The document outlines how small businesses can effectively use LinkedIn for professional networking and branding. It emphasizes the importance of creating a personal and company profile, engaging with connections, and regularly sharing original content. Additionally, it provides tips for building relationships and enhancing visibility on the platform.

1. Small Biz U
Using LinkedIn as a
Business Professional
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2. A Little LinkedIn Humor
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3. All Social Media are Inert
❖ It is Social Media
Networking !
❖ Networking is the
action of
connecting with
people!
❖ LinkedIn is for
professional
networking
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4. LinkedIn: The Business to Business Platform
❖ Largest global professional network: !
❖ 332M people are LI members!
❖ Average CEO has 930 connections!
❖ 41% of millionaires use LI !
❖ Community of professionals!
❖ Place for career development!
❖ Forum for industry discussions
“LinkedIn is the place – particularly if you are a small company –
where you can go establish yourself as an expert in your space.”!
- Shane Vaughan, President of Ecommerce at Agri Beef Co.
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5. LinkedIn ≠ Facebook
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6. Who’s using LinkedIn?
❖ Used in over 200 countries
and territories—-it’s global!!
❖ 56% male, 44% female!
❖ Most often college educated!
❖ Predominantly small
companies
*According to LinkedIn
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7. How are people using LinkedIn?
❖ Social networking!
❖ Job searching!
❖ Job listing!
❖ Industry networking !
❖ Finding experts!
❖ Diversify contact list!
❖ Get business intelligence
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8. Do you have a personal LinkedIn profile?
❖ Position yourself as a leader in
your industry!
❖ Fill out your summary using
key words!
❖ Take advantage of Google
search results!
❖ Potential employers, clients,
business partners will be
Google searching your name,
an optimized LinkedIn profile
will help them find you!
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9. Create a company page
❖ Helps people learn about your business!
❖ Confirms your branding messages!
❖ Shares job opportunities!
❖ Builds a community of followers!
❖ Opens avenues for engagement & communication
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10. Your company page
❖ Attract followers!
❖ Create more exposure to your business, product, service!
❖ Free, credible social media marketing avenue!
❖ Followers elect to follow your company news!
❖ Engage your audience!
❖ Gather company recommendations (?)
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11. How to create a company page
❖ Move your cursor over “Interests” at the top of your
homepage and select “Companies.”!
❖ Click “Create” in the Create a Company Page box on the
right.!
❖ Enter your company's official name and your work
email address.!
❖ Click “Continue” and enter your company information.
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12. Find highly targeted customers and connections
❖ Ask to connect!
❖ Request, give
recommendations!
❖ Add your contact info!
❖ Discover industry groups!
❖ Engage using Q&A through
LinkedIn Groups or status
updates
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13. Stay on customers’ radars
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❖ Create a regular publishing
schedule!
❖ Post original content!
❖ Share an update, upload a photo,
answer a question!
❖ Connections > Keep in Touch!
❖ Celebrate work anniversaries

14. Original vs. sponsored updates
❖ “Content is King” when it comes to good Google rankings. !
❖ Original content: Write your own, unique, not paid for or
republished content.!
❖ Sponsored updates: When you pay to boost your post.
Create new campaign, sponsor an update. Publish relevant
content straight to the LinkedIn feed of any member on
the site, not just your Company Page followers.!
❖ Amplify the distribution of your content w/ sponsored.
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15. Support your employees, contractors
❖ Create official Company Page
to which they can link!
❖ Provide recommendations,
kudos!
❖ Introduce them to key contacts!
❖ Foster loyalty by providing
space where they can share the
latest news, happenings and
achievements of your company!
❖ Promote trust
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16. Nicole’s LinkedIn Tips for Success
1. Personalize your connection requests!
2. Claim your custom URL!
3. Join groups, engage!
4. Give recommendations!
5. Add LinkedIn to your Favorites Bar
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17. LinkedIn Etiquette
❖ Send a personalized
welcome message that
provides value!
❖ Introduce your connections
to each other!
❖ What you give, you will
receive…!
❖ And again… personalize
connection requests!
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18. Action Steps!
HOMEWORK! !
IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES
TODAY, MAKE:!
❖ 3 connections!
❖ 2 profile updates!
❖ 1 endorsement
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19. Tomorrow: Rinse & Repeat
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