Put the Missing Link in Your Brand

Mention the phrase social media and most people automatically think of Facebook and Twitter. But before you dismiss the idea of using LinkedIn because you only know it as that “bland” social media site where people go when they’re looking for a job, realize that currently there are 90 million LinkedIn users worldwide.

One new user joins every second of every day. And unlike social media sites like Facebook where many people use the site for entertainment, all LinkedIn users are business-minded. That means the connections you develop on LinkedIn are more likely to positively impact you or your agency in some way. If you want better or more professional business relationships, LinkedIn is the place to be. Even if you have a business profile on Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn makes a perfect addition to your personal or business branding efforts.

The key to making LinkedIn work for you and your company is to use the site regularly. That means posting something, either an update or a question/answer, every seven days at a minimum. Why? Because the more you use any social media site, the higher your “Google Juice” will be. Google’s algorithm will notice your regularity and you’ll get a higher ranking with Google than you would otherwise. Additionally, the more you interact and post on LinkedIn, the more prominent you’ll become within your network. Your name recognition will grow. Fortunately, staying active in LinkedIn and a regular user is simple when you understand how Linked-In can benefit you professionally.

Show off your skills. Make sure your profile is well-written and that it highlights what you currently do, what you have done, your strengths, your talents, your key attributes and your education. Remember that people will access your profile for many different reasons (recruitment, background information, professional contacts, etc.), so be thorough and always make your profile public.

Say something meaningful. By posting status updates that contain valuable content, you show your network that you are a team player and that you care about other people’s success. Remember that status updates are not the place to advertise your company’s products or services, nor is it a conversation group. Instead, share a best practice, announce a seminar/event you’ve been to or are going to or give a quick tip. The key is to post something interesting and relevant to your network.

Spot trends and hot topics. There’s an amazing amount of real-time information available on LinkedIn. By being a member of various groups that interest you, you can see what people are thinking on a certain topic by the questions they’re posting and the responses they’re getting. If you want to know what the current trends are in lean manufacturing, for example, join several lean manufacturing groups on LinkedIn and track each group’s activity. Then use the information in your sales pitch to these clients.

Get an “in” with prospects. Whether you’re looking for new clients or new vendors, with LinkedIn, you can search the companies you want to work with and see who in your network has connections there. You can then ask your connection for an introduction to a decision-maker who can help you. Even if you find that no one in your network has connections with a particular company, perhaps someone in one of your groups works there. That’s why it’s important to belong to every group that interests you. Continually build your LinkedIn relationships and make those key connections before you actually need them. Even though 82% of people use some kind of social media regularly, social media itself, including LinkedIn, is much like the Wild West. It’s not tame yet, and best practices are still being formed. With that said, if you’ve spent much of your time on other social media sites and feel they aren’t working for building professional relationships, then it’s time to give LinkedIn a try.

Jean Kelley (www.jeankelley.com) is president and founder of Jean Kelley Leadership Consulting.

Get the Inside Scoop
LinkedIn is a great place to get an inside glimpse of people’s lives. For example, you can look up potential clients or vendors on LinkedIn and see what kind of books they read, where they went to school, what their main interests are (based on the groups they belong to) and much more. Now you’ll have more to talk about when you meet the potential client, potential vendor or potential networking friend. Think of LinkedIn as a gateway to have a professional relationship with someone much quicker.

Commit to spending at least 30 minutes per day on LinkedIn by posting your ideas in updates, asking and answering questions, participating in groups and reaching out to potential connections. It’s one more thing to schedule in your calendar, but by building relationships and gaining new information on people and topics, it can make your job easier and better position your agency.

—J.K.