Are you using LinkedIn to full effect? For most entrepreneurs, the answer is “no.”
I’ve worked with and talked to hundreds of entrepreneurs and—generally speaking—most of them aren’t taking advantage of the potential of LinkedIn. That’s a real shame, because LinkedIn is a great place to generate leads and brand yourself and your business.
In fact, of the top three social networks—Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn—LinkedIn has the highest visitor-to-lead conversion rate (2.74%).
And, it’s not just about lead generation either.
If you use it right, LinkedIn is a great way to build strategic partnerships, hire great employees, and connect with people who can help your business succeed.
I could write a book on how to effectively use LinkedIn to grow your company, but it all really boils down to doing 3 things consistently:
- Monitoring your profile views
- Connecting with people
- Being active in your home feed and groups.
1. Monitor Your Profile Views
By monitoring your profile views, you can see who is interested in you and your business. To view this data, go to Profile > Who’s Viewed Your Profile.
Use this knowledge to make sure your profile is attracting the right kind of people. If the people who are viewing your profile are not a good fit for you or your business, it’s time to rethink your profile.
2. Connect with People
People who have viewed your profile are more likely to connect with you. After all, they’ve already shown an interest in you!
So, if you see someone has viewed your profile that you think would be a great connection, send them a connection request with a personalized message. Sometimes people get a bit shy about connecting with people they don’t personally know, but LinkedIn is a networking platform—use it that way!
The most successful connection requests are personalized and don’t try to sell anything. Remember, you’re trying to start a relationship here, so start by complimenting achievements or showing interest in learning from them.
If they choose to connect with you, send them a short follow up message to say “thanks for connecting” and share a little more about you and your company. Don’t pitch your company, just give a little information about yourself and why you do what you do.
Sometimes, people will immediately want to talk about a potential business opportunity. Other times, you may just be building a relationship that will create value down the road.
3. Be Active on Your Account
LinkedIn is a social network, so be social! Scroll through your home page feed and group feeds daily, and look for opportunities to comment, share, and like people’s content.
The more people see you interacting with their content on LinkedIn, the more familiar they will become with you and your business. Plus, your comments, shares, and likes are like digital compliments that help people see you for the smart, engaged, likeable person you are!
As a result, when they need help from a business like yours, you’ll be the first person they think of.
Building and maintaining your LinkedIn network takes a little time and effort, but if you are consistently engaging on LinkedIn, you’ll quickly begin to build the relationships that will grow your business.
About the Author
Jenny Hatch is the director of social media marketing at Disruptive Advertising.
