Republished with Permission from RDT Content Marketing, LLC
LinkedIn offers the potential to connect with people you wouldn’t otherwise meet. However, a vast network isn’t necessarily an effective one. You want to treat LinkedIn like in-person networking. Going to every event and handing out business cards randomly won’t get you very far. Instead, you should look to develop meaningful connections with people who can help open doors to new opportunities, educate and inform you and enhance your professional growth. Build your LinkedIn network with these tips:
1. Optimize your profile. What do you want people to know about you? You should have a complete and engaging profile page that highlights your experience, skills and aspirations to encourage others to connect with you. Also, add relevant keywords in your description to make your profile easy to find.
2. Define your goals. What are you looking to accomplish on LinkedIn? Maybe you’re looking for a job, trying to expand your referral base or position yourself as an expert. Having clear objectives will aid you in identifying and connecting with the right people.
3. Compare your email contacts and LinkedIn connections. Do you have contacts in one place but not the other? Reviewing both lists ensures that you are reaching your contacts by both email and social media. You can sync your email contacts and LinkedIn but you may not want to for privacy reasons, which means doing some manual work.
4. Send a LinkedIn invitation to people you meet in person or by phone. Did you meet a new person you want to stay in touch with? Connecting on LinkedIn provides another avenue of communication and enables you to discover new information that you can use in subsequent interactions.
5. Personalize connection requests. Have you given someone a reason to accept your invitation? Never send an invitation without a personal note. Mention how you know the person or heard of them and why you want to connect.
6. Search for new connections. Who do you want to know? You can run searches on LinkedIn based on various criteria, join relevant groups and look at the connections of your connections to find new people you may want to contact. If you do reach out, send a personalized request.
7. Connect strategically. Are you connecting with too many people? You want to be open to expanding your network but be selective. Consider the relevance of the connection in the context of your LinkedIn goals but don’t just reject individuals who cannot provide direct benefits to you.
8. Engage with your network’s content. Are you interacting with others? Like, comment and share posts by your connections. Send personal messages for birthdays and work anniversaries. Mention individuals in your posts where relevant. By engaging with others, you strengthen your relationships and stay top of mind with your network.
9. Participate in LinkedIn groups. Have you explored specialized groups? Join LinkedIn groups relevant to your industry or interests to reach people who are outside your network. Engage in discussions, share insights and connect with group members.
10. Share valuable content. What information can you offer that would be useful or interesting to your connections? Regularly post original or third-party content that positions you as a knowledgeable and useful resource.
11. Give and receive assistance. Can you and your connections help each other? It’s better to give than receive so be proactive in offering assistance. Ask if they want introductions to others in your network, provide a recommendation, share insights on a challenge they have or answer questions. You can also request their assistance. People enjoy reciprocating.
12. Attend LinkedIn events and webinars. Have you networked at virtual events? LinkedIn events can provide opportunities to connect with professionals in your industry or with similar interests and engage in discussions that help grow your network.
To build an effective LinkedIn network you have to understand who you want to know and what you want to accomplish and then actively engage on LinkedIn in a way that strengthens those relationships.
If you need help with LinkedIn, contact us for a consultation.
