Happy Father's Day to you and yours:
Things are really heating up around here, and I am not speaking of the weather (is it June somewhere on the planet?). I am referring to book sales momentum. My book has been the #1 LinkedIn book on Amazon for six weeks now, and thanks goes to all of you, my loyal fans, for getting the word out to your friends and families. 
With all the book activity lately, I sometimes forget to remind people that I am still teaching my always popular Power Formula LinkedIn class. My next class is Monday, June 27th, from 5:00-7:30pm at my office in Pewaukee. 
I will not be offering this class again in the Milwaukee area until late August; so be sure to pass along this information to your friends who still haven't figured LinkedIn out but would really benefit from using it. Use the promotion code "Morningblend" to receive a $10 discount off the regular price of the class when you register.
For this week's tip I thought I would share with you an article I wrote for the latest edition of the Social Media Marketing Magazine. It is getting great reviews thus far. I hope you get a chuckle and at the same time pick up a tip or two.

 

The Sexiest Ain't Always the Best    

 

Okay. So Facebook is the bikini of the social media wardrobe. wardrobeSome people choose to bare all, sharing intimate personal details, shocking photographs, and other information that is sure to make your mother blush.

 

Then there's Twitter -- short bursts of engaging verbiage that informs or moves others to action. Consider it the wardrobe accessories or the flashy, eye-catching addition to every outfit.

 

Now, where does that leave LinkedIn? In the social media wardrobe, I would consider it the practical navy blue suit -- a necessity in any professional's wardrobe.

 

LinkedIn currently has more than 100 million members, with a new person being added every minute. As reported on the LinkedIn website, the average user's household income is $91,566, 63.2% of users hold a college or postgraduate degree, and 20.6% are middle management or above. I don't know about you, but those sound like the kind of people I'd like to add to my network.

 

Facebook and Twitter may be more fun -- and I'm not questioning the value they can provide -- but in my opinion LinkedIn is where the real work gets done, especially if you are in the B2B space.

 

Perhaps it is the less-than-sexy nature of LinkedIn that causes many people to include only the basics in their LinkedIn profile. If your profile is in need of a makeover, here are a few suggestions to glam it up.

 

1.  Summary.  I find this to be the most consistently underutilized section of the profile. I like to think of it as your cover letter. Some people may not read beyond this point, so take full advantage of the 2,000 available characters. There is a tendency to treat the Summary as a resume and focus on the past. I suggest you treat it as a presentation of your business plan. Briefly summarize specific, quantifiable accomplishments and direct the reader to a few of the most important parts of your profile. But then focus on what you are doing now, how you can help the reader of your profile, and what you plan to be doing in the future. Regurgitating your resume is unnecessary because those facts will be outlined in other sections of your profile.

 

Ask yourself: If I have only a few minutes to share my professional story with a potential customer, client or business partner, what would I want to say? Then use your Summary to tell your story in a friendly, conversational way.

 

2.  Box.net Files.  The key to networking, whether face to face or online, is freely sharing your knowledge and expertise with others. This builds trust. Once they know and trust you, they will want to do business with you.

 

Box.net enables you to post PDF, Excel, or Word files to your profile. These files can be downloaded by visitors. This is a great place to post white papers, articles, company brochures, pictures of your projects or products, customer testimonials, and other documents that increase your credibility and helpfulness.

 

3.  Google Presentation / SlideShare.  Let's face it.  Most people would rather watch TV than read a book. These two applications allow you to post slide shows that showcase your personal expertise, presentations about your company, and/or pictures of projects you have done. Video is becoming an increasingly important part of many companies' branding efforts, and if video is part of your slide show, you can post those files here.

 

4.  Other Applications.  LinkedIn has an extensive list of applications to enhance your profile. Some are industry specific (e.g., Real Estate Pro, Legal Updates, etc.), and others can be valuable to most LinkedIn users. Connect your blog to your LinkedIn profile, use Events to find interesting professional events, or share your favorite books with your network through Reading List by Amazon. Whatever your LinkedIn strategy, there is a plethora of applications to help you achieve your goals.

 

These additions are fun, easy, and will certainly make your profile more appealing to viewers, but don't overlook the blue-suit basics. Include a descriptive headline, professional quality photograph, and thoroughly outline your educational background and employment history. And don't neglect to seek out those all-important recommendations. They provide essential outside verification of the information you have provided in your profile.

 

While wearing the bikini and the glamorous accessories can be fun, the lasting impact and real productivity are products of the professional garb!