LinkedInthe payoff and getting business.

• Thought Leadership

• Sharing Expertise

• Promotion

• Market Research

• Win New Business

your profileare you memorable?

• Add your voice

• Add the right key words

• Get connected

• Get a vanity URL

• Link to other social media

Younger members use the site mostly to post résumés and network for jobs, while more experienced professionals use it to demonstrate thought leadership and expertise, promote their businesses, conduct market research and--perhaps most important--win new business.

co. profilea tool for reputation management

Setting up your business as a "company" on LinkedIn isn't going to generate a bunch of leads, but it does give you an opportunity to have a presence on LinkedIn beyond a personal profile to enhance your brand.

• Images & videos

• Blog posts & tweets • Feature products

• Seek recommendations

groupscatering to your target market

• Start small & build up

• Read & watch

• Engage

Groups are a double-edged sword... joining more groups can make you look more important, but at a certain point it becomes unmanageable.

get involved earn good karma

• Comment

• Ask/answer questions

• Surveys and polls

It should go without saying, but to get any value out of social media you have be social.

Every time someone sees your name and your activity on the network it reminds them you are there, and what you’re doing.

updateswhat are you doing?

• White papers• Articles• Research• Completed projects• Events you’re attending

Nothing builds credibility like third-party endorsements.

referralsbe honest & give ‘em back

• Get recommendations • Give recommendations

• Use your network

searchthe payoff & getting business

Create searches to find questions, people and topics targeted to your expertise or the service your company provides.

• Follow discussions

• Groups and answers

• Track who’s looking at your profile

• Google Alerts [site:linkedin.com"your keywords"]

finding timehow much is too much?

• 1 – 2 times per week

• Answer some questions

• Post a status update

• Participate in one or two groups

While the owners of LinkedIn would love it if you logged in every day, that’s probably not the best use of your time. You should be able to do this in less than an hour a week.

The Women's Business Network (WBN) of Ottawa