Elevate through LinkedIn’s
200 Million Members
UPDATE:
LinkedIn Stocks soar 4th Qtr 2012- Net income climbs 66 percent with CEO describing 2012 as a "transformative year for
LinkedIn."-- Charles Cooper, CNET
This week LinkedIn got my attention. For one, I received one of the 20 million
letters from LinkedIn honoring the top 1%, 5%, and 10% of most viewed profiles for 2012. Brilliant marketing! However, since
the topic of becoming more influential was on my mind I immediately recognized the unlimited value of access to LinkedIn’s
200 million business professionals/members right at our fingertips. So today here are some essential tips and fantastic best-of-the-best
resources to expand your network, elevate your career, opportunities, or business, and achieve goals through LinkedIn.
Highlights:
- LinkedIn currently has 200 million members in
200 countries
- Executives from all of the Fortune 500 companies are on LinkedIn
- Used more for business than any
other social media platform
Essential Tips:
- Profile Picture- LinkedIn
is about building relationships. A profile with a photo is 7 times more likely to be viewed. A clean, professional, well lit
photo can help to build trust. I rarely add a connection that does not take the time to add a photo.
- Add a Branding
Professional Headline- Add your professional headline at the top of your
profile. Use keywords or a headline that pops to brand and boost profile views through searches.
- Add Keywords
to Links in Your Profile- When you add backlinks use the Other: option
instead of Website, Blog, etc. in order for the benefit of adding titles with keywords which is more SEO friendly. Your links
are under your Contact Info at the top of your profile.
- Create a Personal URL- Below your photo you can create your custom URL. Think this through as you cannot edit it at this time. Using your
name is recommended so friends and associates can find you more easily. It is more professional when included on business
cards and in email signatures.
- Share Value through the Update Box- Engage
your community regularly with valuable information. You can also extend your update to your twitter followers.
- Compelling Summary- Let’s face it. Your community is interested in you, but they are busy. Allow them to
get to know and like you with a compelling summary which is close to the top of your profile. Mentioning your website does
not create a link but makes it readily available to the reader. Bullet-pointed lists are clear and concise.
- Clear Focus
and 100% Complete Profile- Include who you are as a professional, who
you help, and the problems you can solve. Help develop trust, professionalism, but also personality to help set yourself apart
from others. Include keywords when possible, particularly with job titles, but not overkill. Yet also be honest, creative,
and descriptive. Use bullet-pointed lists versus paragraphs.
- Recommendations and Endorsements- Elevate your profile search rank with the more you get. Aim for 10+ as a start.
- Add a Share Button to Your Blog Posts- Easily share value with your LinkedIn Community with a Share button on your Blog.
- Categorize
You Audience- Use tags to categorize your connections.
- Connect-
Connect- Connect- Build your network and the know-like-trust factor.
Create a plan to be a regular user (15 minutes or however much each day) . Find contacts through search or contact connections.
Engage people through personal notes and compelling questions instead of sales pitches or promos, say thank you, post updates,
join groups and participate in the conversation. Think problem solving and relationship building versus promoting you and
your company. Groups can also improve profile SEO when the group name appear in your profile.
In 2012 through LinkedIn my daughter and I were invited by one of Houston’s television
anchors to tour and watch the evening news broadcast, simply through a question I asked, and the fact that my profile built
the know, like, trust factor. Keep in mind Houston is a city of 4 million people. It was quite an honor.
- Cross Promote- Cross promote over Facebook, Google +, Twitter, etc. growing your network through different
channels.
- LinkedInToday- Visit LinkedIn Today to see
what is happening in your industry by clicking the News button at the top of your home page.
Fantastic Resources:
Card Munch- A free iPhone app that turns business cards into contacts. Take a picture of
the business card and the app transforms it into a contact. Add those you meet and start building quality relationships. www.cardmunch.com
LinkedInfluence- Founded by LinkedIn superstar Lewis Howes, LinkedInfluence has become a popular
online program that teaches you how to drive tons of traffic to your site, successfully network with high profile individuals,
stand out from the crowd, and get job offers. Howes, who immersed himself in LinkedIn following an injury has skyrocketed
in popularity, being interviewed by every major press and media outlet, and spoken on the topic of Entrepreneurship at the
White House. Review the program and scroll all the way down at LinkedInfluence to check out the video testimonial of how Jean’s step-son got 37 job offers in
2 weeks after a long period of unemplyment. One tip: If you choose the program, take action to follow thru step by step to
reap the rewards. You can do it!
So go
ahead and get started tapping into 200 million connections on a regular basis. Deepen relationships. Develop your influence.
Watch your business, opportunities, career, and dreams elevate as you continue to be unlimited… StartingNow!
UPDATE:
LinkedIn Stocks soar 4th Qtr 2012- Net income climbs 66 percent with CEO describing 2012 as a "transformative year for
LinkedIn." Read more here .
 12 Networking Tips to Success
Networking is a skill anyone can build, including shy people. It
is not about selling. In fact, it is not about you at all. When you understand networking as providing value to others you
are on your way to being successful. Networking is about connecting, building relationship, understanding the needs of those
you are getting to know, providing something of value, and developing trust for long lasting business relationships. Here
are 12 networking tips to grow your business to success.
1- Learn the Needs
of Others then be Generous Filling Those Needs- Can your
business fill their needs? If not, who do you know who can? Or what referral, resource, advice, or information can you provide?
Either way it is a win/win (and sometimes a win/win/win). Give without expectation. The return may not come from the same
source but new clients, referrals, or opportunities tend to show up when you make a habit of helping others.
2- Build the Know- Like-Trust
Factor- Building relationships is more important than collecting massive leads. Think
quality versus quantity. Add people to your list who have given you permission. Doing so without permission breaks trust.
Connect deeper finding common ground, learning from each other, versus on the surface discussion about the weather.
3- It’s More Important to
Obtain Business Cards than Distribute- Certainly it is a good practice to hand out your
cards to those you connect with. More importantly is obtaining the business card of the person you just spent some time with
so you have the ability to follow up.
4- Be Curious- The 6 Degrees of Separation Theory states that
we are only 6 people away from finding out anything we need to know. Be curious and you will be surprised at what people,
resources, and information are at your finger tips.
5- Know & Clarify WIIFT- When
creating your introduction clarify who your target market is and “what’s in it for them”. Sell benefits.
Verizon spread worldwide as people personally related with ‘Can you hear me now?’ and the accompanying slogan
‘Verizon never stops working to fill your phone service needs.’
6- Be Consistent- As
in marketing, the more consistent your networking the more fruitful it becomes. Jay Conrad Levinson of Guerilla Marketing
stated, “I hate to admit this, but mediocre marketing with commitment works better than brilliant marketing without
commitment.” Attending networking meetings occasionally is fruitless. Whatever group you choose, be consistent.
7- Develop Advocates-
Get to know the movers and shakers. Build relationships with Centers of Influence who connect with your
ideal client or customer. Offer incentives for referrals.
8- Be a Powerful Resource and Advocate for Others- Build resources as you network and get to know people and what they do. Match your contacts with quality people
that can help them in areas outside your expertise. What goes around comes around.
9- Consistently Follow- Up- It's not enough to have a large network of people that you have met. Follow up is where many new businesses
drop the ball. This is where they really get to know and trust you. Have a systematic plan in place to touch base and ask
‘how can I help you?’
10- Get Involved- Getting involved in a networking organization puts
you in a consistent position of visibility and improves your ability to get to know the other members.
11- Under Promise and Over Deliver-
Adrenaline can get the best of some while networking. They over promise in the moment, then under deliver
when back at the office. Make it general practice to under promise, committing only to what you know you can easily do, then
over deliver in follow through.
12- Develop You- You can grow your business as big as you can grow yourself.
The more you grow and strengthen your knowledge, skills, and personality traits the more confident you become and the more
you begin to attract. Start there!
To shift into action choose one tip to focus on for one week and see what new results come your way. Then
try on another and so on. Before you know it your networking efforts will be paving your way to success… Starting Now!
10 Tips to Grow Your Business Plain and Simple
“Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.” Albert Einstein
The
majority of small businesses operate at 60% of their potential I once heard. While unable to obtain the source it seemed accurate
or maybe even high. *The Small Business Association reports that 7 out of 10 new employer firms survive at least 2 years,
half at least 5 years, a third at least 10 years, and a quarter stay in business 15 years or more.“” These statistics
can and should align us with
a realistic view about our businesses while building the dream. Read on for 10 tips to help you develop and grow a strong,
solid business foundation.
1- Solid Plan with a Clear Simple Vision- Think of the impact you would like your business to have in the
world. Think big! You may never reach your ideal vision, but the vision itself is so grand that your team can get excited
about it and it sets you up to be unlimited. Then back up. Look at what needs to happen to get there. Create a solid plan
with realistic short and long term goals that are achievable.
2- Focus on Profitability vs. Revenue-
While revenue is important, high revenue does
not add value if your expenses are just as high. What can you do to create more profit? Begin developing various streams of
income. What expenses can be reduced or eliminated? How can you operate more efficiently? Think profit.
3- Work “in” and “on”
your business- We get so caught up in daily tasks “in” our business we forget
to step back to take a wider view from the outside. See it through the customer’s eyes. Look at how it fits into the
community. Prepare the future of the company. On the other hand, we can get so comfortable working “on” our business
from a planning or management stand point that we forget to step in to talk with customers, handle details, and experience
what the employees face daily.
4- Automate and Create Systems- What do you need to automate? What system can you put in place that would free
up your time or make you more money? What tasks need to be eliminated, systematized, or delegated. What system would help
your employees be more effective and provide the best service? Is there a system that needs to be upgraded? Automation and
systems help your business be consistent and efficient.
5-
Consistent Marketing Plan- Marketing expert Jay Conrad Levinson of Guerilla Marketing
has said that “I hate to admit this, but mediocre marketing with commitment works better than brilliant marketing without
commitment.” It is important to have a marketing plan in place that is consistently and persistently being carried out
on a daily basis....not just when you need more customers.
6- Increase Value to Your Customers-
Give more than customers ask for and more than
they expect. There are 3 convenience stores by my neighborhood. The first one built I visited regularly and was satisfied.
The second I visited a few times and had to wait every time to get checked out so haven’t returned. Every time I got
gas at the third store I was greeted over the intercom with a friendly “Hi, how are you today?". Inside they were
friendly and provided kids with a free lollipop. They even added a Post Office. Who do you think got my business on a regular
basis with just a little extra effort? The one that gives more than expected. What value can you provide that will
increase
your “Wow” factor?
7- Innovate- React to the customer’s needs before they know they
need it. Sell what the customer wants, then give them what they need. How do you know what they need? Take time to talk to
them. At a minimum talk to your best customers and learn from each one you’ve lost. Find out what they would like and
what their challenges are. Stay current on market trends in your industry.
8- Leadership vs. Management- Empower
your staff to manage themselves. Do you really want to spend your time problem solving? Train them well. Make sure they know
the vision of the company and they are on board because there is a personal win in place for them. The personal win gives
the employee motivation to cooperate as part of the team.
9- Well Oiled Machine vs. Chaos-
Is each section of your business operating
efficiently while working together towards a common goal? Or is your team expending time and energy putting out daily fires.
What shift would move your business out of crisis/ problem-solving to operating with ease?
10- Develop YOU! -
Take one minute to hold your breathe. As you are
holding think about what you really want. See what happens. You may have had trouble thinking about what you want because
your needs were not being met. When you take care of yourself and feel strong, healthy, happy, and have time and space in
your life, then you can focus on what you want and attract more to your business.
Take one step at a time to build
a strong, solid business. Along the way build lots of reserves...time, money, space, revenue sources, future products, etc.
and begin filling the gap to your potential.
Today’s Dare to Take Action Challenge:
Focus on one tip above for one week. What changes can you
make? Take action, build momentum, and move on to the next as you develop a strong foundation to grow on… Starting Now!
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