Beyond the Profile: Leveraging LinkedIN provides an overview of how to use LinkedIn for business purposes. It discusses optimizing your profile to build credibility and visibility, growing your network of connections, using applications and groups, and conducting research for business development like prospecting, recruiting, and competitive analysis. The document emphasizes that LinkedIn allows you to control information about your career and expertise while providing insights into your extended network of contacts.

1. Beyond the Profile:
Leveraging LinkedIN
Presented by Adrienne Cregar Jandler
President, Atlantic Webworks

2. What we’ll talk about…
Getting Around LinkedIN
Types of Profiles, WIIFM?, Core Functionality, Features and Settings
Win Business: Building Credibility and Visibility
Optimizing your profile, Growing Connections, Using Applications & Groups, Etiquette
Research for Business Development
JumpStart Cosential…Prospecting, Recruiting and Competitive Research

3. Why should I use social media?
A few statistics about LinkedIN…
LinkedIN is the world’s largest professional network.
LinkedIn has over 75 million members in over 200 countries.
Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members.
A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second
LinkedIN was designed for the exclusive purpose of facilitating
professional networking online, with an emphasis on authentic connections
It affords you the opportunity to control the information that appears about
your career, education and professional involvement.
WIIFM…What’s In It For Me?

4. Why should I use social media?
LinkedIN is like your
Secret Business Intelligence Weapon…
Think about Cosential, and your company’s master account database…
•
•
•
•
How long did it take to develop?
How current/accurate are the contact names, titles and information?
Who is responsible for entering the client data? Account details?
How comprehensive is the information you have about each contact
(outside the scope of capturing your interactions with the contact?)
LinkedIN is continuously growing, kept current by the members themselves,
and is the ultimate in providing comprehensive information on the contacts.
Plus one
key, PRICELESS, additional benefit,
which is a game-changer…

5. Why should I use social media?
LinkedIN will show you
how people are connected!
(who do you know that knows your prospect?)
What, specifically can you do with
LinkedIN?

6. What Can you do with LinkedIN?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Prospect for New Business
Competitive Research
Position yourself as an Expert/Industry
Leader
Recruit employees, board members,
volunteers, etc.
Solicit Feedback on your
products/services and events
Grow Client Relationships
Consumer Research
Crowdsourcing & Polling
Virtual Advisory Board
Discover inside connections that can
help you land jobs and close deals
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Be found for business opportunities and
find potential partners
Post (or seek) Jobs
Showcase your Information Products
(ebooks, case studies, research, etc.)
Increase your credibility and exposure
online
Filesharing
Pre-meeting research on prospects,
potential strategic partners, vendors,
etc.
Gain visibility in community groups
Stay in contact with professional
connections across job changes,
moves, etc.

7. Why should I use social media?
Types of Profiles within LinkedIN
INDIVIDUAL
Company
• Your
professional
‘home base’ on
the web
• Details your
education, work
history,
expertise,
involvement,
connections,
etc.
• Less detailed
than the
individual profile
• Includes links to
individuals
associated with
the company
Group
• Can be
companyaffiliated,
organization,
cause or hobby
affiliated
• Includes
member
individuals
Let’s take a look at an example of a COMPANY profile…

8. Why should I use social media?
Core Functionality within LinkedIN
The toolbar gives you 100% access to all features.
There are two places you should go EVERY TIME you log in…

9. Why should I use social media?
The Newsfeed…
Your daily
insights

10. Why should I use social media?
Your Profile…
How others
See you

11. Why should I use social media?
Building Visibility and Credibility
In order to win new business, prospective clients need to
be able to find you. (visibility)
When they find you, they want assurance that you are
qualified, and can deliver the services you claim to provide. (credibility)
LinkedIN offers powerful tools to help you
become more visible, and establish your credibility.

12. Why should I use social media?
Building Credibility and Visibility
Opportunities for
Visibility within
LinkedIN
Groups
Searches
Newsfeed
Companies
Polls,
Qustions &
Answers

13. Why should I use social media?
Building Credibility and Visibility
How can LinkedIN help you build your credibility?
• Recommendations from others who have used your services
• Promote you as an expert in the field (many ways to do this, from
your comments in groups, answers posted, sharing links to articles,
blog posts, YouTube videos, etc.)
• Showcase your work with add-in applications (Slideshare, Portfolio, etc.)
• List your professional awards, associations and involvement in industry
groups and events
• Spotlight your company’s expertise and upcoming events (seminars, etc.)
• Simply being there – showing that you are ‘in touch’ with your customers and
other stakeholders who are online
LinkedIN gives you a platform to speak directly with, and shape the
Impression you give to your stakeholders.

14. Why should I use social media?
Let’s take
a look at
optimizing
your
profile
What does
optimizing the
profile mean?
How can your
profile be
further
Enhanced?

15. Why should I use social media?
Increasing Visibility by
Building Connections
How do you find
Connections?
How do you get
Connected?
Timing
Import them
Search & Invite
Event Follow up
Others’ lists
Relevant
Considerations
Request
Connection directly
Ask for an
Introduction from
‘Do Unto Others’
Mutual Connection
Etiquette

16. What channels should I use?
Establish
credibility
with
recommendations

17. What channels should I use?
How to Request
Recommendations…

18. Why should I use social media?
Using
Applications
Which applications
allow you the
opportunity to share
Relevant
information?
How do the different
types of applications
shape perceptions
about you?
What is necessary to
keep the applications
current?
(what is the
expectation for your
participation?)

19. Why should I use social media?
Using Groups
Where are your
Stakeholders?
(and prospectives)
Discussions
Luminaries
Client’s Market
Local & Regional
Industry Assns.
Professional
Groups & Topical
Civic Groups,
Alumni Groups,
Company Groups
& Hobbies
Member Lists
Your Market
New Members
Strategic Partners
+ Connections
Etiquette

20. What channels should I use?
Your participation determines the value you get from LinkedIN
Think about the professional forums where you network…
What are the characteristics of the most popular professionals you meet?
Successful, appreciated People
Less successful/appreciated
Active participation
Occasional, infrequent participation
Respectful of the group’s rules
Overtly promotes himself at every
opportunity
Makes thoughtful contributions that
are relevant to the current
conversation
Chimes in on everything – constantly
forcing himself and his opinions
upon the group
Is friendly and approachable,
welcoming of new people
Unapproachable, clique-ish or only
interested in new relationships if
there is something ‘in it’ for him

21. What channels should I use?
Systemizing Your Participation
Insures Consistency…

22. Why should I use social media?
Research and
Business Devt.
Prospecting, Recruiting
& Competitive Research
Get great background
information on
Companies AND the
individuals who work
there!
One of the most
powerful advantages
LinkedIN provides is
the ability
To search core profile
data

23. Social Media Changes
Everything.
Are you ready?
Building Business with Social Media - - - ©2008, Atlantic Webworks. All rights reserved.
23