Linked In: Connecting with People

From Crossman Communications

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Why Connect with People on Linked In?

• To develop a community of people who share your business interests

• To develop a database of individuals who can provide services or other information for you and your business

• To create an audience for the information you post to your news stream and thus potential clients or influencers

• To build a network in which you are a thought leader

What is a Linked In Connection?• A Linked In connection is someone who you know personally,

someone with whom you might want to have a business relationship, or someone who shares your business interests

• On Linked In you might have 1st, 2nd and 3rd Degree connections in your network.

• 1st Degree connections are people with whom you are directly connected

• 2nd Degree connections are people with whom your first degree connections are connected

• 3rd Degree connections are the connections of your connections

Four Aspects to Leveraging LI

Findability

Visibility

Credibility

Profitability

Findability

• You can see the connections of your 1st Degree connections, and they can see yours

• You cannot see the connections of your 2nd or 3rd

Degree connections

• If you include #hashtags at the bottom of your profile summary, you are more likely to show up when someone searches for what you offer on Linked In.

• Unfortunately ,you can no longer search the connections of your 1st Degree connections, although that might change!

Visibility • Complete your profile, including a professional image, all relevant work history and education, and a summary of who you serve and how people benefit from working with you

• Connect with people you meet at meetings and networking events

• Send a note with your connection requests reminding people of where you met and your topic of conversation if applicable. Be positive!

Credibility

• When you send a connection request, include details in your note to them that will encourage them to see you as an asset to their network. Say a few words about the value you can add.

• When you land on someone’s profile, Linked In will tell you who your mutual connections are, which lends credibility to your connection request

Credibility

• Ask trusted friends in on Linked In to give you a recommendation

• Endorse each other for different skills and strengths

• Link to any preferred content on your company website and share it through your news stream

• Share links to great articles you come across in your news stream

Profitability

• Connect with people who are in a position to refer business to you

• Seek connections with people who are in your target audience

• Review your connections for those who are prospective clients and send them inmails that are appropriate to a professional sales relationship

• Review the connections of your connections for the same purpose. Ask your connections for introductions

Profitability

• When you respond to someone’s connection request, thank them for the invitation and, if they are a potential client or customer, invite them to your website to find out more about what you do

• When you respond to someone’s connection request, thank them for the invitation and, if they are a potential client or customer, offer them a free telephone or videoconference consultation

Other Linked In Topics in this Series

• Leveraging your business’s company page

• Groups

• Search Strategies

• Introductions

• Linked In Overview

• Your Profile

Questions? Feedback?

Please contact Susan Crossman and her team at:

info@crossmancommunications.com

289-259-6934

@CrossmanCom