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61 LinkedIn Tips For Business: From Beginner to Power User
November 12, 2015 Melonie Dodaro
Have you wondered what type of results you can get using LinkedIn for business?
Or maybe you are wondering if there’s enough of an ROI on your LinkedIn activities?
It can seem like there's never enough time in the day to do all the things you want or need to do to grow your business. You may even struggle with finding the time to read articles – like this one – even if that article could make you more efficient, more effective and ultimately generate more leads and sales.
I have complied my best 61 LinkedIn tips for business, which includes great nuggets whether you are new to LinkedIn or a power user, in this easy to read and easy to share blog post (including a SlideShare presentation).
Here are 61 LinkedIn Tips For Business
LinkedIn Etiquette Tips
Tip 1: LinkedIn is a business social network and people expect things to be professional at all times.
Tip 2: Always respond to your messages on LinkedIn in a timely manner.
Tip 3: When asking for an introduction on LinkedIn, make sure they actually know that person.
Tip 4: Connect with people who viewed your profile, but skip the “I saw you viewed my profile.”
LinkedIn Profile Tips
Tip 5: Have a strong and clean LinkedIn profile that speaks to your ideal clients. Not just your offer.
Tip 6: Listen to the language that your ideal clients use to describe their challenges and problems.
Tip 7: Your profile picture should be a clean headshot facing the camera – smiling with a clean background.
Tip 8: Optimize your LinkedIn headline with at least 1 or 2 keywords.
Tip 9: Have a clear call-to-action in your LinkedIn summary. Tell prospective clients what you want them to do.
Tip 10: Endorsements improve your search ranking on LinkedIn for the keywords listed in your Skills.
Tip 11: Optimize your LinkedIn profile for your keywords & speak to your ideal clients to get more connection requests.
Tip 12: Set yourself apart from your competitors, invest the time to complete your LinkedIn profile.
LinkedIn Groups Tips
Tip 13: To effectively use LinkedIn groups, join groups that are specific to your target audience.
Tip 14: If your business focuses on your local area, join all relevant & local LinkedIn groups.
Tip 15: As a member of a LinkedIn group, you can send 15 free messages per month to members.
Tip 16: If you see a group with no activity on LinkedIn, that might not be the best group for you to join.
Tip 17: To engage in LinkedIn Groups, search for keywords that interest your prospects and clients.
Tip 18: Don’t post to multiple LinkedIn groups at once otherwise you will flood the newsfeed.
Tip 19: Share your content in a LinkedIn Group, but be sure you’re providing value relevant to group members.
Tip 20: When posting an article in a LinkedIn Group, start with a question to stimulate conversation.
LinkedIn Messages Tips
Tip 21: Always personalize your connection request to potential prospects on LinkedIn.
Tip 22: When you connect on LinkedIn, it is vital that you DO NOT send the default LinkedIn message.
Tip 23: Create a Welcome/Thank You message to send to your new LinkedIn connections.
Tip 24: Relationship-building messages are designed to build rapport with your new LinkedIn connections.
Tip 25: Don’t use LinkedIn messages to sell but to warmly lead prospective clients into setting up a meeting/call.
LinkedIn Daily Checklist Tips
Tip 26: Decide how much time to devote to your lead generation campaign on LinkedIn daily and be consistent.
Tip 27: For successful lead gen on LinkedIn, the key is to create a system and routine that becomes second nature.
Tip 28: Create a daily/weekly task list to follow, to make your time on LinkedIn more efficient & effective.
Tip 29: Posting daily status updates should be one of the first things on your LinkedIn checklist.
Tip 30: Post once or twice a day on LinkedIn. Make sure you post information that is interesting to your target audience.
Tip 31: When you post on LinkedIn, always add a comment. Also ask a question, to stimulate conversation.
Tip 32: Share your posts directly from your blog on LinkedIn with social sharing buttons.
Tip 33: One of the first things you want to do each day on LinkedIn is to accept new connection requests.
Tip 34: When you connect with a new person on LinkedIn it’s a win-win, you both expand your network.
Tip 35: Search results on LinkedIn are limited to 1st, 2nd, 3rd degree connections & group members. Be sure to grow your network.
Tip 36: After you accept a connection request, you should send your new connection a welcome message.
Tip 37: Make an effort to regularly build your network, connecting to prospects, clients and strategic partners.
Tip 38: Set a target for the number of prospects to reach out to on LinkedIn everyday – be consistent.
Tip 39: When people view your profile, it is a chance to connect. No need to say “I saw you viewed my profile”.
Tip 40: If a prospect sends you a LinkedIn connection request, reply with a thank you message that provides them with value!
Tip 41: You need to monitor & engage with your LinkedIn network on a regular basis.
Tip 42: Review the discussions in Groups you belong to and look for opportunities to engage & add value.
Tip 43: You should review your LinkedIn notifications daily for engagement opportunities.
Tip 44: Introduce your LinkedIn connections to each other. This invokes the law of reciprocity & expands your network.
Tip 45: You can search for prospects on LinkedIn using LinkedIn’s Advanced Search and LinkedIn Groups.
Tip 46: Pay attention to the people your contacts are connecting with, especially if they are competitors.
LinkedIn Lead Generation & Social Selling Tips
Tip 47: Each week reach out and share content with some of your hottest prospects on LinkedIn.
Tip 48: If you come across content that would be a good fit for one of your LinkedIn connections, send it.
Tip 49: If you find a great article, send it to individual connections that would benefit from reading it.
Tip 50: Do not try to sell or pitch new connections. This is the fastest way to KILL a potential relationship.
Tip 51: I highly recommend you grow an email list to complement your LinkedIn lead generation efforts.
Tip 52: To convert a prospect into a client, move the relationship off-line.
Tip 53: Social Selling is first and foremost relational – it’s SOCIAL media not sales media.
Tip 54: Social selling requires a time investment, but the Return on Investment (ROI) justifies it.
Advanced LinkedIn Tips
Tip 55: LinkedIn Privacy settings are for your protection but be sure not to close yourself off.
Tip 56: 3 Major Premium LinkedIn Features: Advanced Search Function, Who’s viewed your Profile & InMail.
Tip 57: The EXTRA Advanced Search Options are one main differences between FREE & Paid accounts on LinkedIn.
Tip 58: You can manage your LinkedIn relationships adding relevant tags to keep them organized.
Tip 59: Create “saved searches” on LinkedIn & you’ll get weekly updates of people that match that search.
Tip 60: When sending connection requests on a mobile device, make sure you go to their profile to send it, so you can personalize it.
Tip 61: With a free LinkedIn account you see the last 5 people who viewed your profile, with a paid account you can see them all.
View All 61 LinkedIn Tips For Business For Quick Reference
I have added all 61 of these LinkedIn tips into a handy Slideshare presentation.
61 LinkedIn Tips For Business: From Beginner to Power User from Melonie Dodaro
What is your favorite LinkedIn tip? Are there any LinkedIn tips for business that we’ve missed here? Let us know in the comments below
This post originally appeared on the Top Dog Social Media blog
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