Welcome to the Kleber & Associates blog! Are You LinkedIn? Here’s the latest.
LinkedIn has been getting a lot of media attention lately, namely for its recent public stock offering. But more importantly, LinkedIn is quickly becoming “The Place” to professionally network. Networking has become somewhat of a buzz word lately in all industries – to get a job you need to network, to get a new customer you need to network, to maintain your existing customers… yep, you guessed it. And many companies are familiar with social networking websites (44% of companies believe a Facebook page is important for their business and 38% believe a Twitter page is). But what about professional networking?
LinkedIn offers a place for businesses to connect with their employees, clients and other businesses both in and outside of their own industry. But just like with any other advertising venue there are always things you can do to increase your chance of success. Leon Spencer recently outlined a few tips to help your LinkedIn profile gain the attention it deserves. Here is a brief overview of his ideas:
1. Complete your profile. Make sure your profile contains all the information that your contacts or potential contacts need. Your profile is your first impression, and it can make or break your relationships.
2. Join Groups. LinkedIn has a wide variety of groups in every industry and for every interest. Involve your company in the conversations within the groups. If you don’t find a group that pertains to your business or customers, start one – become the leader!
3. Ask and Answer Questions. Get involved in the discussions in your groups and in your network. These discussions allow you to both discover and offer valuable information.
4. Reply to Messages. If clients or businesses are asking you questions – answer them!
5. Complete Your Profile with Testimonials and Applications. Asking current or former clients to recommend you is an excellent way to prove your company’s credibility and showcase the quality of your work. Applications from Twitter and WordPress allow you to integrate your other online marketing initiatives right in to your LinkedIn page. And integration equals continuity!
Like I said before, involving your company in discussions about your industry is one of the best things you can do on LinkedIn. You can join the conversation with us in the Home and Building Products News group.
