By Mihran Kalaydjian, CHA
10 Tips For Growing Your LinkedIn Network
LinkedIn not only keeps track of your professional contacts, but it tells you about second and third degree connections, so that you can expand your network and reach out to new people in your industry. Don’t miss out on this powerful aspect of LinkedIn.
Interested in growing your LinkedIn Network?
Here are some tips on how to build strong connections, leverage your network and generate more sales:
1.Remember to import all your email contacts to see who’s are already on LinkedIn. Select the clients,
employees, business partners, friends, and even family members that you’d like to connect with.
2.Add current and past colleagues to your network from the companies you’ve listed in your profile. Do the same with people you went to school or university with.
3.Add your personal LinkedIn link to your email signature, on other social networking sites, on your business cards and website.
4.Follow an in-person meeting with a LinkedIn connection request.
5.Add some context and details when you send a request. Don’t be generic. Don’t be that guy.
6.Find new customers, suppliers, partnerships, experts, and other valuable people by joining relevant groups. Brainstorm companies, industries, your geographical area. What about alumni groups?
7.Join groups that your target market joins, so that you can interact with them and increase your visibility.
8.Define your target groups and use the advanced search option to search for people. If you find someone that you’d like to connect with, see if you share any connections. Ask that mutual connection if he or she can make an introduction to the new person.
9.Never use an introduction to send a sales letter! Be respectful of everyone in your network.
10.Sign up for the groups’s daily email digest. This way, you get the highlights without having to go back to visit group pages every day.