Professionals join LinkedIn to make connections. But that doesn’t mean they want to be inundated with marketing emails from people they just met. Nor does it mean they want to join a Group discussion only to find others who are busy pushing their latest product or website launch instead of genuinely engaging in the Group.
Linkedin is about building quality connections for your career, and that takes time. It’s not about advertising your products. It is about sharing your expertise. There’s a difference. So let’s review some of the good habits to keep in mind on LinkedIn.
Optimize Your Profile: This advice still bears repeating. Linkedin is your digital calling card and resume rolled into one. Your profile page is where other professionals go to discover more about you and what you do. So be sure your business links are updated, use a professional looking headshot for your photo, and fill out your summary.
Share Your Expertise: Groups are for making social connections through like-minded interests. These are great places to share your expertise through the quality of your comments, not the number of times you advertise your links. People want to get to know you before they do business with you. Outside of Groups share your knowledge by becoming an Influencer and publishing useful content. If someone is interested in what you have to offer, they will view your profile and learn more about you on their time, not the Group’s time.
Ask for an introduction: An introduction lets you connect with other members through mutual acquaintances. There is a How You’re Connected tool on LinkedIn profiles that can help you see which of your contacts can offer you an introduction. Most professionals don’t want connection requests from people they don’t know. An introduction helps create a certain level of trust which is important in cultivating business relationships.
Quality not Quantity: When it comes to professional networking on LinkedIn, the quality of your connections matters more than quantity. Connect with individuals you’ve done business with, people who can recommend you to others, and who you’d recommend in return. It really is all about who you know.
Customize your invitations: You can now personalize every invite from the People You May Know page. Simply hover over the name of the person you want to connect with and select the “envelope” icon located to the bottom right of each card. Personalized invites tell the recipient you took the time to reach out to them specifically, rather than sending a canned message that went out to 30 strangers.
Keep track of your invitations: Invitations you receive will show up at the top of the People You May Know page. If you want to reply or see what you and each sender has in common, simply hover over the person’s information.
Leave the Spam in the Can: LinkedIn is not the place to collect names to pad your email marketing campaigns. LinkedIn professionals dislike spammers and they will let you know it. Period.
LinkedIn is a great social site for making professional connections; just remember that the emphasis is on the word professional. Keep the family vacation photos, email spam, and constant sales talk out of the mix. Focus on making quality contacts and showing your industry expertise through helpful discussions and original content.
LinkedIn has a different social energy than Facebook and Twitter. So plug into that energy the right way. Using good habits on LinkedIn shows other professionals that you not only understand the way the site works, but that you are respectful of others’ time and purpose there as well. And that understanding and respect will reap you and your business the maximum benefits from the connections you make on LinkedIn.
