Social media has become a popular way for a business to advertise themselves and reach an audience they may not be able to reach otherwise. If you are running a small business or working as a marketing manager it is crucial that you promote yourself the right way. One of the most popular business social networking sites you can use us LinkedIn. Countless companies and individuals have a presence on LinkedIn. If you do have a LinkedIn profile, make sure you follow certain tips for making it the most effective.
1. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that your LinkedIn profile has to be thorough. An incomplete profile makes you look very unprofessional and will turn people off. Make sure that you thoroughly explain your company and your position in it. The more information you include, the more likely it is you will make some good contacts and be able to further your career. Another important thing to do is to make sure that everyone can see your profile. Hiding information will make it less effective and less likely to be read by others. List all of the skills you excel in, even if not all of them are directly related to your business and/or position.
2. Once you start making connections on LinkedIn, be sure to build relationships with those contacts. Utilize the messaging system on LinkedIn to send direct, private messages to a connection who's attention will further your career. Always be on the lookout for an opportunity to get to know your connections better. There are two kinds of connections on LinkedIn: first and second-degree connections. First-degree connections are people you have connected with directly. Second-degree connections are the people connected to those you are connected to. This can be a great way to engage in some virtual networking.
3. When you make a new connection, send them an email on LinkedIn right away. If you take the initiative to introduce yourself to a new connection this lets them know that you are someone who is relevant to their business presence.
4. Frequently check your LinkedIn news feed to stay aware of any updates posted by your contacts. You can specify which contacts you want to see updates from and which ones you don't. Be sure to pay close attention to the connections that may be useful to you later on down the line.
5. Use your connections to meet their connections. For example, if you work for a small newspaper and one of your connections is connected to the editor of a major newspaper, ask for an introduction to that connection. This may put you on the person's radar and if they are looking for someone to hire you may be one of the first people they consider.
6. A LinkedIn feature that can really be helpful to you is the recommendations feature. Once you have done business with one of your connections, ask them for a recommendation. The more solid recommendations you have the more likely you are to be noticed and perhaps even sought out when someone needs to do business with you. For example, if you are a publicist and you connect with an actor, singer or writer on LinkedIn, get a recommendation from them. This way if any of their connections are looking for a publicist they may choose you. It is also a great idea to use your LinkedIn profile to gather recommendations you can use in your efforts to promote yourself and your business.
7. Join the various groups on LinkedIn to help promote your company. Most groups are organized by industry. There are more than one million groups on LinkedIn and each of those groups gets divided up into subgroups determined by different regions. In other words, if there is a group for teachers the subgroups would be teachers in Oregon, teachers in New York, etc. LinkedIn groups often contain discussions among the members. Posting frequently to these groups will get your name out there.
Making Your Business Stand Out On LinkedIn
An individual business can have its own page on LinkedIn. However, more than two million businesses have a Linkedin page, so it is crucial to make your stand out from the competition. Use many different forms of media on your business's page, such as YouTube videos, hyper linked banners and images. The more interesting and diverse your page is the more views you will get. Make sure your business's page contains all the relevant information a new customer or client would need. Many businesses insert an RSS feed from their blog into their LinkedIn page. On your products and services page, make sure you target demographics that would be the most interested in your products.
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