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Using LinkedIn

July 5, 2007 | Filed Under Online Marketing, Social Networking 

Ok, I’ve had a few people (four to be exact) ask me about LinkedIn in the last three days.

So I’m going to tell you what I know about why you’d want to use LinkedIn and the different ways to get there.

I love LinkedIn.

Some in-general info…as with any “New Media” stuff you have to go in with a plan, or you’ll end up with a mess. Here are some broad options I’ve seen LinkedIn used for. Your mileage may vary, but most likely you’ll see yourself in one of these options.

• Just starting in business and want to use it as an in-between kind of lead management system. Keep all the info in one place that you don’t want to put into Outlook or an Excel spreadsheet online. (Or a CMS like Zoho)
• A LinkedIn profile that is only people you know. This will connect you to only people they know and you have real, solid connections with. Best if you’re looking to go for very high quality leads.
• A LinkedIn profile that connects you to everyone from a particular group? Professional women? Men? Insurance Agents? This can be useful for finding mastermind groups or asking questions of your peers.
• The be all, end all, 8 million connection profile? Do you want to have access to information on a bunch of people? You could use this information for cold-calling or lead generation.

Any way you slice it, you’ll have pros and cons. What you get out of it, as with anything, will be directly proportionate to plan + energy + consistency. I’ll tell you, though, that just having a plan will reduce the amount of energy you have to use because you’ll have your goal in mind every time you get a LinkedIn request.

I chose the first option. I know the people on my LinkedIn and when I needed a person for something that was connected to someone I knew, I picked up the phone and got an immediate reference! It’s also a great way to get testimonials and have a place to store them. There’s even a form that helps you ask and everythinng!

Since New Media is my specialty, I like to be able to give people the above options to help relate it to their current marketing efforts and focus. This makes me look like I know stuff (’cause I do) - but in almost any niche, business, or professional group your LinkedIn profile will help you be seen as someone who keeps up with the trends and the times.

This is never a bad thing.

Even if you decide you hate LinkedIn and New Media…it can help you weed out people who are crazy for that kind of thing and know in advance you may not want to work with them.

If I were looking for a job, and not a business owner, there are even more ways I could use LinkedIn for networking, etc. LinkedIn is a great way to show who you are in a way that will let others know if you are someone they want to get to know better.

Go now! Be LinkedIn and multiply!

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