LinkedIn Boot Camp - Training for the Business Marketer

LinkedIn is a power horse of valuable marketing tools, but many companies do not fully utilize its resources. And given the number of choices that online shoppers have when browsing, the small business owner should capitalize on this valuable treasure chest of marketing tools.

What is LinkedIn and how is it different than other social networking sites?

The LinkedIn community is a collection of people on the Internet that are interested in networking. The LinkedIn network is special in that the members are made up mostly of professionals. LinkedIn currently has over 145 million members worldwide. And what is important about LinkedIn is that because of the group affiliations of members, you and your business can easily network with professionals that are interested in your field, your industry and your products or services. Conversations on LinkedIn are geared towards cultivating professional partnerships and advancing business, rather than posting updates and silly pictures (Facebook).

So, let's get started with your LinkedIn training.

Step 1 - Complete your profile.

Complete your LinkedIn profile. Because your LinkedIn profile is displayed at the top of your Google results when people search for your first and last name, it is important to make a good first impression with your LinkedIn profile.

Tips for a professional LinkedIn profile include a professional photograph, a detailed work and educational summary, and any business affiliations that are relevant. Also important is that LinkedIn displays your group memberships. So join groups that are relevant to your field of work.

Step 2 - Connect with people in your industry.

Connect with everyone in your industry. In comparison to other social networking sites in which people connect with those that they already know, LinkedIn offers valuable tools to network with new contacts. Be selective, but at the same time, do not fail to reach out to new connections within your industry. In the long run, this can create more business opportunities.

Step 3 - Customize your URL and web site address.

Customize your URL and add your web site addresses in your LinkedIn profile. By adding your own URL and web site addresses in the "edit profile" screen, you have opportunities to funnel visitors to your company web site or blog. A customized web site name will encourage visitors to click through to your sites.

Step 4 - Spice up your personal profile.

Spice up your profile with stories, video recommendations, and other interesting topics. Let your personality shine through. Add a small bio that explains to visors how you can help them and what you are about.

Step 5 - Follow the golden rule.

The golden rule applies while networking in LinkedIn. The more you give, the more you receive. And do unto others…. be polite, professional and helpful. Recommend others and seek out recommendations for your own profile.

Step 6 - Join groups!

This is one of the most important steps in the LinkedIn boot camp. Join groups! LinkedIn groups give you the most bang for the buck. By joining groups, you can get in touch with other experts in your industry. Try and join as many groups as you can and be sure to choose groups with high membership numbers. This is helpful because as your company grows and you add valuable content to your company blog, you can post those articles to your LinkedIn groups. By sharing your valuable content, you entice people to click through, read your articles, and connect with you. In some cases, those people will buy your product or service, or perform your MDA (most desired action).

Step 7 - Setup a profile for your company.

Setup a profile for your company. Now that you have your personal profile completed and you have joined many valuable groups for networking, its time to create a company profile. In a LinkedIn company profile you can add videos and provide valuable information about your company. This step gives valuable exposure to your company. Don't be shy about promoting your companies strengths.

Step 8 - Automation, automation, automation.

There are many applications that can integrate with LinkedIn and allow you the benefit of automation. TweetAdder, WordPress, and other applications give you the opportunity to automatically post articles and updates to your profile. Take advantage of these valuable integration tools. Not only are they real time savers, they are also methods that professional marketers use to ping their prospects and reach out to new ones.

When adding your personal or company profile, keep in mind that people on LinkedIn often search for other experts in their field by utilizing a keyword search. So use your most important keywords in your profiles. Now get started, and network!