Networking is important for business and organizations. Personal brand aficionados also point out the value for the individual as well.
The blending of online and offline contacts in a social network is key to good networking.
LinkedIn, the niche business networking social network site, focuses on building detailed and valuable profiles, connections, and groups to help collaboration and increase the level of communication.
Here are three tips to help you and your organization to get the most out of LinkedIn:
- Connect with the people you know – use the import contacts feature (since this was published, LinkedIn has stopped this feature) to quickly find out who you know already has a LinkedIn profile and optionally invite those that don’t.
- Make sure your profile is filled out in detail and accurate – Write a short power statement to place in the Summary on your profile and catch people’s attention. Remember that the key words on your profile help you get found in the People search feature, which is used frequently.
- Join industry or professional groups – Find a group of your interest; alumni, organization, industry focus. Join, and participate in the conversations, read through the news articles that are shared, and submit anything you find interesting.
Using LinkedIn as a resource and guide to your online professional social networking will help you leverage a powerful, well-connected network of individuals, companies, clients, and prospects to maximize your value.