3. Agenda What is LinkedIn? Your Profile Your Connections Start communicating 3
4. What is LinkedIn? On-line business networking portal Based upon the premise of Six Degrees of Separation However, LinkedIn uses only three degrees in its model Can also be used as: Business e-mail address book Substitute on-line resume Professional marketing brochure Job research tool (bi-directional) … and more. 4
17. Your Connections College friends (Former) clients Referral sources (Former) colleagues Neighbors and friends
18. Get Connected! Strive for 50+ connections in first month Only connect with people you have met The more connections you make, the more value you will get out of it
19. Do your homework Study your connections’ connections – ask for introductions Read their status updates Post your own status updates Ask and Answer questions Spend 10 minutes per day on the site
26. Time Drain or Strategic Tool? How much time do you spend networking IRL? How do you keep track of your contacts now? How useful would it be to research a prospect or contact’s background before meeting them? How much time would you save if a LinkedIn contact connected you with the right partner at the right firm without you having to leave your desk?
27. Social networking etiquette Be professional Only connect with people you’d recommend Seek to give rather than to receive Engage – social networking involves give and take Don’t divulge client names Just assume that everything you post online is public Don’t brag but do self-promote When in doubt, don’t.
Six degrees of separation is the theory that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries.LinkedIn uses three degrees. Trusted human relationships break down beyond three degrees. Too far removed.
The first order of business when you join LinkedIn is to set up your profile. This is probably the single most important thing you’ll do on LinkedIn so do it with CARE!Ask for my help if you’re unsure of how to write it – and look at other profiles to see what you might want to borrow from them.- encapsulate your life here - what do you do that helps clients?What areas do you specialize in?If you were a White House intern, that’s interesting and relevant – even though it may have nothing to do with your current job. It sets you apart.
Relationships are built on trust. Degree 1: one-to-one, high trust level. Degree 2: reference through highly trusted relationship, mid high trust level. Degree 3: Like second-cousin removed. Trust level is relative.
“Your network of trusted professionals” grows in quantity, dilutes in quality, at each outward level.
When you first get started on LinkedIn, after creating your profile – the most important thing you’ll start doing is making connections.Later on in the presentation, you’ll see why this is so important.
Here’s where the rubber meets the road.Being involved in a social network takes some work – not too much, but it does require action on your part.
The biggest argument I hear against using social media like LinkedIn is that it’s a time suck – and takes you away from your real work.While there is an initial ramp-up period where you’ll need to play around to learn how to use it effectively, used correctly is should actually save you time –and make you better prepared for your meetings.