HOW TO USE LINKEDIN TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS

By Greg AlbrechtM& A Executive Search, LLC

Linkedin.com/in/galbrechtmaexec

History of LinkedIn Founded in 2003 Currently has over 40 MILLON users worldwide Growing exponentially- Expected to have over 100

MILLION users by 2010 #1 Professional Networking site in the World

Getting Started

Steps to follow on to do list:

set up your profile-sign up at www.linkedin.com Add Contacts & Connections Search your past jobs, schools, associations Search your outlook contacts Invite people you know & trust Always provide value & customize your invite Set a goal to have 500 contacts in 6 months

Complete your Profile * Add all your past jobs

* List all the schools you attended and degrees

* Add Groups that you belong to or are associated i.e. TCHRA, FEI, CPA Society, Eden Prairie Chamber, Rotary, Fitness Clubs, Lions, etc.

* Add alumni associations, UMAA, CSOM, Dominican University, St. Thomas, Harvard, etc.

* List interests and Honors i.e. Mentoring, coaching, SEO, Awards

* Complete like on-line resume

* Request recommendations from clients, vendors, past employees

*Make recommendations for trusted colleagues

Promote your Profile

Change your LinkedIn address to your name i.e. www.linkedin.com/in/galbrechtmaexec

Put LI address on your business card Put your LI address on your email

signature Add to your blog, resume, FB, Twitter,

etc. Display on your resume & part of email

address Make sure people know how to find you

on LI

Build your Contacts Search past companies, current company, past schools, current organizations

Search groups for ones you belong: Alumni Associations, Business Groups, Professional Associations and search for members who also belong

When you meet someone ask for their business card and if you can invite them to join your network on LinkedIn

Join Open Networking groups: LION, OPEN Networkers, etc.

Upgrade your free membership to Business Pro- Business investment if in sales

When you get a new contact- search their contacts for people you know-invite them

Browse the right hand side of the new contact for other people who have viewed contact’s profile

Weekly check your upper right hand side of your Home Page for ‘Contacts you may know’

Send “Intro requests” to people you would like to meet through your contacts

Join Groups In the search mode Click on Groups and search for professional groups to

join. Hint you can join up to 50 groups

Set parameters for industry, function, profession & type in the advanced search mode

Identify Groups you want to join and search who you know in those groups- invite others to join

Answer questions and become subject matter expert-provide advice

Search for Groups by what you do, your location or what you sell or market

Set the settings for how often you want to receive emails

Set up your own groups i.e. Rotary Club of Eden Prairie, Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, TC Alumni Assoc of AKPsi Business Fraternity

Business Intelligence

Use LI to find info on competitors’ employees

Check their LI profile to find out about them Find out about their past jobs, education,

groups, honors and awards The more info you know about a competitor,

the better you can position your product or service

Check out their recommendations and referrals

Learn about their workforce demographics

Research

Use LinkedIn to research companies – click on company in search mode or put cursor on ‘Company Name’ to pull their profile

Find out number of employees, locations, size, company history, background on product or service, company officers, employee backgrounds i.e. where most likely affiliated

Find who in your network is connected to the company or used to work there – great source

Network, Network, Network

Connect with people you know through what you do & how you are connected to others: associations, church, social clubs, athletic clubs, golf club, softball teams, music, kid’s sports, etc

The more people you connect with the greater your network and the more people know about you and your company

Update your “What are you working on” slot on your home page/profile with your objective: ‘Promoting new release of SAAS software to provide dashboard metrics to C-Level Executives”

Add applications : Reading Lists, Trips, Blogs, Questions/Discussions- update weekly or monthly

Use ‘Working on’ slot to update seminars you are attending, presentations you are making, conferences, and events

Treat People Well

“you may never know how important you may be to someone you meet, someone you may never dream of, for you leave a part of your self with every body you meet” Mr. Rodgers

‘Use perpetual diplomacy with everybody you encounter for you never know when your paths may cross again’ Mark Sathe

FACEBOOKBackground Info:

Over 50 million usersFastest Growing – 35 to 55 age groupTop Social networking site for friends