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LinkedIn: A Powerful Tool for Nonprofits

National Philanthropy DayAFP, NY, Westchester ChapterNovember 16, 2011

Marc Halpert, Maria Semple, Geri Stengel

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Agenda

• The Lay of the Land• Looking Your Best• Finding What You’re

Looking For• Getting That All

Important Intro• Case Study: Finding

Donors, Board Members and Sponsors

• Building Relationships• Other LinkedIn Uses• Q&A

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The Lay of the Land

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Get Introductions

Nonprofits Small Businesses Power Users23% 43% 52%

Source: Online Marketing Best Practices Among Small Businesses and Nonprofits: A Survey Conducted by Ventureneer

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LinkedIn

Nonprofits Small Businesses

Power Users

Use 51% 70% 80%Very Effective Rating

11% 15% 39%

Source: Online Marketing Best Practices Among Small Businesses and Nonprofits: A Survey Conducted by Ventureneer

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Your Whole Organization Needs to Look Its Best: Especially You

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Goal: How to Make LinkedIn Tell Others

WHYWHYYOU!YOU!

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Keywords in Summary, Specialties, and Experience sections

http://www.LinkedStrategies.com/linkedin-keyword-optimization

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26©Marc W. Halpert | All rights reserved | www. connect2collaborate.com | www.linkedin.com/in/marchalpert | Sep 2011

Volunteer Experience & Causes

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Free LinkedIn Apps

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Just Some of the Free LinkedIn Apps

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2 Really Powerful Apps for Multimedia Marketing Materials

•Requires audience to download it•Accepts multimedia•Notification if someone reviews it

•PowerPoint presentations only•No notification if someone reviews it

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Make a Company Profile Page

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To learn more about company profile pages for nonprofits, see:http://connect2collaborate. wordpress.com/why-linkedin-company-pages-matter-to-non-profits/

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Finding What You’re Looking For

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Several Ways to Prospect

• Using Advanced Search Feature• Mining Your First Degree Connections• Finding and Mining Groups

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Search Box: Great for Mining

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LinkedIn Advanced Search

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Search Rutgers Graduates, Accounting, Within 25 Miles

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Focus: 1st Degree Connections, 2nd Degree Connections and Members of My Shared Groups

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Search Yielded 157 Results. YOURS different.

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View Profiles of Interest

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See How You’re Connected

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Decide How to Connect

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Save Your Searches! Puts LinkedIn on auto-pilot for You

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Several Ways to Prospect

• Using Advanced Search Feature• Mining Your First Degree Connections• Finding and Mining Groups

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Your First Degree Connections

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Peruse List – Find Opportunities for Intro

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Getting That Intro

• Use LinkedIn’s Built-in system for connecting through a contact

• Invite the person to connect directly with you. Make sure you personalize the invitation to connect

• Old School works too: Call your 1st degree contact to see how well they know your prospect and would be willing to initiate an introduction on your behalf

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Several Ways to Prospect

• Using Advanced Search Feature• Mining Your First Degree Connections• Finding and Mining Groups

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How to Find Groups

• Use the Search box and begin typing in words describing what you are looking for. (Don’t forget to change the drop down menu to ‘groups’)

• See what Groups your own 1st degree connections are joining. They may be right for you, too!

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Animal Nonprofit Wants People Interested in Pets

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What to Do Once You’ve Joined a LinkedIn Group

• Monitor the Discussions and participate where you can add value

• Start your own Discussions about topics of interest to this Group

• Share your Upcoming Events within Groups. Events can be listed in LinkedIn or you can even share a URL to an event description online. Your choice!

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How to Keep up With Group Discussions?

• In Account settings link, decide on the frequency of group digest emails. No Email; Weekly; or Daily. Find the setting that feels comfortable and won’t overwhelm you

• Some Groups are “Members Only” and require approval to join. Discussions are seen only by members of this Group. (Look for the lock symbol)

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Sample Group Profile

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Inviting Group Members to Connect With You Directly

• Use LinkedIn’s filtering tool to help you find members where you are 2nd degree connected

• Peruse those 2nd degree connections and broaden your network further by sending an invitation to connect with you

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Mining Groups for 2nd Degree Connections

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Case Study

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People will search for you

• It’s good to accept invitations to connect• IMHO: So long as you know them; so long as you/they can help• But it’s ok to say “no” professionally

If you get a request such as:Dear Marc W.I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. – KevinYou can answer: Sorry. It’s my policy to link to people I have met and gotten to know

or do business with. I am not sure our connection qualifies; accordingly, I will respectfully decline.

Thanks and best regards, Marc W. Halpert

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Building Relationships

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Different Medium Same Rules

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Other LinkedIn Uses

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LinkedIn Today

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Questions

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Connect With Us

Name Social MediaGeri Stengel http://www.linkedin.com/in/geristengel

http://www.facebook.com/Ventureneerhttp://twitter.com/#!/ventureneer

Marc Halpert http://www.linkedin.com/in/marchalperthttp://www.connect2collaborate.com http://twitter.com/#!/marchalpert

Maria Semple http://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasemple http://www.facebook.com/TheProspectFinderhttp://www.twitter.com/#!/mariasempleText PROSPECT to 22828 for research tips.

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LinkedIn Is Morphing

 learn.linkedin.com/nonprofits

By Sudhamshu

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