Hello, All:
Have you noticed how big "social media" and "social networking" have gotten since the first of the year? Things really change fast these days, and this area is the hottest thing going in marketing you and the products and services you represent. I'll bet you are happy you got rolling 24 weeks ago, and your progress should be applauded. By now you should be ahead of your competition. You’re not sure, you say? Well, hopefully this week’s tips will move you along quicker. Here goes.
Profile Tips
Have you re-looked at the industry you selected for your profile since the time you first set it up? Even though the list is not as exhaustive as many of us would like, it is ever expanding and may have changed since you last looked at it. This is a very important part of your profile since many people search by this category, and you may be left out of a search which could be very important to you. You only get one industry; so try to pick the one that you think a potential customer would pick if they were looking for you.
You get to this section by going to Edit My Profile, clicking on Industry, and reviewing the list. You can also suggest new industries to LinkedIn for future inclusion.
Connection Tips
Everyone is always asking me how many connections is enough?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but for those of you who have been to my training, one thing I am sure of is that you cannot have enough #1 connections who are "trusted professionals" as defined by no one else but you.
One thing I am hearing from some people is the idea of some of you suffering from "#1 connection envy." That is where you look at how many connections others have and wish that you had that many and that "all would be well" if you did. That is a pretty silly concept, but I am sure many of you have thought about that at one time or another. In order to help with this, I want you to consider the following thoughts in answering the question of how many connections is enough:
-Are you in a very transactional business? (If so, the bigger the better)
-Is your business national in scope? (Bigger will probably help you more; most have groups by region)
-Is your business cycle long and highly customized? (This may lead to less connections that are deeper)
-Are you using your network for not only potential customers but also looking for supplier relationships or prospective employees? (If so, larger is better with potential subgroups by purpose)
-Do you consistently use Linkedin and the power of the "work-in-process" connection after you have attended a networking event? (If so, you may have a larger group)
The answer to this question goes back to something I talk about over and over, and that is what is your strategy and what are you trying to accomplish on LinkedIn. If you haven't written these goals and strategies down on paper, this may be a good time to do so, and from that you may find the answer to this question.
Wildcard Tip or Question
Consider joining the group "Success with Linked !n"…good conversations and lots of neat resources with power users from all over the country and many industries represented.
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.
Tues Feb 23, 2010 Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Be On LinkedIn
Knights of Columbus, 3200 S. 103rd St.; 1:00pm-2:30pm
ABLE South
Call UWM School of Continuing Education 414-227-3098
Thurs Feb 25, 2010 Top 10 “Gotta Do’s” on LinkedIn for Business Development
Jobcamp3; Noon-1:00pm session
Potawatomi Casino; 9am-6pm
http://www.milwaukeejobcamp.org/
Wed Mar 10, 2010 Marketing Yourself Through Social Media
NARI Remodeler & Supplier Expo 10:45am-12:15pm
Majestic Theater
http://www.milwaukeenari.org/conference-schedule.php
Fri Mar 12, 2010 Caffeine & Connections (Free coffee and LinkedIn help)
Gravity Connect, 702 S. 2nd Street, Milwaukee; 6:00am-8:30am
Mon Mar 15, 2010 Wayne's LinkedIn Power Formula Training for Beginners
Gravity Connect, 702 S. 2nd Street, Milwaukee; 5:00pm - 7:00pm
http://budurl.com/b7zz
Thurs Mar 18, 2010 Wayne's Intermediate LinkedIn Power Formula Training
M&M Office Interiors; 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
http://budurl.com/5fdy
Let's go out and make this a week of events loaded with lots of helpful connections.
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
