Hello, LinkedIn Knowledge Brokers:
Over four months have passed since we met together to begin our journey of learning about LinkedIn and 20 weeks’ worth of "Tips & Helps." I hope this tool has become an important part of your branding and marketing efforts. Although it may not feel like it---really, it is! You just have to get your head around the fact that all the time you spend on LinkedIn is just that and not goofing around on the computer. I say that as long as you have found strategic uses for it. Here are a few new tips that may help you along to that point.
Profile Tips
Are you in the habit yet of printing the profile of the people you are going to meet at your next meeting? If not, you need to be. This is one of the big benefits of LinkedIn, and, remember, this business professional wrote this information and EXPECTS you to know this about him or her before you meet him/her for the first time. It is his/her biography written just for people like you. Things (besides the obvious things, like jobs and schools) that you may not think of looking at are: recommendations (look for competitors, suppliers, key customers), groups (tells you what they are interested in), websites (tells you more about interests they have outside of work), summary (may list outside interests or what they feel are the important thoughts or feelings about how they like to run their business or relate to customers).
Connection Tips
Try to check out the "People You May Know" every day. This is a box on the top right of your home page. This list changes all the time; so you may not know if you will ever see those names again. When you click on “See more,” you get an entire list. The logic that this feature uses to find these people is beyond me, but some very interesting people and potential connections come up. If you find a name that seems interesting, click on the profile and then decide what you should do with that information. I am not saying you should connect right away since you know how I feel about people who may not be "trusted professionals," but if they are, that is a "no-brainer." Otherwise the profile may give you information you need for the possibility of attempting to make them a "work-in-process" #1 connection.
Wildcard Tip or Question
If you are a job seeker, you should join the group "Star:Candidate." There is some great advice, and many recruiters love to use this group since it is loaded with people like you looking for jobs.
Miscellaneous News and Notes
Here is my upcoming schedule for teaching/speaking so you can share with friends, relatives and business associates. Follow link for additional details and registration information.
Thurs Jan 21, 2010 Top 10 Reasons Why You Should be on LinkedIn
Society for Marketing Professional Services-WI
8:00-9:30am; Country Springs Hotel
http://www.smpswisconsin.org
Wed Jan 27, 2010 Wayne's Intermediate LinkedIn Power Formula Training
M&M Office Interiors; 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
http://budurl.com/65ub
Wed Feb 10, 2010 Wayne's LinkedIn Power Formula Training for Beginners
M&M Office Interiors; 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
http://budurl.com/wqqf
Thurs Feb 18, 2010 Power Formula for Networking Using Social Media
M&M Office Interiors; 7:30-8:30am
Waukesha Chamber of Commerce
http://www.waukesha.org/calendar.asp?d=2/1/2010
Tues Feb 23, 2010 Top 10 Reasons Why You Should be on LinkedIn
Knights of Columbus, 3200 S. 103rd St.; 1:00-2:30pm
ABLE South
Call UWM School of Continuing Education 414-227-3098
Thurs Feb 25, 2010 Milwaukee JobCamp3
Potawatomi Casino; 9am-6pm
http://www.milwaukeejobcamp.org/
Make this the week that you use LinkedIn---strategically!
Wayne
Wayne C. Breitbarth
President
M&M Office Interiors, Inc.
W233 N2833 Roundy Circle West Suite 100
Pewaukee, WI 53072
office 262-781-2600
cell 414-313-7785
