The Low Down on

Heidi Alexandra Pollard Chief emPOWERment OfficerUQ Powerwww.UQpower.com.au

Heidi Alexandra Pollardwww.UQPower.com.au

Focus for the workshop

• Why you need to be on LinkedIn now more than ever

before

• How to stand out from the sea of sameness

• Simple strategies and hacks to boost your online profile

• How to position yourself as a thought leader

Intention and Outcomes

• Create a name card for yourself

• Use your preferred, nickname or stage name

• Add one word people usually use to describe you or

associate you with

• Add the number of

connections you have on

LinkedIn

Who remembers these?

WHY YOU NEED TO BE ON

MORE THAN EVER BEFORE

• Globalisation Changes Our Community

• Increased Consumer Choice

• Technology Takes Private Lives Public

• Reduced Barriers to Entry

SHIFT HAPPENS

Why Social Media?

• Social media is simply another step in the evolution of communication.

• The ability for social media to provide a 'one to many' vehicle which can amplify to a 'many to many' communication of ideas and content now means there is scope for businesses (and individuals) to spread their message quickly, efficiently and cheaply.

• LinkedIn is a professional online networking tool that works particularly well for business-to-business (B2B) relationships.

• It is like a directory of valuable business contacts and, just as with ‘offline’ networking, you get to choose who you connect with.

• LinkedIn allows you to find people based on their profession, keywords, companies, education etc which makes it an extremely effective tool.

What is

What is

• LinkedIn has great Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and therefore ranks very high on Google. So, when you search for a name on Google or any other search engine, you will usually come across that person’s LinkedIn profile (if they have one).

• LinkedIn like any business relationship is still about give and take. It does take a bit of work (10 minutes every 2 days) to get the best results.

Why choose

• LinkedIn is an incredible tool for building visibility and community on the web.

• It’s the largest professional network, with over 467 million contacts.

• That’s a lot of opportunities to build your brand, succeed professionally and stand out as Unique.

• If you don’t yet have a company website you can use LinkedIn to ensure there is information about you and your business available online.

Stats and Facts

• LinkedIn started on May 5, 2003• It went public in May 19, 2011• LinkedIn has 332 million members• 2 new users join every second• 42 million unique mobile visitors per month

(This is a 45% increase in just 12 months )• LinkedIn’s user goal is 3 billion registered users• 25 million LinkedIn profiles are viewed every day• 41% of users visit LinkedIn via mobile• The average number of connections is 930.

https://press.linkedin.com/about-linkedin

build connections group

discussions

collaboration opportunities

share your expertise

Why LinkedIn?

The challenge then for business owners and professionals is in the online world it is even harder to

stand out.stand out.

associationWha

t is

a B

RAN

D?

name

logo

Why branding?

Take water + sugar + fizz + a can = costs less than 30c Write Coca-Cola on the can and charge $3.90Coca-Cola spends more on its brand than on its product

individuals arealso unique

brands

Brand UThe term branding has long been associated only with companies until Tom Peters famously said

“We are the CEOs of our own companies: Me, Incorporated…

Your most important job is to be marketing the brand called You.”

Brand UWhat get’s in the way of people building their brand?

1.Don’t know what makes me unique and how to position, package and sell it!2.Flat out exhausted and in overwhelm.3.Failure to implement things that really matter – doing a major in minor things.

Building Brand U1. Start thinking of yourself as a brand. What do you

want people to associate with you when they hear your name? What topic or message do you want to be known for? What are the qualities or personality are authentically you?

2. Grow your personal power. Get help to develop your personal power, your self-worth, your ability to say no and stick to it.

3. Get focused. Learn strategies to improve your personal productivity. Be focused, not busy.

Examples

UQPower.com.au

Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle

“People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.”

UQPower.com.au

Your Golden Circles

UQPower.com.au

Know your WHY

EG: My WHY StatementTo teach, inspire and help people to identify and leverage their uniqueness so that they can increase their impact, influence and income.

Ask yourself

• Who will look at your online profile?• What do people want to know about you?• Where will they use this information?• Why is your profile important?• When and how often do you update it? • How will you use your profile to your advantage?

Know your WHOThe way you tell your story will depend on whose attention you’re trying to attract. Whether it’s peers in your professional network, potential research or business partners, or other useful business contacts, understanding your audience will help you tailor your LinkedIn profile to speak directly to them.

LinkedIn Stats

• 35% check it daily

• 32% check the site several times a week

• 42% update profile regularly

• 81% belong to at least one group

Who’s Using

• Top Level Executives- industry networking (22%) - Promoting their business (20%)

• Middle Management Professionals- To keep in touch with others (24%)- Industry networking (20%)

• Entry Level Employees- Job searching (24%)- Co-worker networking (23%)

How to make it work for you

• It’s not enough to have your LinkedInprofile up and wait for something to happen.

• You need to engage in it actively to get results by participating, sharing and connecting.

• In business there is a direct correlation between your ability to build, manage and leverage professional relationships and your success. Ie: Your Network = Your Net Worth

• We prefer to do business with people we know, like and trust - LinkedIn can get you there pronto.

7 to improve your UQ

1. Add a positionCreate a compelling profile, not a resume rehash!

Update your employment history and professional accomplishments. Be sure to include your current position or job title and make sure it is aligned with your ONE THING – your UQ factor you want to be known for.

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Secret TipAdd in what you do or your tagline – not just your title – it’s a great for keywords.

The more skills and job titles that match recruiter or business searches for candidates, partners and suppliers, the higher volume of traffic your profile will receive. In turn, better traffic means you’re more likely to be the target of a new connection or opportunity.

2. Add a photoA professional looking photo or ‘headshot’ means you are putting your best foot (or face) forward. It also means people will recognise you which adds to the Know, Like and Trust factor. And when meeting up for a coffee with someone you met on LinkedIn you can spot them.

You can increase your LinkedIn views by 14X by including a photo

People are visualTake a look at this eyepattern research for a LinkedIn page.

Notice how the eyelingers much longer on the photo that anywhere else on the page.

That’s why you need a great headshot.

Avoid these mistakes

Nooooo….

Ewwww…

3. Add at least 3 skillsLet people know what you’re good at, and then get endorsed by your connections.

Remember to include your ONE THING – what makes you Unique makes you stand out.

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Endorsements

4. Join and interact in relevant groupsA great feature of LinkedIn is its groups. There are literally thousands of groups on LinkedIn where people discuss different topics. A great strategy is to join and participate in group discussions that your target market is part of. Demonstrate your expertise and position yourself as an expert. This will build trust and attract more business. Or create your own!

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Group interaction tips

•Answer questions to highlight your subject expertise

•Communicate. Show interest. Look for ways to help.

•Be your UQ self. Be real. Be yourself.

•Don’t always be in selling mode!

•Have fun!

5. Recommend peopleAn extremely powerful feature is that your clients can leave recommendations on your profile, which provides instant social proof and makes you more appealing to prospects when they look at your work profile and history.

Imagine searching for an accountant in your area and one has recommendations and the other doesn’t – which would you choose?

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Give and takeTo get recommendations remember to also recommend businesses you have liked working with instead of just hoping to be endorsed. It’s all about give and take.

Be genuine and bold – ask clients to leave a recommendation for you as part of your feedback process.

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Publish Articles

Include visuals

Include visuals

Extend Your Reach – Better Than A Blog

How you rank in your network

7. Create a business page

People can find you based on the keywords that you use, and likewise you can search for potential strategic alliance partners, find people and businesses in the same industry and email people directly without having to go through numerous channels. A LinkedIn Business page can act as an extra website so people can find out more about what you do. You can also post updates and information and read reports on the people that are viewing your page. Oh and share it!

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Make it work

•Aim to update it 1-3 times per week

•Make it highly visual

•Start with an action verb or ask a question

•Include links to articles and presentations

•Update status – strictly business (this is not Facebook) but be friendly, interesting and use video to show and tell

Ask questions

Use video show & tell

Keep it Short & Sweet

Provide Great Info

Use Neverfail Lists

• Use LinkedIn to do research about people. For example, if you about to meet with the CEO of Goldmine Co. you can look him up on LinkedIn and find out more about him before your meeting.

• All recruitment companies use LinkedIn to find and screen suitable candidates.

• Remember to link your company website, business card, email signature to your LinkedIn page.

• Make contact with potential clients or joint venture partners.

• Upload presentations like this one via SlideShare!

What else can I do with

BEST TIMES WORST TIMES

7am – 9am 10pm – 6am

5pm – 6pm

Best times to use

DISCUSSION

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