linked in basics
TRANSCRIPT
LINKEDIN BASICS FOR BUSINESS
THE PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL NETWORK
PRESENTATION HERB LAWRENCE
VICE PRESIDENT GOVERNMENT GUARANTY LENDING
FIRST COMMUNITY BANK
WHAT IS LINKEDIN?
• 330+ MILLION PROFESSIONALS IN 200 + COUNTRIES!
• 3 MILLION COMPANY PAGES
• EXECUTIVES FROM ALL FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES ARE MEMBERS OF THIS NETWORK.
• RELATIONSHIPS MATTER – CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN A NEW WAY TO PROLONG PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS & TO CREATE NEW ONES VIA YOUR EXISTING CONTACTS!
BASICS TO COVER
• IS LINKED IN RIGHT OR YOUR BUSINESS?
• PROFILES
• CONTENT – POSTING
• CONNECTIONS – FINDING FOLKS
• COMPANY PAGES
• PULSE – PUBLISHING WITH LINKEDIN
• TOOLS
WHAT ARE MY GOALS?
• WHY AM I HERE?
• WHAT DO I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH LINKEDIN?
• WHAT IS MY “VALUE PROPOSITION?
• HOW ARE OTHERS USING LI IN MY INDUSTRY?
• HOW MUCH TIME TO DEDICATE?
• HOW DOES LINKEDIN FIT INTO MY OVERALL MARKETING PLAN?
FIRST THINGS FIRST – JOIN LINKEDIN
• HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM
• HAVE YOUR RECENT RESUME READY!
• COMPANY NAMES, DATES, EDUCATION
• SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE GAINED AT EACH JOB OR SCHOOL!
• A PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT, OR RECOGNIZABLE PHOTO!
• DON’T BE TOO CASUAL WITH THIS PHOTO, THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL NETWORK– NOT FACEBOOK.
CREATE A STRONG PROFILE
PROFILE COMPLETENESS:WHAT YOU NEED TO GET 100%
• CURRENT POSITION
• AT LEAST: 2 PAST POSITIONS
• YOUR EDUCATION
• PROFILE SUMMARY – A SHORT PARAGRAPH ABOUT YOURSELF & PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS! (REMEMBER YOUR KEYWORDS!)
• PROFILE PHOTO – NO BABIES, NO PARTYING. KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL (HEADSHOTS WORK BEST!)
• YOUR SPECIALTIES - HELPS FOR ENDORSEMENTS!
• AT LEAST: 3 LINKEDIN RECOMMENDATIONS
FINDING CONNECTIONS
• SEARCH FOR PEOPLE.
• IMPORT E-MAIL ADDRESS BOOK
• INVITE PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH YOU ON LINKEDIN.
• START WITH YOUR COMMUNITY – SEARCH FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL CIRCLE FIRST.
• INTRODUCE YOURSELF – SEND MESSAGES TO MEMBERS OF YOUR INDUSTRY OR COMMUNITY THAT YOU HAVE YET TO MEET.
SHARE YOUR LINKEDIN URL
• SHARE YOUR PRESENCE ON LINKEDIN ON YOUR BUSINESS CARDS – THIS A GREAT WAY TO BUILD YOUR CONNECTIONS ONLINE & MEET NEW CONTACTS.
• REACH OUT TO YOUR CLIENTS IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY – FACEBOOK IS GREAT FOR BUILDING A CASUAL RELATIONSHIP, BUT FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE LINKEDIN CAN WORK BETTER!
• YOUR LINKEDIN URL IS LOCATED: ON YOUR PROFILE – UNDER EDUCATION & RECOMMENDATIONS. YOU CAN EDIT YOUR URL TO BE EASY TO REMEMBER!
STATUS UPDATES: WHAT SHOULD YOU SHARE?
• LATEST PROJECTS OR EVENTS YOU ARE SHOWING
• YOUR LATEST SPECIALS, DEALS OR NEWS
• TIPS FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS/SUPPORT INFO
• LINKS TO YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE:
• FACEBOOK PAGE
• TWITTER ACCOUNT
• WEBSITE
UPDATE AROUND 2-4 TIMES A DAY –
HOOTSUITE IS AN AWESOME TOOL FOR FEEDING POSTS.
WHAT IS GOOD CONTENT
• EDUCATES
• INFORMS
• ENTERTAINS
• PROVIDES VALUE
• BUILDS TRUST
• CREATES RELATIONSHIPS…THEN
• SELLS……
HOW TO SPREAD CONTENT
• VIDEO
• IMAGES, PICTURES –
• ARTICLES
• INFOGRAPHICS
• EBOOKS/WHITE PAPERS
• WEBINARS
• PODCASTS
BEST TIME TO POST ON LINKEDIN
• WEEKDAYS DURING BUSINESS HOURS, SPECIFICALLY:
• TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY
• MOST CLICKS & SHARES
TUESDAYS 10-11 AM
• BEST TIME OF DAY: 7-8 AM AND 5-6 PM
COMPANY PROFILES• FOLLOW OTHER COMPANIES – LOCAL, INDUSTRY, OR
PARTNERS.
• SEARCH FOR JONESBORO, PARAGOULD, MEMPHIS COMPANIES WHO ARE ALREADY SET UP ON LINKEDIN.
• SET-UP YOUR OWN COMPANY PROFILE- (ONLY ONE PERSON NEEDS TO DO THIS!)
• GET YOUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ACTIVE ON LINKEDIN INVOLVED WITH THE COMPANY PROFILE!
SETTING UP YOUR COMPANY PAGE
• BE SURE YOU READ THE DIRECTIONS!
• USE YOUR WORK EMAIL
• YOU DO NOT WANT TO ATTACH A PERSONAL EMAIL TO THE COMPANY PROFILE (WHY? NO ONE ELSE IN THE COMPANY CAN LIST IT.)
• SHRINK YOUR LOGO – 100X60 PIXELS
• PICK THE BEST COMPANY TYPE
• BE HONEST ABOUT THE SIZE!
DON’T FORGET …• KEYWORDS, KEYWORDS, KEYWORDS!
• COMPANY SPECIALTIES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT!
• DISCUSS WITH YOUR OWNER & FELLOW EMPLOYEES WHAT YOUR COMPANY DESCRIPTION SHOULD BE!
• BE DIRECT, PROFESSIONAL & SIMPLE!
• ITS LIKE A FIRST IMPRESSION- MAKE IT COUNT!
DON’T GIVE UP!
• DON’T JUST CREATE A PROFILE – GET INVOLVED WITH GROUP CONVERSATIONS, ACTIVELY ADD YOUR CONTACTS TO LINKEDIN & RESPOND TO RECOMMENDATION REQUESTS OR MESSAGES!
• SEEK OUT THOSE WHO WOULD RECOMMEND YOU, TOO!
• UPDATE YOUR LINKEDIN STATUS– SHARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL NEWS!
• EXAMPLE: REAL ESTATE AGENT LISTS A NEW HOME – SHARE THE DETAILS! YOUR CONNECTIONS MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO BUY A HOME FROM SOMEONE THEY KNOW THAN A COMPLETE STRANGER!
TOOLS TO SAVE TIME
• HOOTSUITE.COM
• BUFFER.COM
READ ALL ABOUT THESE AND OTHER SCHEDULING TOOLS AT OUR STORIFY ARTICLE “SCHEDULING TOOLS FOR BEGINNERS”
SUMMER READING
• HUBSPOT HOW TO MASTER CONTENT MARKETING ON LINKEDIN
• PROFILES 6 LINKEDIN TIPS TO MAKE YOUR PROFILE POP
• COMPANY PAGES 4 ADVANCED TIPS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR COMPANY PAGE
• PULSE HOW TO USE PUBLISHER TO GET MORE VISIBILITY
• GROUPS 3 WAYS TO GENERATE LEADS WITH GROUPS
• ETIQUETTE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LINKEDIN ETIQUETTE