How to Use LinkedIn to Build Your Business

1) When you have significant news in your business -have great friends in the social networking community
for instance, a big product launch or a joint venture -whom you should know." Bingo.
use LinkedIn to notify your contacts by way of a7) Many people in the business community, especially
profile update. And in your accompanying emailavid networkers, have numerous connections that
message to the network, say "I would love to catch updon't do any [short-term, revenue-generating] good for
with you - want to make time for a phone call?" It'sthem personally but that could be invaluable to their
that keeping-up process that sparks conversationsnew networking contacts. Think about these valuable
about opportunities both for you and your contacts. It'scontacts as you reach out to people whom you hope
in these conversations (which could be done by email,might help you. For instance, I know lots of headhunters
although probably not as well) that ideas will arisewho have great media contacts - contacts I would
about prospective clients, partnerships, and otherdrool over - journalists who regularly call them up for
revenue-generating projects.insights on the job market. Unfortunately, apart from
2) Use LinkedIn to understand the relationshipsoccasionally mentioning in her stories that Joe Recruiter
between people you know and people you want tosays that the job market is looking up, the journalist
know. For me, this is the heart of LinkedIn's value - thecan't do much for Joe - she isn't going to write a profile
ability to see at a glance how people you don't know,on him any time soon, for instance. But she might write
but would like to, are connected to people who area profile on someone that Joe has just met through LI.
closer to you. So when you find Mr. Lofty Dude in theOf course, Joe wouldn't throw around her name
LI network and realize that he used to work with yourcarelessly - but he might say, "You know, I can't
former admin assistant - a data point you almostguarantee anything, but for your kindness today I'd be
certainly wouldn't have acquired on your own - youhappy to introduce you to my friend, an editor at the
can reach out to the admin and get, not only anSan Jose Mercury News, who might be interested to
introduction, but some intelligence about Mr. Dude'stalk with you." Rock on.
current dealings, needs, and hot buttons.8) When you spot a cluster of people on LI who all
3) Connect, by all means, with your former colleaguesknow one another and are all accomplished in the
from every company that has ever employed you.same arena, that's a really special thing. It means that a
There is something about old-workmate ties (unlessgroup of folks who perhaps worked together, or met
you, er, aren't the sort that former teammates think ofonline, or are part of a group together, represent a kind
fondly) that can't be duplicated in most relationships ofof mother lode of shared knowledge around a
shorter duration. Seek out these old workmates, tellparticular area - say, SEO or CRM or German opera.
them what you're up to and who you're mostThat's huge, because jointly, these folks may comprise
interested in meeting, and offer to help them out asthe lion's share of the current thinking on the topic. You
well. One good lead would be worth the price of LIcan reach out via LinkedIn to one of them, and say,
membership - oh wait, it's free - or anyway worth the"You know, I'm trying to get up to speed on the operas
price of your time doing LI searching and connecting.of Handel. Might I sent you an email message with
4) Let's say that you would dearly like to work withsome of my key questions, and ask whether you
General Motors, but you can't find anyone at GM whowouldn't mind sharing your thoughts with me and also
seems especially suitable for contact as you searchforwarding my message to your friend Jack Sprat,
the LinkedIn database. No problem. Find a current GMwho could undoubtedly add a valuable perspective?"
vendor or customer in the functional area you'reWith luck, in the case of an inquiry like this, you are able
interested in, and reach out to him or her. Is thereto repay these experts' valuable time with a gift of
something of value that you could offer in exchangesome kind (perhaps tickets to the opera). But many
for the introduction you want? In an ideal world, yoursuch people would refuse any compensation at all. It
sterling qualities and dazzling personality shouldmakes a huge difference how you present your
convince this new acquaintance that introducing hersituation and how graciously you pose your request.
client to you is something of value all by itself. But don'tSo much depends on good manners, doesn't it?
bank on that. Offer to extend an invitation of your9) LinkedIn in combination with Google News Alerts
own, or design his or her new database, or something.makes a great business tool. Let's say you are looking
5) Use the LI database to understand more about yourto talk to folks at Fidelity who work in one product
prospects. This is the beauty of LI - what other sourcearea. Use LI to find a name (or two or three names) of
will tell you where many or all of the senior execs ofpeople at Fidelity who seem relevant to your situation,
your prospect organizations used to work (given thatand whom you'd like to reach. Set up a Google News
only half a dozen of them have profiles on theAlert on Fidelity, and set one up with the target
company's website)? Let's say that you want to doperson's name (or a few names) so that you can
some work for ABC Company. And lo and behold, halflearn when he or she has been quoted, is speaking on
the ABC execs worked for PayPal back in the daya panel, etc. This kind of intelligence will tell you what's
and the other half worked for FedEx. Greatcurrently on the plate of this person, the issues he or
intelligence! You see that they have a strong Notreshe cares about, etc. What's more flattering than an LI
Dame alum thing going on, and some connection tooutreach message that says "I was so sorry to miss
Stanford as well. Now you can use your FedEx andyour speech at the Financial Muckety-Mucks Summit,
PayPal alum contacts, your Notre Dame folks andbut I was fortunate enough to read your thoughts on
your Stanford fellows to help you get 'over the wall.'petro-dollars on and to catch your NPR interview last
6) You wouldn't email a complete stranger, even if youweek." Dang! Be diligent, but be careful that you don't
obtained his business card (say, by stealing thesound like a business stalker.
win-a-free-lunch goldfish bowl of business cards at P.F.10) Vendors like to reach out to former clients, and
Chang's) to say "Hey, why not buy some stuff fromthat's good, but it can be awkward when you haven't
me?" So please don't reach out to new LI contacts bykept up and have no idea what the former client is
saying "Maybe you could help me make anow up to. But of course, if you've got the contact info,
new-business contact." I wouldn't recommend that.thanks (let's say) to Plaxo, you're going to use it!
Instead, read this intended contact's profile. Let's sayLinkedIn solves the problem. Presto, you can track
you are reaching out to me, who runs an onlinewhat your former client has been doing since you last
community. Two seconds of reading my profile wouldsaw him - no awkwardness. On top of that, instead of
give you some ideas of things that might interest me. Ian open-ended "let's catch up" message, you can say
guarantee that a typical working person could offer"Wow! You're at Fidelity! You know, I see that you've
me something I'd be interested in. So, when you makeonly been in the job a few months, so we should
your LI outreach, mention that thing that you coulddefinitely talk. It so happens that I've become
offer! Write "I would love to connect by phone, bothsomething of an expert on Fidelity lately......" Now, that's
because I'm interested in your relationship with [mypower networking!
most-desirable prospect company] and because I