LinkedIn Marketing: 7 Tips for the Small Business

LinkedIn has over 135 million members, the majority of whom are professionals, in 200 countries.

For businesses looking to connect with particular industries or specific business demographics, its powerful search facilities and networking opportunities make the most out of a limited marketing budget.

The following LinkedIn tips will help you focus on the network’s potential;

1. Listen to your market
LinkedIn Groups can essentially provide you with free market research if you spend time browsing in the right places.

Once you have identified your target market, you can search for the groups in which people are discussing the sorts of problems or challenges they are facing, or learn more about how they would like to do business.

2. Maximize your profile
Make the most of your company profile by filling in all the sections, including the keywords, which will help others find you.

Be sure to keep all links current and customize what you can. For instance, you can change the URL to be your company name rather than a string of numbers and letters.

You can also upgrade your account to allow you to do more, such as using the InMail service to contact members, get introductions to companies and see more information on potential contacts.

3. Make the most of what you already have
You can use LinkedIn apps to link your blog, portfolio and other content directly into your LinkedIn feed.

You can also upload YouTube videos, SlideShare presentations and other media. Or you can set your Twitter or Facebook updates to post automatically to LinkedIn.

If you do this, however, beware of how you would like your business to be portrayed; frivolous Facebook or Twitter remarks may seem out of place on LinkedIn.

4. Use LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn Ads can offer a low-cost alternative to traditional advertising, with a potentially wider and more targeted reach, including CEOs or senior decision makers. Because of the detail in LinkedIn accounts, LinkedIn Ads can specifically target your demographic by industry, geographic location, seniority, age or LinkedIn Group.

5. LinkedIn recommendations
One of the best ways to build your business’s reputation on LinkedIn is to ask for recommendations from customers, clients or business partners.

Recommendations from others will show up in their profile, meaning that their own network will see it, which gives you a much wider reach than your own network.

You can also use LinkedIn’s Recommendation Ads to have your recommendations placed strategically on your customers’ profiles.

6. Make the most of LinkedIn’s search feature
LinkedIn has detailed search criteria in their Advanced Search, which can help you target your efforts and reach contacts or other networking opportunities in a more focused way.

In addition to keywords, names, location and company, you can also search industries, groups, seniority, experience, function, company size and several other categories.

7. Manage your goals
It is important to realize that, as with any social network, LinkedIn is a tool for connecting but it is only as good as the way you use it.

You can maximize your effort by having clear goals of what you want to achieve, whether it is numbers of client connections, hits to your website, recommendation targets or an increased exposure with a particular demographic.

Keeping your goals in mind can help you focus on where to concentrate your resources and create a more successful outcome.

7 Quick Ways to Turn Your LinkedIn Profile into a Social Media Marketing Workhorse

Here are 7 ways to enhance the copy on your profile to ensure that you get everything you want from LinkedIn:

1. It’s all about the headline

Headlines are everything in newspapers, magazines, and on blogs.
They are just as important on your LinkedIn profile, because the headline is the first thing that shows up anytime someone does a search online. A simple way to ensure your headline doesn’t suck is to follow a simple formula.
Tell people specifically:

• Who you are
• Who you help, and
• How you help them

Tell them in the fewest words possible. Make your headline compelling and you’ll increase your chances of more meaningful profile views.

2. Get personal

Although LinkedIn is the “professional” social networking site, you want to reserve the first part of your “Summary” to add a personal note about yourself.

People don’t want to look at a resume with bullet points of past sales achievements (barf!), they want to know a little bit about your background. They want to know who you are.

To achieve this, add a personal intro about your goals, what you’re passionate about, and what you love to do in life.

This small touch of transparency will help you connect on a personal level with anyone who views your profile.

3. Spell check. And then check again.

You probably have no clue how many deals are happening day in and day out on LinkedIn.

I hear success stories all of the time about people landing their dream job, getting hired for a major consulting deal, finding 7 figure investors, receiving major sponsorships, selling out tickets to live events, and more.

The potential for what you can accomplish on LinkedIn is nearly unlimited.

However, I also hear about people who are completely turned off by a prospect with a bare-bones profile, or worse — spelling mistakes. Make sure to spell check everything and have others review it to give you their feedback.

This small step could make all the difference in your interactions on LinkedIn. You know what they say about those first impressions.

4. Make a call to action

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not having a call to action on your LinkedIn profile.

If you spend all of this time crafting a great message but don’t lead the viewer anywhere, all your work will have been for nothing.

In your “Summary”, or in your LinkedIn welcome video make sure to tell people what site they should go to for more information, what number to call to get a free consultation, or the best way to email you.

Don’t leave your potential customers and clients hanging. Give them a place to go next (and a reason to go there).

5. Social proof is powerful proof

Social proof helps influence others into making a “buying” decision.
LinkedIn makes this step easy by providing 3 primary sections to add social proof:

• Education. Adding the college or university you attended provides your education credentials, and increases the value of your personal brand.
• Awards. This section is the one place you can brag about yourself a little. Include any past accomplishments or industry awards you can think of that will increase the value of your profile.
• Recommendations. The more recommendations you have on your profile the better. This is the best form of social proof, as it conveys credibility and authority. The best way to receive recommendations is to give them first.

6. Improve your search rankings

If you want to get more leads and sales, then the easiest thing you can do is become easily found on LinkedIn for keywords in your niche.

Think about what people would be searching for on Google to find your business, service, or product (for example, mine would be “sports” or “LinkedIn Tips”). Make sure you add your keywords throughout your LinkedIn profile in five main places.

Learn more about where to include your keywords and increase your LinkedIn SEO here.

7. Stand out from the crowd

With close to 130 million LinkedIn profiles, many of them look the same.

Don’t join the herd of boring “glamour shot” profiles. Instead, do something creative in your copy to market yourself on LinkedIn, stand out, and keep people coming back for more.

Add LinkedIn’s blog application, sync it with your twitter updates, or include other advanced applications to help your profile stand out from the rest.

Take your profile to the next level

As LinkedIn continues to grow in numbers and gain more media attention, it will prove to add more value to your brand and business.

If you want to get the most out of your efforts with LinkedIn, take the time right now to implement these 7 steps and watch your profile take off.

WANTED! Telling LinkedIn Followers You've Been Laid Off

Many people who’ve been laid off feel like crawling into a deep, dark hole and hiding from the World, rather than broadcasting their new job status.

Fortunately, if you want to find another position, that’s precisely what you should do. Get over the past and get on with the future!

In the current economy, with so many talented people being let go, there is absolutely no shame or stigma whatsoever” in clearly indicating that you are 'out of work.'

You exude confidence by not being ashamed that you’re between jobs. LinkedIn, which functions as an electronic resume, is a valuable tool to help you spread the word.

Until they are laid off, some folks either don’t know how to use LinkedIn, or have a very skeletal presence on the site. Perhaps, mistakenly, they think of it as a job search tool and either aren’t looking or don’t want their bosses to know. Most just cop out and say they are 'too busy.'

LinkedIn has comeof age. Three years ago, senior people thought LinkedIn was for lower-level employees. Not any more. Now everybody is connected and checking each other out.

Hr personnel will look you up on LinkedIn, before they will consider asking you for an interview.

If you suddenly find yourself out of work, toughen up. Develop a “robust, 100% complete LinkedIn profile.

LinkedIn claims that their site is so user-friendly that even firt timers and newbies can find their way.

Those who need guidance have to rely on LinkedIn’s online tutorial or enlist help from a more experienced friend or passing tech-savvy teenager.

In creating a new profile or editing your current one, be very public about the fact that you’re looking for new opportunities. No matter how difficult this is, it's an issue you have to address as you wind your way though the key sections of the LinkedIn template.

Where do you start? Try this approach;



Professional Headline
In this line, which goes under your name, give a generic description of what you do or a sample job title (for example, Chief Security Officer, Senior Human Resources Officer).

Use this label of yourself as a guide to what you aspire to be and feel confident about, rather than feeling limited by what your last job title.

Current Position
You’re now out of work, so the “Current” heading should be deleted but before you do, cut and paste your previous company and job title into the “Past” section.

Now click “edit” and “delete,” and make the “Current” heading disappear. Don’t be concerned that your job shows an end date. It’s very acceptable these days to be 'resting' or 'between' jobs.

Summary
In a couple of short, pertinent paragraphs, make sure you emphasise your key skills and submit good examples of major accomplishments.

Conclude with a sentence that says “I am currently looking for new opportunities in ......" and mention specific functions and industries where you can prove your worth.

When trying to fill positions that are now open, both headhunters and in-house folks with responsibility for filling a job routinely comb LinkedIn for people who are out of work; it saves them the trouble of having to convince someone who is currently employed to switch jobs.

So, instead of pretending and feeling sorry for yourself, it’s actually to your benefit to indicate that you’re open to new opportunities.


Experience
Make sure your descriptions of past jobs adequately convey what you did. Standard rules of resume writing apply here: use active verbs, amply convey your responsibilities, and show results.

Since words are scarcer in social media, aim for punchy, and currently applicable soundbites. Get recommendations from your current or most relevant jobs that reflect varying perspectives. Managers, colleagues and more effectively, a client.

Education
For the over 40s and beyond, the dates and qualifications of a dark distant past are normally irrelevant. Experience counts for more when looking to recruit, unless the qualifications have been extended or form part of a professional code of conduct e.g. medicine, science, etc.

How do you know when you’re finished? 
Just remember you are not a artist painting a picture. There is a finite amount of information that you need to put in your profile but as a guide, LinkedIn tries to measure your progress.

When you’re in “Edit Profile” mode on LinkedIn, there’s a metric that attempts to show the percentage completeness of your profile.

Also, LinkedIn will make suggestions about what you’re 'missing' beit a job description, photo or recommendations. Keep revising until you get as near to hitting the 100% mark, as possible.

Then, to be sure, proof read it again vigilantly. you can also ask a friend or relative to check it for basic errors.

Good luck!

New App for LinkedIn: Claims to Match Users to Job Openings

LinkedIn announced a new beta feature this week, Real-Time Profile Matches, intended to help make it easier for users to find the right jobs, and for hiring companies to find the right talent.

When a LinkedIn user posts a job opening on the site, LinkedIn's new proprietary technology searches its database of more than 60 million professionals for profiles that best match the job description.

It then returns a list to the job poster of up to 24 matches, displaying candidates in a business-card-style format and rating them on a scale of 1through 10.

Because the search technology is proprietary, Parker Barrile, director of product management at LinkedIn, could not say what the technology looks for in a profile to deem it an appropriate job match but Barrile does say that it "goes a level deeper than just keyword matching."

If you're looking for a new job, Barrile suggests two things to ensure that your profile is appearing as an appropriate job match. First, be sure that your profile is up to date and complete.

That means filling out the experience, summary and professional headline sections, and including comprehensive details about your past and present work positions. Second, utilise the Status Update feature, which can alert your network that you're job searching and inform a job poster that you're an available candidate.

Currently, Real-Time Profile Matches is a free feature, but Barrile couldn't say for how long.

A View of LinkedIn - Optimisation info

Here’s a quick way to optimise your Linkedin profile so that you’re website, blog or business are on display and available to the every attentive Search engines.

• Step 1. Log into your LinkedIn Account
• Step 2. On the right hand navigation menu, click on Edit My Profile
• Step 3. The dropdown box for Websites Let’s you choose between “My Website, My Company, My Blog” and
• Choose and use Other.

Next in the box to the right add a title for the site you want to promote. Remember to use a real title and not just the generic 'url:link' e.g. 'Smart Guy Web-Blog'.

Now, add the URL of the page you want the title to link to and check the link works because broken links are not only damned annoying but also reflects badly on your claim to have the ability to 'work to tight deadlines and have an eye for details.'

Lastly, check where people are landing in your site. Make sure it is at the 'optimum point' on your Web-blog site and satisfy yourself that they are seeing the best of you and your site.

LinkedIn; A Fast-Track Introduction to Business Contacts and Networking

LinkedIn Etiquette: Five Dos and Don'ts
Knowing how to interact with your connections on the professional social network isn't always as straightforward as it seems. Here are five cardinal rules that you should follow.

Social Networking Etiquette: How to Introduce Yourself and Others Politely
Improve your social networking etiquette IQ with our expert advice on some sticky situations you see on LinkedIn and other social networking sites. How can you politely decline friend or connection requests? Effectively introduce yourself to someone who doesn't know you well? Thoughtfully connect two contacts? We've got answers.

LinkedIn Profiles: Avoid the Six Most Common Mistakes
Are mistakes on your LinkedIn profile costing you possible job opportunities? Check out this expert advice on LinkedIn profile pitfalls.

How to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile: Stand Out to Employers, Recruiters
With so many people job hunting now, you've got more competition than ever on LinkedIn. So how do you make your LinkedIn profile work best for you? Here are some practical tips for standing out from the crowd and reaching potential employers.

On LinkedIn, Who Should You Connect With?
You've signed up for LinkedIn, because everyone says it's the primary business social network. But to whom should you connect? Your strategy should differ from your approach to Facebook.

LinkedIn Tips: How Many Connections Is Too Many?
When it comes to LinkedIn connections, some people believe more is better, creating huge networking circles. But that approach has prompted debate, with even some people inside LinkedIn saying that's a risky strategy. Here are three good reasons to beware of having too many LinkedIn connections.

How to Use LinkedIn Company Profiles For Job Hunt, Networking
Company profile pages on LinkedIn can help you tune into a company's comings and goings, executive relationships and key business facts. Here's how to search and use LinkedIn Company Profiles to your best advantage.

LinkedIn Recommendations: Five Ways to Make The Most of Them
As potential employers or recruiters peruse your work experience on LinkedIn, recommendations from past and present colleagues can be one of the most helpful features to help communicate your value. Here are five tips for doing the most good for yourself with LinkedIn recommendations.

New LinkedIn Apps Platform Overview
Since LinkedIn launched its application platform, the social network for professionals must carefully vet what technologies get added to the site, ensuring that they honor users' privacy while bolstering productivity.

LinkedIn's New Free Apps: Review, Part One
LinkedIn's getting down to business with a platform of free apps. Here's a hands-on look at what the first batch of those apps can do for you, from presentation help to travel tools.

LinkedIn's New Free Apps: Review, Part Two
Here's a look at the rest of LinkedIn's apps currently available on the new LinkedIn App Platform. They run the gamut, from presentations to file sharing to what you're reading.

LinkedIn's Most Unusual Members: Meet The Super-Connected
LinkedIn open networkers, or LIONs, accept almost all LinkedIn connection requests and introduce strangers out of good will. Here's a look at this controversial group and its approximately 16,000 members who'd like to be known as the saints of social networking, but are sometimes called spammers.

LinkedIn Clamps Down On Super-Connected Users
LinkedIn has imposed new restrictions on the number of connections any one person can have, say members of the LinkedIn open networkers, a controversial group that accepts almost all LinkedIn connection requests. The group appears to be walking an increasingly fine line with the social network.

LinkedIn vs. Facebook: Is the "Boring" Underdog Poised to Beat Its Flashy Competitor?
Despite the spotlight on Facebook and its massive user base, the social network's more professional competitor, LinkedIn, is poised for profitability and more immediate financial success. Analysts also say investors see revenue potential for LinkedIn that extends beyond advertising.

LinkedIn and Beyond: More Sites to Help You Network

LinkedIn, Facebook and Myspace can be useful tools for networking with consumers and peers, but there are other social networks on the web with more specific purposes or narrower audiences. The list is almost endless and the variety equally so. Here is a selection of other popular sites.

APSense.com: Tap into an affiliate marketing revenue stream by promoting products and sites on your business profile, and get paid for the friends you refer. (This is not the same service as Google's ADSense)

Biznik.co.uk: Join your local (US or UK) business community to connect and collaborate with nearby entrepreneurs, and find out about local seminars and events.

Entrepreneur Connect & Women Entrepreneur Connect: Share ideas, join groups, publish content and promote your business on (Women) Entrepreneur's own network.

FastPitchNetworking.com: Create a profile, product listings and blog, and take advantage of e-mail marketing and virtual trade shows. Their website is also available in German, Spanish and Chinese languages.

GoBigNetwork.co.uk: Get serious about fast growth in this startup community focused on finding funding, talent and expert advice.

Konnects.com: Build a network among other startup entrepreneurs and launch your own branded network when you're ready. Twitter friendly!

Marzar.com: Connect with other business owners while promoting products and services in the marketplace.

Xing.com: Search this global site for business partners, contacts and professional opportunities. Multiple European, Chinese and Asian languages supported

This list is for information only. I am in no way recommending them over any others. Explore and enjoy but make up your own mind about how useful or otherwise, they are to you.

NB: many of the above sites are US or UK based, but some have multiple language support and may have a separate more localised, website for your country. If not, well, you now have an opportunity to develop something for your city, region or catchment area.

If you are already connected and using the above sites, I would be very interested to hear your comments and feedback on them. As well as your links and suggestions for bigger and better networking sites.

Connecting with Intelligence at www.ted.com

Laid-off! Oh No! What now?

Crystal Balls

The USA reported that 2.6 million jobs were lost in 2008, with 524,000 axed in December alone. Unfortunately, the situation isn't expected to be any better in Europe in 2009. People who invested years of hard work, loyalty and dedication have been shown the (back) door. Now they find themselves out in the street, left wondering what their futures hold.

Discard Pride and take Courage
The newly unemployed can't afford to miss a beat. Yes, the economy has deteriorated. Yes, more layoffs are coming. Yes, it's harder to find a job now than it was a year ago but while some will react badly, smart job seekers will get tough and get going. They'll brush up their résumés, hit the job boards, work their social networks and polish their interview skills . Remain calm, collected and focused on finding the next opportunity.

Resting for the Hunt

Finding a new Job is Your Full-Time Job
You might not be fully employed, but you do have a job. Your job is to find a new position. Remember, you have been released from you current commitments, you have not been granted permission to take time off and lick your wounds.

Some people may feel they have enough savings to live off for a month or two, before they throw themselves back in the market. Sadly, if you let yourself slip into the "let's call it a break" mentality, you seriously risk losing your edge and when you do decide to actively pursue a job, it'll be that much harder to get back into the working harness and the pace of things.

Job hunting race
Secondly all your colleagues are now running ahead of you in the job hunting race. You may even find that you have competition from some of your old colleagues, the ones that are not being laid-off. These are the 'jump before you're pushed' brigade. The ones that have seen some scarey writing on the wall near to them and this has provoked them into finding a more secure company to work for.

If you start to pursue a new position immediately, you'll be much more fit and prepared to seek out and find the right opportunity. You will still be hot from the fight. Your readiness will show in your interview attitude, from the way you present your résumé, to the way you conduct yourself while under scrutiny and in your ability to negotiate, confidently.

Slainte!

Keep Your Spirits Up
This is not a license to drink more whiskey, not that I want to discourage you. Being laid off in today's economy can send any level-headed person into a panic. That's why it's important to keep your priorities in check, preferably a reality check. Keeping your spirits high keeps you motivated to get back out there with the level of enthusiasm you need. Did you ever walk over hot coals? as part of a team-building course. Well, if you did then remember the state of mind you assumed at that time, face forward, focus and take that first step.

Step up out of the trench
Professionally speaking, your layoff could be a big blessing in disguise. You know that you felt unappreciated, stifled or bored in your old job! The company politics were dragging you down! So, now is the time to stop whining and find your true calling. Take advantage of this time for expansion, self-discovery and growth. Re-build, renovate and re-invent yourself.

Find a job or position that really challenges you in new and exciting ways. We are all the sum of multiple characteristics and talents that grow and change with knowledge and experience. Look at the different aspects and elements of your complex character. Train and develop some of these and allow others out for some exercise and experience. Try something new. Pick up on an activity that you used to enjoy, something you already know and can expand.

Hail! Friends Countrymen!

Network, Network, Network
When the going gets tough reach out to everyone you know and maybe some that you don't.

Looking for a job is no shame on you and you, like everyone else need to be supported.

Clearly, people don't like to talk about their sudden unemployment but remember that everyone knows the economy is down. Through no fault of your own, you find yourself in the growing army of newly unemployed people but YOU are one of a kind.

Tell your friends. Tell your family. Post updates on social networking sites. Let people know you could use some help, and ask them to put you in touch with people they know are hiring. Make sure everyone knows you are in the market, you are developing new skills and have something more to offer.

New Skills! New vacancies!

Recruitment agencies can help
Talk to recruitment agencies, whether you are looking for full-time or part-time employment. These agencies have already seen a noticeable increase in clients who have never used a staffing company before now. You can be sure that they have already planned for this increase in demand. It's their job.

Advice from friends is helpful, but staffing professionals know the ins and outs of local employment and can propose or suggest that you follow a new direction, one you had not been aware of or considered. Even more importantly, recruitment agencies have established good relationships with local companies. Listen to what they say.

Skills Gap Analysis
Recruitment agencies are also a good source of information regarding what key skills are most sought after, by the market. If you have good current skills they will be able to tell you how to package and market them. If your skills are out of alignment with the market, they can give you good advice as to how to change or tune your approach to a better fit.

No Demand for Zeppelin mechanics!

Take it on the chin if they say you need to re-train entirely and get out there to find the cheapest smartest way to do this. The web is a good source of free online tuition and again your friends and network can help you here too. Seek out the one's that have current skills or work with others who have them.

Consider working for FREE for a short introductory period.

It would be a great advantage to you to find work as an intern or assistant with a company who have, and use, the key skills you need to learn or develop! Remember there has to be value on both sides or it won't work. So you need to have something to offer them. You will short circuit many of their reticence and objections if you offer your time and experience for FREE! In return you get some valuable training or much needed exposure to a new skill, methodology or application.

Clearly working for nothing is a short term activity and you cannot allow it to continue for long. You need an income and you have only a small window of opportunity before you go broke. So, once you are in-situ, you need to learn as much as you can, gaining real hands-on experience and as quickly as possible. Poverty is a great motivator!

You never know what might come from this and it will keep your morale high, maintain your social interaction and extend your network. 3 very important considerations but beware of abusive persons that will try to exploit your position.

Social Networking helps
Don't hesitate to put your professional face online. Make sure you are on LinkedIn and your profile is up to date. Your online presence is often the first place potential employers will look. If run correctly, your social network could be that extra boost your résumé needs. Exercise caution and restraint, because, depending on the content, it could also be detrimental. Post articles you've written or details of a project you're particularly proud of, not the pictures of you mooning your mates on last year's trip to Cancun.

Consider Contract work and Consulting
Although you might be leaving a full-time, "permanent" position, don't rule out the idea of consulting. Many workers overlook the option of consulting because they don't like the relative insecurity and the idea of impermanence.

The use of Contractors and contracting
In fact, many cautious employers now are showing great caution when taking on new staff. They don't want the long term commitment in such a dynamic marketplace. They want to be able to grow and shrink as the work dictates. They do this by using contractors and they manage the uptake of contractors by issuing short 3 month contracts in the first instance, with the 'potential' to extend.

From my experience it will take you 6 weeks to settle into a new company and it will be 3 months before you will become truly confident and start taking the initiative in that position. From your side, you are set to go. From the employers side, they know who they are dealing with and they have assessed your worth. They can now decide whether to 'extend' you for a more agreeable period of time e.g. 6 months or 1 year, to completely 'domesticate you by offering a Permanent contract or to 'release' you back into the Wild.

If you dismiss contracting as an option, you could be slamming the door on your career.

Once you are established as a contractor, it is not uncommon to stay with a company for 2 years or more. Years of relative security and certainty, the same pay and benefits. Remember that a short consulting assessment is often the only way into and organisation but could potentially lead to a (semi-)permanent position.

Go Girl Power!

Cultivate Suppleness and Flexibility

Consulting also has a number of benefits you won't find with a permanent position. It provides a vehicle for flexibility. That may be the flexibility to spend more time with your family, or open up that business of your dreams. Consulting usually generates a higher salary than a permanent position. It can also stimulate you business sense in a way that a more sedintary position does not.

Just say 'No!'
As an independent consultant, you always have the option to say 'No' to a project if it doesn't appeal to you. Can you imagine saying "no thanks" to your last manager? (out loud). There are a huge array of jobs available to contractors. This makes it possible to not only choose where and when you work, but what you're doing and how you do it.

The Postman earns more than you do, now
A contract or temporary position with a company keeps some income flowing while you search for a more permanent and satisfying position. It could be the key to keeping you and your family fed and healthy.

Benefits? What Benefits?
Do remember that temporary workers and contractors do not have access to the same benefits within organisations. No health insurance, no pensions, no sick pay, short notification of termination periods, etc. So, its not all plain sailing and lots of money but its something you will know in advance and can deal with. Remember what your Grannie told you, save up and put aside something for the leaner days.

With grim determination and a willingness to grow and open yourself up to new experiences, you will not be a Statistic very long!