Are You Using LinkedIn For Business? 
Are you clued in on how to use LinkedIn for business lead generation effectively? In case you’ve been living under a rock, LinkedIn is the largest and fastest growing social networking sites in the world today, with over 150 million users and counting. So what does this mean for your business?
First of all, you’re not the only one using LinkedIn for business! It’s a known fact that LinkedIn is where many decision makers and business owners go to connect, network and build business relationships. In fact, you’re probably connected with many potential partners and clients through your personal network… you just don’t know it yet! So how do you ensure that they’ll be able to connect and ultimately do business with you? You need a LinkedIn business strategy.
LinkedIn For Business Basics
Well, one of the things that you should be doing is getting on to LinkedIn and showcasing everything that you and your business have to offer! Using LinkedIn for business is so powerful because it allows you to have a presence and be found by people who need your product or service through your personal network of contacts. You’re not just gaining valuable exposure for your business, you’re getting attention from people who are much more open to you because you’re in their “circle of trust”, so to speak. Read our testimonials on the power of LinkedIn.
Start Using LinkedIn For Business By Creating A Profile
Now that we’ve established that you should be using LinkedIn for business, where do you start? Well first of all, you’ll want to create a profile page for yourself. Signing up for LinkedIn is free, and it shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to fill in your personal details and confirm your account. Once you’ve completed all the sign-up steps, you’ll be directed to create your profile page.
Most people don’t put a lot of time and effort into creating their profile page, and that is a HUGE mistake. If you’re serious about using LinkedIn for business, you should think of your LinkedIn profile as your business card, company profile page and PR firm all in one. It’s the first thing every single person searching for you and what you have to offer will see, so you’ll want to ensure that it’s 100% complete and looks professional. It’s very important to include all the keywords that are relevant to what you are offering as well, because that’s how you will be found not just in LinkedIn, but Google as well.
Making Connections In LinkedIn For Business Purposes
Once you’ve completed your profile, it’s time to start making connections. Unlike most other social networking sites, you can’t just connect with anyone you come across that you think would be interested in your or what you have to offer. When you find someone that you would like to connect with, you will need to show that you have an existing relationship with them.
So how do you get around this restriction and use LinkedIn for business effectively without being perceived as a spammer?
Well first of all, you should add the all the people that you already have a relationship with to your network. You can easily import your e-mail contacts into LinkedIn to add them to your network, and let them know that you are on LinkedIn. Once you’ve established your network, you should start interacting with them to increase your visibility. You should also get involved in relevant groups, which will give you an opportunity to connect with like minded people and be seen as the expert in your field. By showcasing your expertise in this way, you’ll invite connections from people who may be interested in what you have to offer.
Finally, and most importantly, remember that learning how to use LinkedIn for business effectively will take time. So don’t feel like you need to understand and master everything to do with LinkedIn right off the bat. By applying these tips for using LinkedIn for business day by day, step by step, I’m confident that you’ll be able to leverage the power of LinkedIn to market your brand and grow your business!
Connect with JoAnne
