your status to share articles of interest or something you’re currently working on and use widgets from the LinkedIn application directory to integrate other tools such as importing your latest WordPress blog posts onto your profile.

5. Create the perfect resume
Use LinkedIn’s Resume Builder to craft the perfect resume… simply choose a template and customise the content. Ask for recommendations from clients or co-workers to show your skill in your field and level of trustworthiness. Keep your profile updated as this will have a direct impact on your networking ability.

The bottom line…
LinkedIn is a business networking tool that enables you to build a network of trusted business contacts, potential clients and subject experts so in order to get the best from this social media platform keep it professional and keep it interesting.