LinkedIn is a well-known social media site, however, the best way to use this site eludes many business owners. LinkedIn is strictly a professional site. There are no pictures of last year’s trip to the Great Barrier Reef or your child’s second birthday. LinkedIn is 100% down to business.But how do you use this site to grow your business?
The most effective way for business owners is to view the site as a way to network with fellow business owners, corporate counterparts, and industry influencers. You may run across a customer or two on the site, but that shouldn’t be your focus on LinkedIn.
3 Best Uses for LinkedIn
As a business owner you should be looking to do three main things on LinkedIn:
- Locate the decision makers and influencers.
- Connect with others in your industry.
- Position yourself as an expert.
Locate the decision makers and influencers
LinkedIn allows you to make connections to people you know and then you can find out who it is they know. This can be very powerful when you are trying to get to know someone. Maybe you want to connect to them to pitch your business or maybe you want some advice. Either way, LinkedIn is the best network for meeting those elusive power players.
Connect with others in your industry.
There are more than 8.5 million experience professionals on LinkedIn and these users represent more than 130 industries. No matter what business you are in, you can find others just like you on LinkedIn. Why spend time finding others in your industry? LinkedIn is a great way to find business owners to discuss partnerships and fusion marketing opportunities. You can even be putting together a mastermind group of successful business owners in your industry. LinkedIn would be the best way to do this, especially if you could get an introduction from someone you know firsthand.
Position yourself as an expert.
LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to join groups. It is in these groups that you can start dialogue with others and answer questions posed by other professionals. Here, you can highlight your specific area of expertise and make a name for yourself as the go-to person in that particular area. You can go a step further and create a group. As the administrator of a group, you can have a bigger voice and more control over what is discussed if you choose. The more you help and share on LinkedIn, the more you position yourself as an expert.
