Six Steps to Harnessing the Power of LinkedIn

One of the most popular social network groups, LinkedIn, is almost one of the most misunderstood. Learn to be a power user of LinkedIn with the "Six Steps to Harnessing the Power of LinkedIn!"

Written Jan 09, 2009, read 2583 times since then.

Ever notice that some people have tons of connections in LinkedIn and some people have...well...one?

While it is easy to sign up for a LinkedIn account, few people realize that their LinkedIn account can open doors to new business partnerships, potentials clients, and a wealth of information to aid in building a business. Although it is not exactly rocket science, establishing strong relationships in LinkedIn is quickly replacing lunch meetings and cold calls. And, the reason why is simple. You can easily meet and introduce yourself to a host of interesting and interested business contacts all with a few minutes. More importantly, you gain exposure to many other business owners and clients from across the street as well as across the world!

There is a failure for business owners when using LinkedIn! About 80% of LinkedIn profiles are filled with resume information instead of business information. If you are asking yourself why this matters, the answer is quite clear to any marketer within a hundred paces. You have to present yourself in such a way that it shows visitors why they would want to meet you and what you have to offer as a connection. Be realistic, when you look at your LinkedIn profile, do you see someone who is credible? Your LinkedIn profile should be the online equivalent of your elevator speech because you only get 9 seconds to impress the person who reads it. The definition of bad is if the person comes away from your profile unimpressed. Worse would be if someone elects not to read it at all.

Let’s start the New Year off right by toning up your profile (no heavy lifting, I promise!) to harness the power of LinkedIn with this quick checklist:

Profiling: Look at your LinkedIn profile in the Big Picture view. If it is not complete, then deduct points. If it does not use power words that speak specifically of skills, talents, and experiences, then start over. Don’t be afraid to tell people your specialties in your summary and list keywords that add targeted punch to your skill set. For example, I am a marketer, but that says absolutely nothing. But, if you read my profile you find that I specialize in marketing for women and coaches. You have a deeper understanding of my abilities, especially if you are women business owner or a coach. Make yourself stand out by not being a part of the crowd of general adjectives and boring copy.
Sharing: Start with the knowledge that if you do not approach others, you will not get asked to dance! Add connections to your profile by sending invitations to people in your address book and adding your LinkedIn profile badge to all of your outgoing information like your blog, email messages, and your website. Publicize your profile everywhere you can and you will be surprised how many people start linking to you.
Joining: This is the fun part! Now that you have a great LinkedIn profile, join some groups. LinkedIn really makes this easy because you can join groups according to religion, education, hobbies, sports, job interests, inspiration, and support. If you can think of a reason or interest, then it is likely that LinkedIn has a group started already for you to join. By joining groups, you will get to send connection requests to group members and they will get to contact you for connections. Many groups supply discussion boards, messaging space, and connection updates.
Asking: This is the one place that so many people forget to upkeep in their LinkedIn profile. Perhaps because we are concerned about asking for testimonials and reviews from past connections, we shy away from asking for a recommendation or referral. Don’t! If you have had a good relationship with another LinkedIn member, then ask for a recommendation. And…return the favor because their recommendation gives you credentials, but your recommendation gives you exposure in their LinkedIn profile too. It is the best of both worlds.
Answering: One of the vital assets of the LinkedIn community is often building a network of people who can offer insight into questions you might have about business. In order to find those connections, asking and answering questions is a great way to establish a first contact. By asking questions, you are able to be an expert in a field and offer guidance to someone else. In return, by asking a question, you are giving the opportunity for others to show their expertise. Everyone has questions…now you have network to ask.
Adding: Use the robust applications of LinkedIn to share what you are doing with your blog, add polls to your profile, and share presentations. Creating a 360 degree link to all of your activities gives the people in your LinkedIn network the ability to follow your message without difficulty or direction. In the end, your LinkedIn profile should be about “working smarter, not harder” to get connections.

LinkedIn might seem like a huge investment in time, but it is really an investment in networking the smart way. Once your LinkedIn profile is set up and you are interacting with your groups, you will find it a pleasure that you look forward to every week. Plus, it is a great reference tool for you to tell potential clients or business partners: "check out my LinkedIn profile." It is your online portfolio for you and your business.

Lastly…remember: Your LinkedIn profile is searchable in Google. Use your keywords in your description and make yourself interesting!

Now…get out there and get LinkedIn!

Note: Special podcast and expanded review notes available free at www.magicmarketingusa.wordpress.com or by contacting me through Biznik.

Learn more about the author, Diana Bourgeois.

Comment on this article

Posted by Jahnelle Pittman, Kansas City, Missouri | Jan 11, 2009

I'm a recent addition to LinkedIn, and have been wondering exactly how it could work for my business. I had no idea what to do!

Thanks so much for the helpful article - I even posted it on my site: http://www.bestseocopywriter.com/samples.php

Thanks again!
Posted by Phyllis Harber-Murphy, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada | Jan 12, 2009

What a terrific article, Diana! Thank you so much for sharing with all of us. I can attest to the power of LinkedIn to build your business.

Do you have any additional advice on adding LinkedIn applications? Are there any particular applications that have worked especially well for you? As you mention, LinkedIn can be a huge investment of time and being a new business owner, that's a very precious commodity for me.

Thanks again!

Best regards,

Phyllis Harber-Murphy CAP More Than 9 2 5 Virtual Assistance www.morethan925.com
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 12, 2009

Jahnelle,

Thank you for the link! Let me know if I can answer LinkedIn questions.

Diana
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 12, 2009

Phyllis,

Thank you for the comment. In the attachments, there are several applications outside of the blog application that I mention. For example, the presentation application (I have just discovered a new program that turns powerpoints into flash video that I love) and the amazon application to let others know what you are reading. I love both of these applications because they encourage interaction. This is the key to strong LinkedIn. One that I am not too fond of, for women especially, is the travel application. Does not seem safe for your travel plans to be available in your profile. I am always about safety first.

Both the presentation and the podcast that give more information on LinkedIn are available on my blog at www.magicmarketingusa.wordpress.com.

Best, Diana
Posted by Iris Salmins, Houston, Texas | Jan 12, 2009

Thanks for the info. You are giving me more work, but I believe it will be well worth it! I am looking forward to checking out your blog.
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 12, 2009

Iris,

Thank you for the comment! The work will be what makes the difference. Although, I would be remiss in missing the opportunity to point out that is what a marketing company does!

Diana
Posted by Gabriella Sannino, San Francisco, California | Jan 12, 2009

Diana, as usual you never cease to amaze me. Your articles are always helpful and spot on! Regards, Gabriella
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 12, 2009

Gabriella--Coming from the SEO guru, that is indeed a compliment!
Posted by Mike Jaffe, Westport, Connecticut | Jan 13, 2009

Social networking is a very important skill. Thank you for this article that tells exactly how to do it.
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 13, 2009

Mike,

Very true. Social networking makes all the difference in our online world!
Posted by Jerry Elmore, Midland, Georgia | Jan 13, 2009

Diana:

I recently joined with Linkedin and can see that I need to revisit the way I've positioned myself. Thanks for the good advice.
Posted by Lee Kaplanian, Seattle, Washington | Jan 15, 2009

At last, after all the hype about how important LinkedIn is, you have done a great job in helping me understand what all the fuss is about. I definitely have to go back and check my profile again because I may not have been specific. It is definitely harder to speak well of myself, childhood training says that is boasting. As a good friend who does web site creation said, she has no trouble working on someone's site but very hard to do her own just for that reason. I love Maryanne Williamson's "Our greatest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure....". I am learning to stop playing small so others will feel secure - that doesn't work. Thank you for a terrific article!

Lee Kaplanian - cmtiwest.com
Posted by Bob Stewart, Vashon Island, Washington | Jan 15, 2009

Dianne,

This is a great article and very timely for me. I put my profile and your article side by side on my screen and went back and forth which each topic you covered. One question: How do you put your badge on a blog or whatever and what is the badge?

Thanks again for the article. I will check out your blog as well.

Bob
Posted by Caron Goode, Fort Worth, Texas | Jan 15, 2009

Diana

You must be the expert in the marketing field, because you are one who can walk non-techies like me through the steps. Thanks so much for the great article. And Bob, I love your idea of going back and forth between screens to keep track of the topics.

Thanks again

Caron
Posted by Dennis Kelley, North Canton, Ohio | Jan 15, 2009

Diana,

Thanks for the great article. I have spent a lot more time recently using and understanding LinkedIn. It is a great networking tool and easy to use. I especially like your comment about posting my LinkedIn profile badge to my blog and website. A simple idea, but a duh! moment for me. (By the way, I highly recommend you personalize your profile link with you name in it instead of the generic link you are assigned when you sign up.)

Another feature I like is the book review add-in where you can recommend books you have read and people can follow what you recommend. Just another way to create a connection.

I've worked on my profile many times and keep tweaking it. I'll use your advise to go back and work on it some more. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.

Thanks again. Dennis http://www.linkedin.com/in/denniskelley
Posted by Frith Barbat, Seattle, Washington | Jan 15, 2009

Great article Diana. I've been on LinkedIn for a while but forgot that there are many people I know that I can invite to connect with me there. I'm comfortable networking via Biznik because there are so many opportunities to meet face-to-face and have found it to be an incredibly valuable resource. I find LinkedIn to be less stimulating because it's so virtual - any suggestions for how to make it more personal, less cerebral? Again, thanks for the reminders. I too went point-by-point and reviewed my page.
Posted by Timothy Ganstrom, Bothell, Washington | Jan 15, 2009

I've had a LinkedIn profile for a while, and I think it was 'O.K.' but your article does remind me to strive for excellence there and add value to my network via LinkedIn. It must be a reasonable investment for the future of WoM style referral connections. Which is a step of faith for an Engineering type personality like me! ;-)

BTW: is it redundant to utilize both Biznik and LinkedIn? Or do both have independent and unique value?
Posted by Karen Floyd, Seattle, Washington | Jan 16, 2009

There's always more to learn! Thank you Diana for sharing some of the nuts and bolts of LinkedIn with us.
Posted by Adrienne Akinsete, San Jose, California | Jan 16, 2009

This is good information on linkedin - I took me a while to figure most of this out - wish I had read your article a few months ago when I first got started -
Posted by Jim Gilbert, Boca Raton, Florida | Jan 16, 2009
Great article. You break it down very nicely for your readers. I recently wrote a 3 article series on Linkedin for networking and I'd like to add to your points a bit.
1. Change your profile and status often. When you do, your network gets notified. It keeps you out in front of your network. I tweak my profile weekly and change my status daily.
2. Make sure you use all 3 of the website links. Mine goes to my two blogs and my twitter feed. Also the wording of this is customizable.
3. Post relevant questions in groups. Don't be "spammy"! Answer more questions than you ask... it's a "give to get" medium.
There's more, but I'll keep it short.

Regards, Jim Gilbert jimdirect@aol.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimwgilbert
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Jerry--Thank you for reading! LinkedIn is a powerful tool for networking.
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Lee--You quote one of my all time favorites: Maryanne Williamson's "Our greatest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure...." Marketing is all about knowing how to boast while making your customer agree with you!! Thank you for reading.
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Bob--Good question. The badge lets people know you are LinkedIn and they can connect with you. To put your badge on your blog, go into your widgets and paste the code. To get your LinkedIn code, login to LinkedIn. Go to Accounts and Settings at the top right. Click on Public Profile under the Profile Settings section. The second bullet in the second blue box is "Promote your profile with customized buttons."

Easy huh? They might need a marketer to tell them that should be more user friendly!! Thanks for reading!
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Caron--Thank you. Networking is very important and I hope everyone who can will take advantage of the opportunity to use social media!
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Dennis,

On my blog the notes recommend and explain how to personalize your LinkedIn profile with your name! I agree completely...great point.

Thank you for bringing that out.
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Frith,

Many people find the opportunity to connection with other through LinkedIn by joining groups. One lady from one of my groups recently sent me a message that she was going to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. (We are from New Orleans.) So, I would say group interaction would be key. Find the people in your area or interest that do actually meet. One suggestion is Women Connections--they hold physical meetings. Around certain group interests, like parenting, there are groups like The Academy for Coaching Parents who have tele-classes. These are both great ways to actually interact with people.

Thanks for the great question!
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Timothy,

I think that both are very valuable in different ways. As Frith mentioned, there is much more interaction in Biznik. Plus, the articles and resources I find here help me add to my knowledge base. LinkedIn gives me the opportunity to interact with people outside of my usual rhelm of community. So, both great resources for professionals. And, the Golden Rule with both is that you get out what you put in!

Thank you for the question.
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Karen,

Thank you for reading my article.
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Adrienne--Some trial / some error! laughing Thank you for stopping by!
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 16, 2009

Jim,

Top notch advice! Changing your profile (even if it is just "what are you doing?" or your picture) keeps you in view! Also, avoid the spam. People hate it in all forms.

Last piece of advice...use power word when you describe yourself and what you do! Make yourself interesting by considering what others might want to know!

Thanks Jim!
Posted by Joni Hubred-Golden, Farmington, Michigan | Jan 17, 2009

Diana, thanks so much for this informative and insightful article! I've had a profile on LinkedIn, but until I saw yours, didn't realize I could link my blog to it! I'm on my way to do that now.

Best,

Joni
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 17, 2009

Joni,

Glad it helped! Linkedin is a great tool for networking.

Diana
Posted by Kumar Iyer, Bangalore, Karnataka India | Jan 18, 2009

Diana,

Thanks for the nice article and approach. In the begining it was a tough call for me too @ LinkedIn. I have modified my profile in this direction so that it helps others to know what I can offer !.

Big thanks, Great Day Kumar
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 18, 2009

Kumar,

Glad that you found it helpful. Enjoy the day!

Diana
Posted by Stephen Lachuta, Seattle, Washington | Jan 19, 2009

Great points there. I have been slacking off on my LinkedIn account the last while and need to get back on track with it. Thank you. ~Dr. Steve Lachuta Northgate Chiropractic
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Jan 20, 2009

Stephen,

Thank you for reading. I hope you have great success.

Diana
Posted by Karen Stinchfield, Chandler, Arizona | Feb 20, 2009

Diana, Thanks for the information. I am on LinkedIn and haven't done anything with it. Now I know how useful it can be.

Karen Stinchfield Bella and Gracies bellaandgracies.com
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Feb 20, 2009

Karen--

Glad to help...let me know if I can answer any questions.

Dee
Posted by Ronald Bourgeois, Salem, South Carolina | Mar 01, 2009

Diana, Thank you for the information. I'm am starting up a linkedin account and I'm am finding you article very helpful. Thanks again....
Posted by Jim Gilbert, Boca Raton, Florida | Mar 01, 2009

Here is another article I wrote on linkedin, only this time with a more business oriented slant.

Originally written for eMarketing & Commerce Magazine (eM+C) , now up on my blog at: http://gilbertdirectmarketing.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/5-tips-for-using-linkedin-as-a-business-tool/

Regards, Jim Gilbert
Posted by Diana Bourgeois, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | Mar 01, 2009

Jim,

Your intelligence for Linkedin is vast. Thank you for sharing.

Dee
Posted by Jim Gilbert, Boca Raton, Florida | Mar 01, 2009

My pleasure. I've become something of a linkedin advocate. In April I have a presentation scheduled at a meeting of 3 of our local marketing associations to speak on networking.

It's fun to do, and brings my direct marketing agency in business in a non-direct manner.

Jim http://gilbertdirectmarketing.wordpress.com
Posted by Ronald Bourgeois, Salem, South Carolina | Apr 22, 2009

Good article, I never thought of using Linkedin in this way. Thanks
Posted by Jenny Gallagher, Portland, Oregon | Oct 22, 2009

Great article and thanks for the reminder to update and use this wonderful networking tool.