Afraid of LinkedIn?
Martine Brennan asked:
For those of us who came of age before there was a computer on every desk, when posting meant a letter, and becoming connected meant either a telephone or cable TV, LinkedIn can feel incredibly daunting! But like it or not LinkedIn is the largest networking event "in town".
So how do we deal with it? How do we break down the process?
You have entered your email address and signed up, you have clicked the box on the confirmation email. What next?
1. Your profile page on LinkedIn is really just another name for your C.V. or Resume. Take your time as you fill in the questions, if in doubt take a look at what other colleagues have entered.
2. Next enter the names of colleagues and friends who are already using LinkedIn. Invite them to connect with you by clicking on the note "Invite X to connect with you" on their Profile page.
3. Look down their Profile pages, what groups do your colleagues belong to? Are these groups relevant to you and your industry? If they are click on the box that says join this group.
4. Is there a group which supports business in your geographical area? That group is important for you to join. By joining you will receive updates about what other local/relevant businesses are doing.
5. If you have something relevant to say, join in the discussion.
6. If you have done business with someone that you would be happy to recommend, you will see a note saying "Recommend this Person" on their Profile page, click on this note and follow the instructions.
7. If you have customers/clients on LinkedIn who value your service, invite them to write a recommendation for you or your business.
All of this is the LinkedIn version of collecting business cards at any face to face networking event.
But what do you do next?
8. Being connected to people on LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to email people through LinkedIn's own system or to gather their business email addresses to set up meetings or give them information about your product/service. This is exactly what you would do with the business cards you had gathered at a face to face event.
9. LinkedIn also makes you visible to potential clients/customers. Many businesses now look for services and check them out on LinkedIn. Your LinkedIn Profile is a 24 hour/ seven day a week/fifty two weeks of the year marketing vehicle for your business.
10. If you still can't "get your head around" LinkedIn, then hire someone to start you off in "the largest neworking event in town."
The Future of Social Media
For those of us who came of age before there was a computer on every desk, when posting meant a letter, and becoming connected meant either a telephone or cable TV, LinkedIn can feel incredibly daunting! But like it or not LinkedIn is the largest networking event "in town".
So how do we deal with it? How do we break down the process?
You have entered your email address and signed up, you have clicked the box on the confirmation email. What next?
1. Your profile page on LinkedIn is really just another name for your C.V. or Resume. Take your time as you fill in the questions, if in doubt take a look at what other colleagues have entered.
2. Next enter the names of colleagues and friends who are already using LinkedIn. Invite them to connect with you by clicking on the note "Invite X to connect with you" on their Profile page.
3. Look down their Profile pages, what groups do your colleagues belong to? Are these groups relevant to you and your industry? If they are click on the box that says join this group.
4. Is there a group which supports business in your geographical area? That group is important for you to join. By joining you will receive updates about what other local/relevant businesses are doing.
5. If you have something relevant to say, join in the discussion.
6. If you have done business with someone that you would be happy to recommend, you will see a note saying "Recommend this Person" on their Profile page, click on this note and follow the instructions.
7. If you have customers/clients on LinkedIn who value your service, invite them to write a recommendation for you or your business.
All of this is the LinkedIn version of collecting business cards at any face to face networking event.
But what do you do next?
8. Being connected to people on LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to email people through LinkedIn's own system or to gather their business email addresses to set up meetings or give them information about your product/service. This is exactly what you would do with the business cards you had gathered at a face to face event.
9. LinkedIn also makes you visible to potential clients/customers. Many businesses now look for services and check them out on LinkedIn. Your LinkedIn Profile is a 24 hour/ seven day a week/fifty two weeks of the year marketing vehicle for your business.
10. If you still can't "get your head around" LinkedIn, then hire someone to start you off in "the largest neworking event in town."
The Future of Social Media
