If you are a business owner that is involved with B2B sales, one of the best social media platforms for connections is LinkedIn. Known as the largest social media platform for professionals, LinkedIn has over 135 million users, most whom are business professionals.
For businesses, the opportunity to grow through new connections on LinkedIn is invaluable. So, how can you maximize your efforts?
7 Tips on Maximizing Your Success on LinkedIn
1. Complete your profile.
Just like any other type of social media platform, an incomplete profile can cause your image to look unprofessional. With LinkedIn, it is essential that your profile be 100% complete. Experts suggest that having your profile complete sets you apart from the rest and provides a greater chance of success–up to 40% greater!
2. Optimize your profile.
After you have your profile finished, make sure your audience is able to find you. If you don’t have one yet, get a customized LinkedIn url in support of your brand, which will help with your searchability. Speaking of finding you, check to be certain that your profile is visible to everyone, and that keywords are used throughout your profile.
3. Don’t forget the apps!
One of the most underutilized aspects of LinkedIn is the apps for profiles. By adding apps, you can direct visitors to your website, share your blog updates, twitter posts, and show what you enjoy reading on Amazon. These apps enable your visitors the opportunity to get to know you and what you have to offer.
4. Take advantage of groups.
Groups are one of the best ways to connect with your ideal audience and like minded people. You have a variety of options with LinkedIn groups, and to see the best results, you need to implement each one. You can start by becoming a member of groups that appeal to you. Explore each one to gain an understanding of what happens within a group. Then start your own group and discussions, to generate conversations and build relationships.
5. Add value
Whether you want to share valuable information within your group, on your profile, or in someone else’s group, give your connections something worth their time. LinkedIn is a great tool to help you showcase your expertise and share your knowledge with business owners who are seeking what you know. Become the go to person in your niche!
6. Answer and ask questions.
Speaking of the go to person, the answers section within LinkedIn is one of the best places to showcase your knowledge. If you are not familiar with this part of LinkedIn, take some time to explore it. The concept is that people can post questions they have regarding whatever they want. You have the ability to answer those questions. The key is to find ones that pertain to your niche and then provide quality information.
7. Give before receiving.
Similar to other social media platforms, your success relies on your ability to make true connections. LinkedIn is a great opportunity for you to build high quality relationships. However, in order to make that happen, give before asking others to help you out. If you give an awesome recommendation or introduction, the chances of someone offering them in return are much higher.
**Bonus**
Just as an added bonus–Stand out in a crowd. By doing things differently than the majority of users on LinkedIn, you are setting yourself apart from the rest. Send personal introductions with a real message from you, not the generic ones already created. Send a real message after the connection is made to thank them for accepting your request.
Stand out and watch the leads roll in!
About Kim
Great article and sage advice – especially about completing the profile – soo important – thank you Kim, great job!
Thanks for sharing Kim. I must admit that I need to spend more time on LinkedIn. It is not one of my favorites, but I know it is an important one to learn.
I also still have to optimize my LinkedIn profile. Thanks Kim for the tips.
I must confess that LinkedIn has been a real mystery to me! This really helps clear things up!Thanks!
Great advice as always Kim. LinkedIn is really one tool I don't understand or utilize and these tips will really help.
Isn't it strange that a lot people struggle with LinkIn and say that it is not their most favorite platform to get involved with; I am one of them. This gave me enough information to start digging into LinkedIn and make some connections; thanks Kim!!
Thanks, Kim! LinkedIn is the next platform that I want to hit hard. My profile 'says' it's complete but I know there is so much more to do! I've bookmarked so I can return
LinkedIn does have so much value and it’s often overlooked. Great B2B and B2C resource!
Since I watched Rod's webinar about optimizing our linkedin profiles in your inner circle, I've improved my profile dramatically and have seen a large increase in the number of connections being requested. I'm very happy with Linked In, should spend more time there, and often wonder why it's the ignored step child of social media. Great article, thanks!
I've been making an effort to contact people personally once I've made a connection and it's proving to be one of my new best practices. That's where the engagement really starts to begin.
Thank you so much, Kim! I must admit I am behind on LinkedIn and your tips are something I must work on. Great article!
As always Kim such valuable information on using online tools. I'm not active as much on Linked In, but it looks like I sure need to be.
I can’t wait to start promoting with LinkedIn! Great stuff Kim!
Holly, glad you got value from this article
Thanks for such wonderful tips on linkedin! Stand out in a crowd–yes!
Thanks, Linda!
Great LinkedIn tips! ,I love LI and it is such a great platform to interact with other business owners.
Great tips Kim, I have not jumped into the deep end of that pool yet. So thank you for educating me on how to better utilize it.
Thanks Kim, I really need all of these tips (unfortunately!). I think my favorite is the bonus tip, it may be the one thing I do right on LinkedIn. I hate getting those "I'd like to add you to my professional network" invitations. It tells me nothing about the person, why they want to connect with me, or why I would want to connect with them!
Oh boy – I know I need to get more situated on Linked in. I'm bookmarking this page to take more action.
LinkedIn is a pretty amazing platform and gets overlooked by many.
Still not active on Linkedin. I completed the legwork, (profile etc) which took me hours….but have not followed through on spending time there. Hopefully with these added tips, I may get there soon!
You can do it, Suzanne
Love these tips Kim!! LinkedIn is so valuable to the Real Estate people I work with. Going to use this article as my checklist from now on. Thanks!!
LinkedIn is something we’ll definitely have to master for you as there are many realtors on LinkedIn
Done all of this on Linkedin with Mr Rod, our man… Tee-hee. Great tips, a lot I learned from him! Thanks for posting! (-_-)
Thanks for the comment, Norma.
Great tips, Kim! Verrrry helpful:)
I have built quite a rolodex of relevant contact on my LinkedIn. I love it for that. I still need to spend some time optimizing it. While all of my information is filled out, I am guilty of not using apps. If I could just find a few more hours in a day! lol
I hear the few more hours in every day
Hi Kim,
After reading this post I analyze your profile completely how can I visible to everyone and impress to others.
Really you are awesome in social media, you know everything in the social media.
Regards
Saurav Sharma
Thanks for dropping in Saurav!
Great information on LinkedIn. We all should pay more attention to it.
Thanks Chris! Appreciate you dropping by!
Great information! I plan to start using some of these tips today.
Good tips. LinkedIn is still hugely important for anyone in the B2B arena.