Your LinkedIn Profile
– Update your status regularly with relevant information that shows you’re a thought-leader in your industry.
– Make sure you have a great photo: it should be professional, should look like you, and should be a front-facing headshot.
– Complete all of the available fields: including some of the newer fields like projects, courses and publications.
– Update your jobs to have keywords in the title and descriptions so that you show up more frequently in searches.
– Update applications that show your interests, like your Amazon reading list, your blog, or your slideshows.
– Write a catchy headline and summary – this is your first impression and it should be an attention grabber.
LinkedIn Groups
– Join new groups that are relevant to your industry so you can share interesting content or learn from others.
– Start a discussion on something relevant to the group – get your name out there!
– Comment on discussions that others have started – people will start to realize you have something interesting to contribute.
– Add a “promotion” if you have a special event or upcoming class that you want to promote and share.
– Connect with people that you’ve interacted with in the groups you’re part of.
– Start a group so you can connect with like-minded people and come off as a passionate expert in your field.
– Read the popular discussions in groups to learn what people in your field want to talk about.
LinkedIn Answers
– Post a question in LinkedIn answers to get feedback and grow your reach beyond your current network and groups.
– Try to answer questions related to your industry that other people may have – use every opportunity you can to get your name out there as an expert.
– Search questions in your industry to see what people need help with.
Connecting with your connections
– Comment on the status of your connections so you’re always on the top of their minds.
– Add the email tool onto your email – it provides a sidebar with a link to your contact’s LinkedIn profile and your own.
– Write a recommendation for one of your close professional contacts.
– Request a recommendation from a business contact that you have a good relationship with.
– Request a “LinkedIn introduction” to someone you think you could collaborate with.
– Send message to those in your network – holiday greetings, birthday wishes, articles they would find interesting, etc.
– Search for people who it would be good to have in your network.
– Always respond to messages in your inbox promptly and enthusiastically.
Promote your company
– Ensure your company has a page on LinkedIn – if not, create one immediately.
– Add products and services to your page so that viewers know what you do.
– Request reviews from as many clients as possible.
– Post jobs so interested applications always know when you’re hiring.
– Always make sure employees add your company to their profile so people get can a good view of your company.
– Connect your blog and/or Twitter account to your company page so people are always kept up-to-date.
Grow your connections
– Look at the LinkedIn “People You May Know” recommendations every time you log-on.
– Upload your email address book and add your email connections to your network.
– Think about people you’ve met in the real world and business meetings or events and invite them into your network.
– Invite thought-leaders and influencers from the groups you participate in based on your shared interests.
– Add your current business contacts, coworkers, customers, suppliers to your network.
– LinkedIn allows you to browse people who were in college with you, or have the same former workplace – use this to add long-lost connections.
– View the LinkedIn connections of your existing contacts – are they connected to people that you’d like to add?
