How to use LinkedIn for business

LinkedIn differs from most social networking sites in that it is expressly designed for business use. While many other social media sites can also be used for business, LinkedIn specialises in it and welcomes those looking for professional networking opportunities with open arms.

As contact with another business professional requires either an existing relationship or an introduction via a mutual contact, LinkedIn has built a lot of trust among its users and has therefore become the social portal of choice for many professionals and businesses.

Some of the benefits of using LinkedIn for business

• LinkedIn is useful for finding high quality job candidates as well as new business opportunities, and also enables you to gather information to prepare for interviews or meetings.
• It also allows you to easily check out the competition and customers (if you provide B2B services or products).
• Your LinkedIn presence provides a good way to increase your business visibility and engage with business people you might not otherwise have had contact with.
• The Q&A section enables you to ask for advice from other business professionals as well as offer your own expert advice to others.

How to get started on LinkedIn

Many people sign up for a LinkedIn account but then don’t do anything with it. Here are some of the things you should be doing if you are using it for business:

• Fill your profile out as completely as possible with past and present education and experience, and also include a profile picture and summary paragraph (think of this as your elevator pitch).
• Link to your business Twitter account or blog to add entries as LinkedIn updates.
• Invite people you know to connect and ask them for recommendations if it is appropriate.
• Join groups related to your industry and get involved in discussions.
• Use the Q&A section for market research, business advice and to demonstrate your expertise.

Some other useful ways to use LinkedIn for business

• When you are going to meet with or interview someone, look up their profile first to find out more about their background and whether you have anyone or anything in common.
• Use LinkedIn to search for service providers that are recommended by people in your network.
• Consider creating your own group to generate connections directly related to your business.
• Incorporate your LinkedIn profile into your marketing materials, e.g. presentations, tradeshow banners and posters, business cards, email signature, etc.
• Always ask new people you meet if they’re on LinkedIn and whether they’d like to connect with you. This is a good way to integrate LinkedIn with your offline networking efforts.

Using LinkedIn effectively for business does require some time and effort on your part, but it is well worth it and can lead to all sorts of opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise have had. Any savvy business owner should be ensuring their company is getting involved in social media.