Viewed mostly as a social network for job seekers, LinkedIn is ideal for home business owners as well. But many home-based entrepreneurs and freelancers don't use or maximize LinkedIn and all it's great features. With over 250 million users, LinkedIn is a must for home business owners. Here are tips to maximize LinkedIn to build your business.
1) Complete your personal profile. On Linkedin, the power is the quality of connections, not the quantity. Incomplete profiles, especially those without pictures are viewed as unprofessional. LinkedIn walks you through the process of adding information in all the important areas making it easy to create a complete profile. Use a professional or high quality photo, as people are less likely to connect if there is no picture of you. Use keywords and content that will attract your target market in your summary, experience and other sections of the LinkedIn profile. Request a personalized URL that uses your name. 2) Create a company page. This is slightly different than a profile, but it's a great way to focus on your company and have people "follow" it. Like a profile, you want to complete all the information, including a logo and keyword targeted content about your business.
3) Ask for recommendations. Testimonials can significantly improve your business growth. They instill confidence in prospective clients and customers making them more willing to hire or buy from you. While you can get testimonials for your website, also ask for recommendations from clients or customers at LinkedIn.
4) Share business news. Are you launching a new product or service? Will you be hosting an event? People like to work with businesses they feel connected to, and one way to help them feel connected is by sharing news and inside information.
5) Be active. Social media can be overwhelming. There are so many sites you can join, all of which require active participation. In many cases, some social media profiles end up not getting the attention they deserve. But a dormant social media page is worse than no social media page at all. Tools such as Hootsuite can help you post blog or other content to LinkedIn as well as other social media sites. However, LinkedIn is much different that other networks. You don't post what you had for breakfast (unless it was with a powerhouse like Bill Gates) or cat pictures. LinkedIn is a professional network. Post news and information about your business and industry trends.
6) Engage with others. Too many people are self-centered with their social media forgetting the part that it's supposed to be social. Social media works, but only if done right. Along with posting your own content, you need to reach out and engage with others. Check your news feed and like or comment on what your connections are posting. Participate in groups where you can connect with potential customers or others who can help you make good connections. Recommend businesses that you've worked with and can say positive things about. Endorse your connections for their talents. The more you reach out and help others, the more they'll reach out and help you.
7) Assess results. I know business professionals who created a website and did social media, but ultimately they gave up because they said it didn't work. But social media does work. If it's not working for you, then you're not doing it right. Tracking what's going on with your LinkedIn profile will give clues as to what you need to do. Are people being able to find you? If not, maybe you need to relook at the keywords you're using and better optimize your profile. Are people liking or commenting on your posts? If not, you need to create more engaging posts. You can do that by asking questions or for feedback. For example, don't just share a link to your most recent blog post. Instead, share the link and ask people to respond. Finally, are you getting good quality connections? If not, improve your engagement and seek out better people.
More On LinkedIn for Home Business
- The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn
- 6 Tips to Harness the Power of LinkedIn
- How to Use LinkedIn To Promote Your Home Business
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