Here at Original Ginger we all have personal profiles on Linkedin along with a company page. We update our information on a regular basis and have our blog stream automatically through.  A few of us are active in Linkedin groups and we know there is a lot of potential for further growth using this platform.

We hear comments from people who feel who feel it’s a waste of their time. They aren’t getting immediate results financially, or they receive too much spam, so they give up on it. Others think that Linkedin is a tool to replace human contact in networking. In our opinion, they just need to change their paradigm.

Do you stop using Email because of SPAM? We don’t think that would be wise considering that Email is one of the world’s largest communication tools in today’s marketplace.

Do you get instant results from any of your marketing efforts? We doubt it. You are building a brand and that takes time and repetition. How many times do you hear of someone getting a great new job because they knew someone who knew someone in the company – need we say more?

Just like with any type of online marketing tool use Linkedin in conjunction with personal networking and interaction. Besides Linkedin is NOT just a tool to make a sale. It is to build rapport with other business owners, share information, and create awareness of your product/service. It’s a way to stay in touch with previous co-workers in a professional environment that you can’t find with other forms of social media.

We can see how for a recruiter or head-hunter the Linkedin tool is phenomenal as they don’t have to dig very far to find some of the talent they are looking for. But let’s take a look at how to make this tool work for business owners in general.

How Does Linkedin Work?

When you join (it’s FREE), you create a profile that summarizes your professional expertise and accomplishments. Then you connect with people you know by inviting them to join Linkedin and connect to you. Your network consists of your connections, your connections connections, and the people they know, linking you to a vast number of qualified professionals and experts.

The experience will be whatever you make of it. Maybe you’ll use it to find and be introduced to potential clients, service providers, or subject matter experts who come recommended; to create and collaborate on projects, to find business opportunities and potential partners; to gain new insights from discussions with like minded professionals; to find the profile of someone who will be interviewing you for a job, to find people who currently work at a potential employer; or to post and distribute job listings for your company.

Key steps to setting up your personal Linkedin Profile:

• After you create your Linkedin profile, invite friends and former workmates to join your network. You can invite people who are not already on Linkedin.

• Don’t just invite as many friends as possible. It is not a race for popularity. Choose quality connections who you think might be interested in your business and who are serious about their own career/business. You will have to be just as willing to provide recommendations and information for them as you request in return.
• Don’t connect with strangers. Only connect to people you feel confident in recommending and that you trust. Simply by having them in your network you are recommending them to others and it will reflect on you professionally.
• Once you make a connection, don’t rely solely on the impersonal online connection you are making. At some point, when it is appropriate, you may want to make a follow up call to that connection to share information, request an introduction to someone in that person’s network, request a reference, or schedule a face to face meeting.
• Do disconnect from people if it no longer works for you, or you find them making requests for introductions or announcements that you don’t agree with, or consider to be SPAM.
• Do join groups of interest and participate in relevant discussions.
• If there is someone you wish to meet and they are not within your network already, make a contact request first. Don’t jump right into inviting them to your network right away. Determine if you are both on the same page first.

Joining Linkedin can enhance your Google Page Rank and SEO. On Linkedin your profile information is available for search engines to index as Linkedin profiles receive a fairly high Page Rank in Google. In addition to your name, Linkedin allows you to include your website or blog URL in your profile information. Be sure to include your name or descriptive terms in the link, and get some instant search engine optimization for your site. For this to work your public profile setting must be set to full view.

Complete the profile information as you would an introduction letter or resume to a prospective employer or client. You never know who will see it and you want to always put your best foot forward and make a great first impression.

Don’t embellish your experience or employment history. Your previous employer and co-workers will see your bio and you will lose credibility. You can always make yourself look good and still be truthful about what you have to offer.

Make sure you update your profile information so it is always current.

This is one article in a series on social media. Future articles will include setting up a Linkedin company page.

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Original Ginger is a Digital Agency located in the heart of historic Fort Langley, a hip and artistic suburb of Vancouver BC.