Welcome Back, Everyone:
My latest LinkedIn user survey shows that the #1 thing that people need more help with on LinkedIn Is being strategic. So I will try to keep that in mind as we move forward on the tips that I share with you, starting with this week’s tip regarding your ability to utilize the information about “who’s lookin’ at you.” So let’s get started.
Profile Tips
It is time to share another one of those underutilized tools on LinkedIn, and this time it is that little section on the right-hand side of your home page titled “Who’s Viewed My Profile?” This is really a powerful tool for a couple of very simple reasons.
First, let’s talk about the numbers being shared, something like “Your profile has been viewed by 14 people in the last day” or “Yesterday you appeared in search results 11 times.” Do yourself a favor and write down what these numbers are each day for a week or two, and use it as a benchmark of something you would love to increase. Just think about this: Every time someone looks at your profile, you have sent out a branding message that could lead to a new customer, strategic supplier, vendor, employee or partner. That being said, you should have a plan to move this number up. In the old days, pre social media, we all used to spend some very sizable dollars to increase website hits, viewers of our television commercials, listeners on the radio, numbers like these. We can now do it for very little cost.
Some of the ways to do this, in addition to increasing your general physical networking efforts, are to be sure to place your LinkedIn URL on email signature, letterhead, business cards, websites and any other identifier that you use in your business. Anywhere your name is, your LinkedIn URL should follow.
Secondly, if you view this section daily (this section changes every day; so you can’t go back and retrieve the information at a later date), you can probably figure out who is “checking you out” by asking some of the following questions:
1. Who have I met, either live or on the phone, in the last few days?
2. Who have I mailed or emailed recently?
3. Who did I ask one of my connections to refer me to?
4. Who did I interview?
5. Who have I been targeting with multiple “touch points” for the last week or so?
This can be very powerful information if you can put the puzzle together. Take a chance and find a reason to contact those individuals for one reason or another without them really knowing how you decided to contact them at this time. Remember - they were “checking you out.” There must be something there, don’t you think?
Connection Tips
Some people do all of their keyword searching solely for potential customers. I suggest to you that you should also be spending a significant amount of your searching time (and ultimately introduction time) on finding and getting introduced to people who could turn into future “important influencers” of your customers. If you have a strategy to meet more of these people and expand your network of these types of professionals, you will be building a larger network of people who are going to “carry your torch” even when you are not personally in the mix.
Wildcard Tip or Question
I found a couple of blog posts from Andrew Ran Wong that should help you find some of the best and largest groups on LinkedIn for a specific category of business professional. Check these out:
Media & Marketing Professionals
http://webstudio13.com/2010/01/16/top-linkedin-groups-for-media-professionals/
Entrepreneurs, eMarketers, and Social Media Enthusiasts
http://andrewranwong.posterous.com/30-top-linkedin-groups-for-entrepreneurs-emar-1
Miscellaneous News and Notes--
Some of the other resources I provide are:
• Customized corporate training classes
• Keynote and workshop presentations for conventions and association meetings
• Corporate social media strategy consulting
• For Sale: LinkedIn training DVDs for beginners and intermediate users
• For daily tips, follow me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/WayneBreitbarth
Here is my upcoming schedule for teaching/speaking so you can share with friends, relatives and business associates. Follow link or paste into your browser for additional details and registration information.
Wed Sept 29, 2010 Wayne's LinkedIn Power Formula Training for Beginners
M&M Office Interiors; 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
http://budurl.com/hnfn
I hope you find some of those people who “viewed your profile” and make them trusted connections that will lead to new prosperous relationships.
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
I like the idea of having a goal to work toward by writing down and monitoring your pageviews. I always dismissed these views but you’re right – each is an opportunity to place another impression your personal brand upon someone.
Hi Annne
Thanks for the insightful comments.
Many naysayers of social media don’t get the last point you made, I think they are just using the so called lack of ROI as there reason to not get on the bus. But think about this, when have people been able to track the ROI on that billboard or event sponsorship that they just paid for?
Have a great day or should I say “fit” day.
Wayne