Short presentation for Jonesboro Arkansas Regional Chamber of Commerce Lunch n Learn on basics of using LinkedIn. Overview of what LinkedIn is, how to use it, setting up a profile and company page

1. LINKEDIN BASICS FOR BUSINESS
THE PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL NETWORK
PRESENTATION HERB LAWRENCE
VICE PRESIDENT GOVERNMENT GUARANTY LENDING
FIRST COMMUNITY BANK

2. WHAT IS LINKEDIN?
• 330+ MILLION PROFESSIONALS IN 200 + COUNTRIES!
• 3 MILLION COMPANY PAGES
• EXECUTIVES FROM ALL FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES ARE MEMBERS
OF THIS NETWORK.
• RELATIONSHIPS MATTER – CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN A NEW WAY
TO PROLONG PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS & TO CREATE NEW
ONES VIA YOUR EXISTING CONTACTS!

3. BASICS TO COVER
• IS LINKED IN RIGHT OR YOUR BUSINESS?
• PROFILES
• CONTENT – POSTING
• CONNECTIONS – FINDING FOLKS
• COMPANY PAGES
• PULSE – PUBLISHING WITH LINKEDIN
• TOOLS

5. WHY ONLINE MATTERS

6. WHAT ARE MY GOALS?
• WHY AM I HERE?
• WHAT DO I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH
LINKEDIN?
• WHAT IS MY “VALUE PROPOSITION?
• HOW ARE OTHERS USING LI IN MY INDUSTRY?
• HOW MUCH TIME TO DEDICATE?
• HOW DOES LINKEDIN FIT INTO MY OVERALL
MARKETING PLAN?

7. FIRST THINGS FIRST – JOIN LINKEDIN
• HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM
• HAVE YOUR RECENT RESUME READY!
• COMPANY NAMES, DATES, EDUCATION
• SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE GAINED AT EACH JOB OR SCHOOL!
• A PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT, OR RECOGNIZABLE PHOTO!
• DON’T BE TOO CASUAL WITH THIS PHOTO, THIS IS A
PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL NETWORK– NOT FACEBOOK.

8. CREATE A STRONG PROFILE

9. PROFILE COMPLETENESS:
WHAT YOU NEED TO GET 100%
• CURRENT POSITION
• AT LEAST: 2 PAST POSITIONS
• YOUR EDUCATION
• PROFILE SUMMARY – A SHORT PARAGRAPH ABOUT
YOURSELF & PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS! (REMEMBER
YOUR KEYWORDS!)
• PROFILE PHOTO – NO BABIES, NO PARTYING. KEEP IT
PROFESSIONAL (HEADSHOTS WORK BEST!)
• YOUR SPECIALTIES - HELPS FOR ENDORSEMENTS!
• AT LEAST: 3 LINKEDIN RECOMMENDATIONS

10. CONNECTIONS ARE EXPONENTIAL!

11. FINDING CONNECTIONS
• SEARCH FOR PEOPLE.
• IMPORT E-MAIL ADDRESS BOOK
• INVITE PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH YOU
ON LINKEDIN.
• START WITH YOUR COMMUNITY –
SEARCH FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL
CIRCLE FIRST.
• INTRODUCE YOURSELF – SEND
MESSAGES TO MEMBERS OF YOUR
INDUSTRY OR COMMUNITY THAT YOU
HAVE YET TO MEET.

12. SHARE YOUR LINKEDIN URL
• SHARE YOUR PRESENCE ON LINKEDIN ON YOUR BUSINESS CARDS
– THIS A GREAT WAY TO BUILD YOUR CONNECTIONS ONLINE &
MEET NEW CONTACTS.
• REACH OUT TO YOUR CLIENTS IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY –
FACEBOOK IS GREAT FOR BUILDING A CASUAL RELATIONSHIP,
BUT FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE LINKEDIN CAN WORK BETTER!
• YOUR LINKEDIN URL IS LOCATED: ON YOUR PROFILE – UNDER
EDUCATION & RECOMMENDATIONS. YOU CAN EDIT YOUR URL
TO BE EASY TO REMEMBER!

13. SHARE ON LINKEDIN BUTTON

14. STATUS UPDATES: WHAT SHOULD YOU SHARE?
• LATEST PROJECTS OR EVENTS YOU ARE SHOWING
• YOUR LATEST SPECIALS, DEALS OR NEWS
• TIPS FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS/SUPPORT INFO
• LINKS TO YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE:
• FACEBOOK PAGE
• TWITTER ACCOUNT
• WEBSITE
UPDATE AROUND 2-4 TIMES A DAY –
HOOTSUITE IS AN AWESOME TOOL FOR FEEDING POSTS.

15. WHAT IS GOOD CONTENT
• EDUCATES
• INFORMS
• ENTERTAINS
• PROVIDES VALUE
• BUILDS TRUST
• CREATES RELATIONSHIPS…THEN
• SELLS……

16. WHY GOOD CONTENT MATTERS

17. HOW TO SPREAD CONTENT
• VIDEO
• IMAGES, PICTURES –
• ARTICLES
• INFOGRAPHICS
• EBOOKS/WHITE PAPERS
• WEBINARS
• PODCASTS

18. BEST TIME TO POST ON LINKEDIN
• WEEKDAYS DURING
BUSINESS HOURS,
SPECIFICALLY:
• TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY,
THURSDAY
• MOST CLICKS & SHARES
TUESDAYS 10-11
AM
• BEST TIME OF DAY: 7-8 AM
AND 5-6 PM

19. COMPANY PROFILES
• FOLLOW OTHER COMPANIES – LOCAL, INDUSTRY, OR PARTNERS.
• SEARCH FOR JONESBORO, PARAGOULD, MEMPHIS COMPANIES
WHO ARE ALREADY SET UP ON LINKEDIN.
• SET-UP YOUR OWN COMPANY PROFILE- (ONLY ONE PERSON
NEEDS TO DO THIS!)
• GET YOUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ACTIVE ON LINKEDIN INVOLVED
WITH THE COMPANY PROFILE!

20. COMPANY PAGE

21. SETTING UP YOUR COMPANY PAGE
• BE SURE YOU READ THE DIRECTIONS!
• USE YOUR WORK EMAIL
• YOU DO NOT WANT TO ATTACH A PERSONAL EMAIL TO THE
COMPANY PROFILE (WHY? NO ONE ELSE IN THE COMPANY CAN
LIST IT.)
• SHRINK YOUR LOGO – 100X60 PIXELS
• PICK THE BEST COMPANY TYPE
• BE HONEST ABOUT THE SIZE!

22. DON’T FORGET …
• KEYWORDS, KEYWORDS, KEYWORDS!
• COMPANY SPECIALTIES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT!
• DISCUSS WITH YOUR OWNER & FELLOW EMPLOYEES WHAT YOUR
COMPANY DESCRIPTION SHOULD BE!
• BE DIRECT, PROFESSIONAL & SIMPLE!
• ITS LIKE A FIRST IMPRESSION- MAKE IT COUNT!

23. PULSE

24. DON’T GIVE UP!
• DON’T JUST CREATE A PROFILE – GET INVOLVED WITH GROUP
CONVERSATIONS, ACTIVELY ADD YOUR CONTACTS TO LINKEDIN
& RESPOND TO RECOMMENDATION REQUESTS OR MESSAGES!
• SEEK OUT THOSE WHO WOULD RECOMMEND YOU, TOO!
• UPDATE YOUR LINKEDIN STATUS– SHARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL
NEWS!
• EXAMPLE: REAL ESTATE AGENT LISTS A NEW HOME – SHARE
THE DETAILS! YOUR CONNECTIONS MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO
BUY A HOME FROM SOMEONE THEY KNOW THAN A
COMPLETE STRANGER!

25. TOOLS TO SAVE TIME
• HOOTSUITE.COM
• BUFFER.COM
READ ALL ABOUT THESE AND OTHER SCHEDULING TOOLS
AT OUR STORIFY ARTICLE “SCHEDULING TOOLS FOR
BEGINNERS”

26. SUMMER READING
• HUBSPOT HOW TO MASTER CONTENT MARKETING ON
LINKEDIN
• PROFILES 6 LINKEDIN TIPS TO MAKE YOUR PROFILE POP
• COMPANY PAGES 4 ADVANCED TIPS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR COMPANY
PAGE
• PULSE HOW TO USE PUBLISHER TO GET MORE
VISIBILITY
• GROUPS 3 WAYS TO GENERATE LEADS WITH GROUPS
• ETIQUETTE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LINKEDIN
ETIQUETTE

27. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT
LINKEDIN!
• HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM