Tips on Branding & Prospecting with LinkedIn

Here are some tips I always share through my speaking engagements and I thought my network might pick up a new tip from this list, too:

• Make sure your own LinkedIn profile is 100% complete. LinkedIn will provide you with tips on making it complete. Have a complete profile, smartly presented, with professional photo.

• Use keywords in your profile that will enable you to be found by others looking for your skills and expertise! Showcase your work in photos, videos, & Slideshare presentations.

• Broaden your own network by inviting those people you already know to connect with you. Don’t forget to follow up with people after networking events by connecting on LinkedIn.

• Peruse the list of your First Degree Connections to determine who else THEY are directly connected to. Ask to be connected to people you identify as your ideal prospects. (This tip will only work if your connection is allowing you to see their first degree connections.)

• Join LinkedIn Groups! Find out where your target market has joined a Group on LinkedIn and join the group yourself. Share discussions and news articles that will help position you as an expert in your area and invite Group members to connect directly with you.

• Use the “Advanced People Search” tab to find anyone on LinkedIn who is in your target market. Use the “keywords” field and narrow your search results by geography, industry, degrees of separation, Groups, etc. You can even search by your alma mater, giving you an instant reason to connect with someone new. This technique alone will turn up a goldmine of new contacts. Last step: Extend invitations to connect.

• Eliminate any endorsements from your profile that do not properly showcase your skillset. Click for a 2-minute how-to video.

Connect with me and let me know if any of these tips were particularly helpful to you.

---