Marketing Monday: Don't forget about LinkedIn

August 5, 2013

When you hear about social media marketing, maybe you translate that as Facebook and Twitter.
In some circles, it’s all about video, so you might think of YouTube, Vine or Vimeo. Or maybe you’re wondering how your business could use Pinterest, Quora or Reddit better.
But many of us joined LinkedIn long before we’d even heard of Facebook. It’s 10 years old this year.
Now if you’re looking for a job, or hiring someone, or considering a consultant, LinkedIn offers a comprehensive database of resumes so you can check not just work history but connections, recommendations. links and more.
If you want to take full advantage of the social network you might have neglected since your last job search, here are some suggestions:

Add a photo and fill in your work details on LinkedIn
Add a photo and fill in your work details on LinkedIn

1. Add a photo — If you have a common name, this will help ensure people have found the right you.  Even if you have an unusual name, a photo might be useful if you connect with someone you don’t know well or if you send a message to someone who might know your face better than your name.
2. Fill in your work history — Even if it’s 10 or 20 years ago, it could be useful if an old colleague is searching for you.
3. Add details — Write a short bio for the background section, flesh out details from each job, add terms to the skills and experience area. In each case,  think about not only a person reading your profile but the person searching for someone like you. What are the words or phrases you’d want someone to search for and find you? Work those into your profile.
4. Join groups and participate — This is your chance to network all year long, not just at professional conferences. Ask questions of people with shared interests, share your expertise and learn from what others post.
5. Search for people you know, and people you’d like to know — use advanced search to find and connect people you already know, as well as to search by industry, company, region and the like for possible customers, hires, service providers and more.
6. Ask for and make introductions — LinkedIn was one of the first places I really grasped the power of my extended network. It’s not just who I know, but who they know. If there’s a company you’d like to do business with, instead of making a cold call, ask one of your connections to introduce you to someone he or she knows. Make it easy by writing a professional note your contact can just forward, emphasizing what’s in it for that new person to talk with you. If someone asks you for an introduction, be responsive since you might want that same favor sometime soon.
Some recent articles about changes at LinkedIn — if you haven’t checked it out recently, here are a few reasons:

Colleen Newvine Tebeau is a former reporter and editor who then earned her MBA at University of Michigan with emphases in marketing and corporate strategy.  She is a marketing consultant who helps small and midsized organizations with strategy and tactics, including social media and communications.

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