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How to extend your reach locally and by industry using LinkedIn

Groups

Presented By: Mary McFarlin

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Best practiceJoin at least 2 Groups on LinkedIN.

Choose at least one Industry Group of interest

Choose a location based Group

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Finding Groups

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Finding and choosing a group

Log into Linked IN and Click on the groups tab. Go to the Groups Directory

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Groups Directory

On the left, select a category filter and a language filter. In the top navigation search box enter “Chicago”

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Local Groups

Out of 1,500,000 groups there are 5143 groups that are Chicago based. Select Linked N Chicago by clicking on the link that is indicated above.

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Linked N Chicago (LiNC) Group

On the group landing page we can see a lot of information without joining the group

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Industry Groups

Let’s return to the group directory page and search “Printing” as an industry

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Spanish speaking printing groups

Filter by language. There are only 5 groups that specifically collaborate in Spanish. This could be an opportunity.

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“Social business is the ability for an organization to use

its COMMUNITIES to improve its performance”

Linked In Groups = Social Business Communities

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Now for the real meat and potatoes and what most people don’t know!!!

Maryism: “I did not know I needed to know that until I knew that.”

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

Follow steps 1, 2 & 3 above

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Filters are your friend!STEP 1: Select the 2 filters

STEP 3: RESULT- 449 Linked N Chicago members selected PRINTING as their Industry

STEP 2: ENTER THE INDUSTRY NAME

Follow steps 1, 2 & 3

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Now here’s the secret sauce

Top Nav: you can add or remove the filters you already chose

Sort By: Relationship (in this case we see that Jovin is otherwise a 2nd degree connection – you would need to get introduced to reach out to him.

You can also sort by the following or elect to save this search

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Now here’s the secret sauce

After reviewing his profile we decide we want to reach out for possible opportunities, referrals, and answers to critical business questions

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Now here’s the secret sauce

Click on Connect and email him as if he were 1st degree connection

What does that mean? It means you have direct access to over 67,000 people in the Chicago land area

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Advanced Filters are my friend and may be yours too

I only want to contact business owners who are interested in deal-making contacts where the company size is one to ten employees

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Review

• Using groups on Linked in allows users to:– Access professionals online- and see their connections.– Filter on specifics

• By location• By interest• By industry• By company size etc.

– Contact professionals directly – just as you may access a 1st degree connection, thus increasing your reach thousands of times over.

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Questions?• My contact information– http://www.linkedin.com/in/marymcfarlin (Linked

In)– mmcfarlin@linchicago.com (email)– http://www.twitter.com/linchicago (twitter)

• Group Site– http://www.linc.co

• Website– http://www.linchicago.com