#1: Get connections The number of connections that you have on LinkedIn will raise your profile and make your business more visible online.
- Use LinkedIn for Outlook to find your existing email contacts that you are not already connected to on LinkedIn
- Ask for introductions from your existing connections
- Use the advanced search tool to look for specific individuals
- When attending network meetings, be sure to collect business cards and connect on LinkedIn as soon as you get back – you may not need the service that person offers now, but you might in the future, and likewise for them.
- Regularly check the people you may know list – you’ll be able to access a list of 100 names without paying for a LinkedIn subscription
#2: Join groups where your target market will hang out Use the search bar to discover all the groups where your target market may be. Make good use of your keywords when searching, including geographical location. Some groups are locked and some are open. Join both, it may take a little longer for approval to be granted to the locked groups, but do not be afraid to join those locked groups as they will provide you with opportunities to engage with your target market. Once you are in a group, it’s always nice to introduce yourself, you’d do it in a network meeting/at the pub, so why not online too. Having made your introductions, start checking out the discussions going on in the group. Watch what members are saying, how they are communicating and what topics are being discussed, when you’ve found a discussion that you can join, go join in. This is the key to the success of groups. Not everyone in the group may engage in conversation, but they will be watching. I recently joined a conversation about a local sports interest with someone else in the marketing field, I made 2 posts in the discussion when another member of the group contacted me directly and asked to arrange a meeting, as they were very interested in what social media marketing could do for their sports club. I’d had an interesting discussion, and got the opportunity to speak to a potential client, win/win!
#3 Look for companies you want to work with One of the newest features of LinkedIn is the ability to add your company profile. If you’ve not already done so, it’s a good idea to add it now. Once your own company is visible, start to search for companies that you would like to do business with. Follow those companies, and if they are active, then you will start to hear about jobs going, projects that you could get involved with, and any news, which may offer an “in” to that company. Also take a look at the members listed under that company, and see what groups they hang out in. Join the groups where they are listed, and become active in discussions, they will see what you are saying, and it will open opportunities for you.
These are just 3 ways to make your LinkedIn account work for your business. Start to use these, and you will start to see the opportunities available to you and your business on LinkedIn. Want to know more? Book a Linkedin workshop for you and your team! Call us on 01245 791969 or email [email protected] to talk over what you want to achieve and how we can support you with that!
