Managing Your Professional Networks

Managing Your Professional Networks

Strategy Session Oct. 4 2010Mary Canady

Comprendia LLC

© Comprendia, LLC All rights reserved.

2


3

Brave New World• Economic downturn=Tough times• BUT…more tools available than ever

– Virtual + F2F=Powerful Combination

• Create a ‘personal brand’– What ‘pain’ do you address?– Can you be a ‘channel’ of information?

• What you will need– What is your channel?– Time– Creativity– Content


4

Social Media. ‘Getting It.’

• It’s not all about you• 90/10 rule

• Engage, don’t broadcast• Your reputation is

paramount• To know, you must do• Don’t forget….etiquette


5

My Social Media Makeover• 2008: Jobless, Modest ‘IRL’ Network• 2010

– Comprendia/SDBN Network• Mary: 1,100 personal LI connections (can contact 70M)• SDBN/OCBN LI groups: 3,400 members• LI Biotech Marketing Group: 1,700• Synergized with Twitter, Facebook & blogs• Result: can reach10,000 with any message

– Accomplished blogger, writer, speaker– Worked with more than 15 companies through

Comprendia


6

Which Tools Should I Use?Application Description Good for Time Needed

LinkedIn Professional networking

•Personal brand•Job hunting•Leads

2-4 Hrs/wk

Twitter Sharing information with short updates

•Personal brand•Connecting via content•Events

2-4 Hrs/wk

Facebook Social networking

•Corporate pages

2-4 Hrs/wk

Blog Dynamic website with daily-weekly articles

•Personal brand

•4-6 Hrs/wk


7

Your Channel• Related to your elevator speech• Provide information related to your

headline• Content ideas

– Article, blog post– Company news– Event you’ll be attending– News and resources from your field– GREAT if you can direct them to your website

• Leverage the community• Use tools like RSS


8

LinkedIn…What Is It Good For?• Maintaining your professional network• Building corporate brand• Lead generation

– “I use LinkedIn more than our CRM.”

• Soft sell serendipity• Hiring: Post jobs or search• LinkedIn (LI)Works best

– With a large network– Leveraging groups– In conjunction with social media & face to face

interactions


9

Basics

Contact Level

Primary

2 3 None

Contact Options

•Direct email

•Group•InMail•Introduction

•Group•InMail•Introduction

•Group•InMail (most)


10

Maximizing Your Profile• Should be as complete as resume

– Use action words and bullets– Headline—what ‘pain’ do you address?– Adding all past companies with information for each

helps others to find you

• Use keywords from Google Adwords, company target projects to help getting found

• Get a ‘vanity’ URL– Add to email signature, business card

• Add a head shot– Friendly, professional– Next best thing to face to face

• Check for spelling errors!


11

Maximizing Your Profile• Link to your company or sites of

interest• Include complete contact

information• Get recommended

– Don’t be shy• Look through contacts, you’ll be amazed• Only ~50% may respond, don’t be offended

– BUT don’t ask people you didn’t work with directly

– Reciprocate? Up to you


12

Build Your Network• Bigger Web=More Bugs…er, Opportunities

– Better search results– More ‘soft sell’ opportunities

• Places to look– LinkedIn

• Upload contacts• Companies you’ve worked at• Others’ contacts• Groups• Events• ‘People You May Know’

– Ouside LinkedIn• Email client• CRM• Business card stack


13

Build Your Network• Look for members with large # of

contacts– LIONs link to all, beware– Recruiters may poach your contact list

• Should you share?– Personal decision– Most do– Your connection is your connection

• Don’t be shy about asking– BUT don’t overdo it

• Small # of ‘I don’t know’ responses allowed


14

Leveraging Groups• Benefits

– Directly email any group member (BIG ONE!)

– Can post questions to group– Searches give more results

• Join up to 50 groups• Choose large, relevant, active

groups– Your news will not be seen in spam-y

groups


15

Don’t Forget…Etiquette• Invitations to connect

– ALWAYS include a short note– Remind them how they know you– Give them a compliment & benefit to linking

with you

• 90/10 Rule– Post 9 helpful items for every 1 self

promoting– ADD VALUE

• Avoid ‘bait and switch’ questions– E.g. ‘Where can I get high quality structural

biology?’


16

Other Useful Features• LinkedIn PDF Resume• Subscriptions

– Send ‘InMails’– See more search results

• Introductions• Follow companies

– Competitors– Clients/Partners– Potential clients/Partners

• Events– Add RSVPs, connect with others

• Ask/answer questions


17

Basics• Overview

– Provide 140 character updates, AKA ‘microblogging’– @[user] to send a public message (reply)– D [user] to send private message (DM)– #[text] is a ‘hashtag’ to follow events or chats

• Follow based on content, don’t need to know– Hint: this is huge for getting new leads!

• Provide information based on ‘channel’• Should be a conversation if you’re doing it

right!


18

Tactics

• Fill out profile completely and carefully• Get followers

– Target: 1,000– To be followed, you must follow

• Twitterer will be sent message that you are following• Search twitter for terms (e.g., ‘kinase’)• Conference hashtags (#acs_boston)• Scientist lists• Don’t follow more than 100/day

• Provide content from RSS or other twitterers• Engage with twitterers

See ‘How To Get More Life Science Followers on Twitter’ on Delicious list


19

Tactics: Applications• Posting

– Hootsuite• Web-based• Schedule Tweets (best to space out—3-4 tweets/day)• Post to many other apps

– Tweetdeck• Desktop, iPhone, iPad App• Very popular

– Twhirl• Desktop App (smaller windows)• Good for multiple accounts

To see which apps people are using, check bottom of tweets.


20

Hall of Fame• LinkedIn

– Mindy Davis

• Twitter– modernscientist– sciencegoddess

• Blog/Personal Branding– TigerTox– Women in Science Blogging (Guardian)


21

Get Started NOW• Networking is not just for job seekers!• Face to face is still important

– SDBN– San Diego Biotech Discussion Group– ACS– AWIS– SABPA– PGC200

• Meet for lunch ‘just because’• Pay it forward

Career

Managing Your Professional Networks