linked101.com

In the previous article I talked about potential ways that you could use LinkedIn.  I’m going to focus on a specific use today:  Using LinkedIn to enhance your networking.

The core of LinkedIn revolves around connecting to other business professionals, which is networking.  Networking exclusively on LinkedIn, though, ignores the human element of face to face interaction.  Understanding, once again that LinkedIn is a tool, how do you use it to enhance your other networking?

I do a lot of networking in my local chamber.  When I first joined the chamber I hadn’t really gotten active on LinkedIn.  At meetings I would try to meet as many people as possible, but in a room full of 50 people and only 30 minutes of open networking it was hard to meet everyone.

For those I did not meet I could try again at the next meeting, but that depended upon whether or not they returned.  At the meetings they photocopied everyone’s business card and each person got a copy.  From that I could also call those I had not met to try to set up a meeting.  Other than a name on a card, though, there was no connection.

LinkedIn change that.  I found that with LinkedIn, I could connect to those that I hadn’t had a chance to meet.  Then I could review their LinkedIn profiles to determine who were the most beneficial to meet.  I also found that if they were at the next chamber meeting, that the LinkedIn connection provided a great way to break the ice.

In the end it’s a two way street.  LinkedIn provides a level of connectivity until I can strengthen the networking relationship through a face to face meeting.  And the chamber meeting provides a fresh batch of potential LinkedIn connections.

Some of my best networking relationships have developed from simply being at the same networking event, connecting on LinkedIn, and then finally taking it offline and meeting in person.

So here’s what you should be doing.  After every networking event, send a LinkedIn connection invite to those you did not get a chance to meet.  (Here’s where you want to customize that LinkedIn invitation. )  Send the following invitation:

Joe,

We crossed paths at the Chamber (or whatever event it was) today but did not get a chance to meet you in person.  I am using LinkedIn to enhance my Chamber networking and would like to add you to my LinkedIn network.

Sean Nelson (I always add my last name since I do not know this person yet)

More often then not, this leads to a LinkedIn connection.  Now it’s up to you to take it further to develop the relationship.  Remember it’s not about adding just another connection; it’s about expanding and enhancing your network.  Only send the invite to those that you want to get to know.

If I had a penny for every time someone told me “I’m on LinkedIn but I don’t really know how to use it to use it”, I would be a rich man. There are literally millions of people with many more millions of connections yet few people have actually been able to use it to generate an economic gain.

So for the record, being a member of LinkedIn can make you money! That’s an easy statement to make. I can even point to client’s that I have that are the result of being on LinkedIn. What’s not so easy is to document a clear way that anyone or everyone can use LinkedIn to make money.

You have to first understand that LinkedIn is nothing more than a tool, much like a chamber of commerce is simply a tool to help you network. For some people membership in a chamber is economically beneficial. For other it’s a waste of time and money.

It’s how you use the tool that determines the winners and losers.

About a year ago I decided to get serious about trying to make LinkedIn work for me. I’ve studied it, blogged about it, and even written a book about it. I’m still trying to figure it out. I’m not sure that I can put the final piece of the puzzle in place for you, but I can help you get started.

Over a series of posts I will try to lay out a foundation for using LinkedIn to generate business. This is simply a platform in which you will need to adapt to your business and your self to find success. LinkedIn is personal in that what works for one person may not work for another.

I don’t have all of the answers (if I did it would cost you $100 to read this), but we can at least start with what are some potential uses of LinkedIn:

• Enhance and Expand your current networking
• You can use it to establish credibility
• It can connect your online brand and offline brand
• You can catalog your testimonials
• It gives your audience (prospects, clients, and peers) a place to interact with you.
• Research potential partners or clients
• Connect into sales or partnership opportunities
• Find a new job or new employee
• Be found
• Share knowledge and expertise
• Introduce connections
• Recommend worthy individuals

I’m sure there are many other ways to use LinkedIn and you can add them by comment or email them to me and I will add them to the list. In future posts we’ll dig a little deeper. Until next time, connect away!

**This is the first post in a new series I will be writing and contributing to www.businessradiox.com, which is the work of Lee Kantor.  The articles will be posted on both sites

During September I did a live interview with Lee Kantor and Amy Otto at Atlanta Business Radio. This is the second show that I’ve done and it also featured Teo Gracca with Net Teams. You can listen to the show by going to the following link: http://atlantabusinessradio.libsyn.com/index.php?post_year=2008&post_month=09 (scroll and you’ll see Teo’s mug shot)

I was told that it was a good show but once I do a show I never listen to it. First I know what I said; and second if I sounded like an idiot I really don’t want to know. Hopefully those who listen find some value.

Amy and Lee have a great show and feature some great business people in the Atlanta are. Check them out and who knows maybe they’ll have you on soon.

Just to clarify…I don’t really make any money writing about LinkedIn.  At least not yet.  I’ve written a LinkedIn book but so far I’m about 5 months behind when I thought it would actually be published.  Every couple of months delay means that I have to go back and edit it to make sure it’s up to date.  If you’re interested it can be found at www.linked101.com.

My book is a nuts and bolts look at everything on LinkedIn and tells you what it means and what it can do for you.  The last four chapters deal with strategies and “Do’s and Dont’s”.

There are some other good resources such as Jason Alba’s book “I’m on LinkedIn, Now What”.  Jason’s book takes a higher level approach than mine and doesn’t get down and dirty in the details.  It was the first LinkedIn book that I bought and it was money well spent.

Jason’s a little more prolific as a blogger than I am and can be counted on to at least add a post a week.  His book and blog can be found at www.imonlinkedinnowwhat.com.  Check him out.

Another great source is Scott Allen’s www.linkedintelligence.com.  Scott is no longer blogging about LinkedIn, but it’s worth taking the time to read through some old posts.

These should keep you busy if you’re interested in learning more about LinkedIn.

Two months is a long time.  But two months slips by fairly quick in blogging world.  You get busy and don’t add a new post for the week and the next thing you know it’s been 3 weeks (or nine).  I’ve been busy with other projects and have had to put things on hold.

First I’ve been launching a new benefits company and developing the website.  I finally finished that today and it can be viewed at www.iXLbenefits.com.  Not that you care but I finished the site and decided I wanted to add a opening splash page.  Once I created one that I liked it really didn’t match the site behind it so I redesigned the site around the splash page.  I like the look and feel and love the fact that it doesn’t mention a single insurer or insurance plan.

Second, I’ve been developing the website for my LinkedIn group North Fulton Business Group.  This can be found at www.northfultonbg.com.  It’s launched as well.

There’s been a lot of action around LinkedIn and their groups.  The problem with LinkedIn groups is that other than a way to be able to connect to a large group on LinkedIn that you don’t really know, there isn’t much to it.  They now have message boards available, but so what.  That doesn’t do much.  And anyone these days can set up a blog and create a message board.

I still struggle with LinkedIn because with all that they have done right, I still think they’re missing some key pieces to foster interaction.  Everything at www.northfultonbg.com could easily be duplicated on LinkedIn, which would create more of a foundation for online networking.

I don’t want to sound too pessimistic because LinkedIn is a great tool.  Beyond enhancing my network, though, I’m still looking for ways to generate business.  I think many of you are in the same boat.  You’re on LinkedIn, but you still really don’t know how to use it effectively to generate consistent business.

I’ve currently identified one way to possible generate some business and will be testing it out over the next couple of months.  I hope to be able to share a success story that you can duplicate.

Update:  This is nothing to do with LinkedIn.  I mentioned above that I finished the XL Benefits website, but after looking at it for two months it just didn’t work.  Two designs later I can finally say I accomplished what I wanted.  Really!