10 Powerful Ways to Use LinkedIn

Are You LinkedIn?

LinkedIn was launched in the year 2003 but already more than 60 million members have joined to create a powerful network for professionals to connect with each other.

The ‘good ole’ boys’ networks have been made obsolete by a global (more than 200 countries) network. This has made LinkedIn the most successful social marketing site for businesses and professionals.

Here are 10 powerful reasons why you need to join LinkedIn.

1. 

   Professionals Who Are LinkedIn

   LinkedIn gives you immediate credibility within a huge professional community. It lets fellow professionals immediately become acquainted with you and your professional history. They can learn about your expertise, experience and accomplishments and how to obtain your services.

2. LinkedIn has search features that will help you locate potential customers. You can be confident that information about your services will be pertinent to their businesses and welcomed by them.
3. LinkedIn lets other members connect with you immediately through their site. A few clicks and a potential customer is in touch with you!  A potential customer can disappear if they have to search for you among so many others offering services on the internet.
4. You can use LinkedIn to establish links to your contacts and potential customers. When you have an important new product or service you want to tell them about, or any information you want to share, you can use the LinkedIn network to notify all of them simultaneously.
5. LinkedIn provides an incredible database on contacts that enables you to search for colleagues or experts using their name, their college, or their current or former company’s name. Even if you have been out of touch for awhile, chances are they are linked to someone on LinkedIn.
6. You have control over who contacts you. LinkedIn has tools you use to establish profiles and settings to reduce time wasting messages or contacts that are unproductive for your business. You can minimize waste and maximize the quality of contacts you receive.
7. The LinkedIn site provides ongoing information about its members. You will immediately learn about important changes or additions to the information on those you have linked to. You can respond and react quickly to new opportunities.
8. 

   Exuberant People Who Are LinkedIn

   All businesses invest in and depend on advertising. With its social marketing features and Share features, LinkedIn lets you network with sites such as Business Week, CFO.com and Reuters among others. LinkedIn can connect you with your own Facebook and Twitter sites to share information. As a LinkedIn member you have access to Adage.com All of these features let you have one location from which to share and read advertising to an enormous business audience you could not reach otherwise.

9. LinkedIn Answers lets you ask questions and get answers from fellow experienced professionals, valuable advice you might have to spend a fortune for elsewhere. You can also share your own experience and knowledge by answering others’ questions, and thereby demonstrate your expertise.
10. LinkedIn’s People Search gives you an opportunity to search among millions of professionals to find the experts you need, only one of the top 10 reasons why LinkedIn is a must for professional connections and relationships.

LinkedIn is an essential tool along with Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other social marketing networks. You have to be a part of it or miss out on opportunity.

Most firms and professionals who want to connect to kindred businessmen and women are on LinkedIn. It is a comfortable and secure way to meet fellow professionals and share information about you and your company’s potential value to them.

On LinkedIn, you are not among strangers, you are among colleagues.