This will be the first part in a series on how to use LinkedIn for your business. We have been using LinkedIn here at OfficeClip to build brand awareness and create an online presence, as well as establish each of us individually as experts in the areas we work (such as marketing, software, development, etc.). There are several ways in which businesses can achieve these (and I must stress that it takes time and effort) and I am going to talk about a few briefly here as an introduction. Follow-up articles will discuss some of these techniques in more detail.
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LinkedIn can be a good way for customers to search for you and therefore, according to Brad Shorr from Whoast , your profile is the first step to achieving this. A strong profile that discusses your accomplishments is a fantastic tool for promoting your current business .
In addition to a great profile, you need to make frequent use of “Answers” on LinkedIn . By posing questions, you can receive helpful information from other experts out there, as well as put your name and company in front of others. Answering the questions of other professionals establishes you as an expert in your field/industry. Participating in “Answers” ultimately increases your visibility among LinkedIn professionals, letting them talk with you, view your profile and hopefully visit your blog, website, etc.
Joining Groups on LinkedIn that are associated with your field, your interests and/or your skills is another way to connect and brand your company. Groups allow you to start discussions, get involved in discussions and post interesting articles that add value to the group and its members . A fantastic way to get your company in front of lots of eyeballs…some of these groups have tens of thousand of members!
Another important LinkedIn tool that is still, in my opinion, underused is the “Update Status” tool . Tell your network what you are working on, what conferences you are attending, where you going for networking events, etc. Post the links to more information whenever possible. These updates are provided to your contacts homepage, so they can see all the important activities, projects, events, etc. that you are involved in.
In all, LinkedIn will put you and your business in front of other professionals and it gives a very high-quality platform on which to establish your skills, discuss your product/service and get others interested in what you are doing! (In other words, LinkedIn is a great place for you to “Show your Stuff”!) Connect with Dutta and Victoria (that’s me!) on LinkedIn, follow us on Twitter and send your thoughts and ideas on the OfficeClip software to our forum .
SK Dutta is a software architect and creator of OfficeClip Suite of products. He loves to design and develop software that makes people do their job better and more fun. He always explores ways to improve productivity for small businesses. He is also an avid reader in many areas, including psychology, productivity, and business.