Getting the most from LinkedIn

If you're one of those people who joined LinkedIn but never learned how to use it, it’s time to re-engage. With 65 million members, LinkedIn has “made it,” and could become an essential business tool for you.

To get you started, UK consultant Annmarie Hanlon has written an article on www.smartinsights.com about using LinkedIn to build relationships and drive new business.

She offers 10 practical tips to help you get more out of LinkedIn. Here are my choices for the top 5.

1. Complete your profile: Improve how people can connect to you by adding places you've worked and details of your higher education, activities and professional memberships. Do include information on your background, “How We Can Help Your Company,” and “Connect with Me.”

2. Add a photo: Once your photo is in place, it’s part of your personal brand. Stick with the same image, rather than changing on a regular basis.

3. Use a professional headline: Most people’s headlines (e.g., ‘Owner, ABC Ltd.,’ don't stand out - whereas ‘Dave Chaffey, Expert Digital Marketer – Consultant, Author and Speaker’ jumps off the page.

4. Get recommended: These are mini-case studies that showcase your talents. Every six months seek new recommendations from different people.

5. Join groups: Joining groups gives you access to a wider pool of contacts, allows you to display group membership on your profile, and enables you to network with a more targeted market.

See the original article here.