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LinkedIn For Business

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LinkedIn launched in 2003 and has since become the Worlds no1 business networking platform, creating a vast network for businesses and businessmen to represent themselves within a more interactive online community. ‘So why use LinkedIn, when Twitter and Facebook currently govern the networking corner of the internet?’ You might be thinking. Well here are a few reasons as to how LinkedIn can benefit you.

The Importance of Internet Marketing

Utilising the popularity of the internets subscribers is a great way to promote your business, and LinkedIn allows you to do just that. For is there a better way then using a website that is built for those exact purposes? With LinkedIn not only are you representing the general overview of what your business does, but also creating potential for new clients.

A Few Stats

Considering its 300 million user-base, LinkedIn is certainly worthy to inherit the title of worlds no1 business networking platform. With the average user being in their mid forties, LinkedIn represents a more mature network. It sets aside that youthful vibe you find with Twitter and Facebook and replaces it with a professional business like feel. So with LinkedIn, experience trumps mere charisma.

There is a lean balance between gender on LinkedIn, females occupy 51% of the user-base opposed to males 49%. On LinkedIn, you have people who are apart of your network called “connections.” A connection on LinkedIn is different than a “friend” on Myspace or Facebook. Connections imply that you know the person well or that they’re a trusted business contact. The average connections for each individual is 130, That’s 130 people that will directly view the content you chose to upload and have also indirectly indicated you are a trusted contact. This expands the potential for new clients, and establishes LinkedIn’s ability to generate trade. The average user spends up to 17 minutes a month on LinkedIn, meaning that it is vital to make a strong impression within a short time. You should bear this in mind when creating a page, highlighting keen and important assets about your company over hobbies and interests.

Common Mistakes

Common mistakes when using LinkedIn can be detrimental to your business and not just your page itself.

Starting to late, it’s imperative to build your online profile in a related date to your business. Starting to late can leave you with difficulties in finding links and people who show interest in your business.

Too many eggs in one basket, remember your page is a direct representation of your company and should be treat like one at all times. Don’t commit all your time to a single network (LinkedIn) it is important not to neglect other forms of revenue.

Start as you mean to go on, keeping your page consistent and concise is just as important as doing so for your business. A sudden change in how you usually deliver can appear abrupt and off-putting. Following a form of critical path is the best way to organise your page and maintain its efficiency.

In your face sales, don’t be to pushy when approaching new people. There is nothing wrong with showing interest in something, but being keen is one thing though being arrogant is another. subtlety can sometimes be the best form for recognition and also maintains your professionalism.

Bad attitude, Quite self-explanatory really if you’re appearing like someone with a bad attitude your business will also.

Lose business sense, creating your page without a strong understanding in how you want to represent your business will reflect badly on your business. It’s better to be clear and articulate then appear to be lacking the understanding to give off your strong business identity.

Free is bad, people in business shouldn’t be put off by the word free. Often believing this to be a lack in return for work. Try to remember this isn’t always the case.

Sell Something, get a customer for a day. Help someone, get a customer for life.

- Jay Baer

Short Term/ Long term uses

LinkedIn has various functions to meet your specification. Short term uses include, recruiting or being potentially recruited. You can add your CV/ Resume to your profile for employers to view.

Long term uses, to find specific companies/ clients and learn information about them. Wether thats competitors or trading companies. Relationships/ referrals, gaining valuable relationships is a great way to promote your business through LinkedIn, and in referring you may find yourself receiving highly rated recommendations. Which all in-turn will increase your visibility and interest.

Making the invisible visible

Try and steadily build your connections, remember the average connections pertaining to each individual user is 130. The more trust worthy connections you have the higher your visibility is to others.

Firstly, Your connections :- 130
remember that your connections are displaying you as a connection also, so in conjunction with this you’re connected with their connections too. You then extend into their connections, allowing you access to a mass amount of people. See below.

Second degree 16,900
Third Degree :- 2,197,000
Your potential network :- 2,214,030

Finding Connections

Try building connections based on current contacts in other areas. Contacts from mail clients are a good way to increase your connection group. By giving out business cards specifying you’re using LinkedIn, and people you may know from your regular gatherings. Good connections is a good sign of a good business.

Goal Driven Connections

To be goal driven you must define your goal, or what you wish to achieve. Then base your solid connections upon your defined goal. You should bare this in mind when searching for connections. This will also help you to get introduced to new connections.

Isn’t this what business is all about?

Business isn’t as cutthroat as displayed on television programs like the apprentice, with a you’re fired/ you’re hired. your page shouldn’t reflect a stern approach to business as borderline as intimidating, it can appear off-putting to other businesses.

Demonstrations are a good way for people to hear about you, displaying your talent will in most cases lead to sales and visibility on LinkedIn.

Company Page

It’s always a good idea to have a separate company page to your personal one, and with LinkedIn they cater to this function. Also referencing your company page on your personal one is a good way to direct traffic to your business.

Premium

With LinkedIn’s premium account you are in-titled to addition perks, like InMail, InMails are private messages that let you send business and career opportunities directly to any LinkedIn user. Additional search results, OpenLink which allows you to message an open profile to premium members. Premium accounts can see who has been viewing their page, and your LinkedIn badge becomes gold to indicate you’re a Premium member.

Learning the basics

These link swill help you to learn the basics in how to use LinkedIn. There are also helpful books on getting you up a started with LinkedIn.

www.lynda.com
www.socialmediaexaminer.com
help.linkedin.com
academy.hubstop.com

Books :- how to really use LinkedIn – Jan Vermeiren, Bert Verdonck
The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success – Wayne Breitbarth

The post LinkedIn For Business appeared first on AFX Design.


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