LinkedIn has the capacity to be a powerful networking tool as it connects users to trusted contacts and helps them exchange knowledge, ideas, and opportunities with a broader network of professionals. LinkedIn shows the connections between people, but it’s real power is in the 2nd degree – who your network knows.

Today I’m just as likely to run a LinkedIn search as I am a google search for someone I’m about to meet or do business with. It’s a great way to find out how they perceive themselves.

In the last few weeks I’ve met a lot of people who have been curious about LinkedIn, but uncertain in how to use it effectively to build a network. My top tips are:

1. Sign up for an account at www.linkedin.com – click on the Join Now tab at the top of the screen. On the next screen you will need to fill in your first and last names, email and select a password. LinkedIn is for individual use so use YOUR name, not a pseudonym or company name
2. Follow the guidelines and complete each of the sections of LinkedIn. Make sure you use a professional photo. Of you. Not your kids, not you with a drink in your hand, not with your pet {unless of course you are a vet}. LinkedIn represents your professional image so make sure your photo reflects that.
3. Make sure you provide details {not just job titles} about the various jobs you have had – at least for the last 10 years. Talk about key outcomes you have achieved. Be succinct.
4. You can add up to 3 websites and 3 twitter accounts. Examples of what you might include are your company website, your personal blog, a link to a specific landing page for people who click through from LinkedIn.
5. Once you are happy with your profile it’s time to start connecting. The easiest way is to upload your address book from Outlook, Google, iCal etc which matches by email address who you know with who is already on LinkedIn – you can then choose who you want to connect with. You can also invite people who are not already on LinkedIn to join.
   QUICK TIP – don’t just use the default invitation LinkedIn offers. If you want to connect with someone who may not know who you are {and don’t assume they will remember you if you met them at a networking event 8 months ago…} tell them why – such as you met at such and such a place, you talk on twitter, you have loads of shared connections, you like their profile etc etc…. Give them a reason to connect.
6. Join groups. LinkedIn allows you to join up to 50 groups. The benefits of groups are many – I like them to ask questions, find out out what other people are up to, and to help others with answering their questions. Answering others questions on LinkedIn can be a great way to position yourself as an expert on a topic.
7. Look to see who your contacts know. And if they know people YOU want to know, ask for an introduction. For me, this is the most powerful aspect of LinkedIn as it really allows you to see who your contacts know. Asking for introductions, recommendations and referrals of other people’s contacts is a GREAT way to build a network in a way that is more likely to instil or generate trust.
8. Give recommendations and referrals. I try and regularly give recommendations to people I’m connected with on LinkedIn {and yes, I can certainly do more!}. While I am happy to connect with most people on LinkedIn, I’m very selective about who I give recommendations to, and I only give them to people whose work I have personally experienced. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for someone to give you a recommendation – the worst that can happen is that they will say no! AND say thank you when you do get one!
9. Use the status update. Just like Facebook, LinkedIn has a status update. But please, whatever you do, don’t link your twitter stream to your LinkedIn status update. TRUST ME no one wants to read all your tweets on LinkedIn. Yes,  you can selectively post the OCCASIONAL tweet, but twitter and LinkedIn have very different purposes so pretty please, keep them separate.
10. Check for other people’s status updates on your home page at least once a week – this is a great way of finding out what your network is doing. Are they changing jobs, getting promotions, have more of your contacts joined twitter?

I’d love to hear how you use LinkedIn to build your network. And if you’re not LinkedIn, please sign up! And invite me to connect with you - http://au.linkedin.com/in/melkettle – just make sure you tell me why you want to connect!!

So far my two networking posts have been about going out to networking functions. While I LOVE networking face to face, and meeting new people, I find that these days I tend to do even more networking from my desk. How you ask? Well mostly via Twitter and LinkedIn.

The basic principles are the same – you connect with people, build a relationship, share ideas, thoughts, referrals and maybe one day do business together.

What I love about using Twitter and LinkedIn for networking is:

• it’s not restricted to my desk – I can network anywhere – as long as I have my laptop or blackberry
• I don’t need to make myself look “presentable” – you know, hair, makeup, clean and ironed clothes – I can network in my PJs. Or my stinky gym clothes. And I often do
• I can share things with people that are harder to share face to face – such as links to my blog, photos, links to interesting articles
• it doesn’t cost anything except a bit of time (I especially love not getting stuck in traffic!)
• it’s easier to find out more information about people, and more quickly, then a 5 minute chat at a networking function can offer - just think of all that extra info on LinkedIn and Twitter – reams of information about their personality, other followers and connections (which can say a lot about a person), and of course business and personal interests.

So how much do you network from your desk? And what do you love most about it?

So now that you have chosen which networking events to go to, how are you going to make sure you get the most out of it? There are a few things that I do:

1. Take LOTS of business cards – there is nothing more frustrating than meeting someone interesting and having to rely on them to contact you because THEY don’t have a card. Don’t be one of those people. Please.

2. Have a plan. Depending on the type of event, I generally plan to meet – and have a conversation with – a specific number of people. It might be 1, it might be 10. The actual number depends on how much time will be allocated for networking, the format of the event and my mood at the time! Try and have a look at the attendee list so you can see who will be there and where they are from – this can help you can target specific people.

3. Don’t just hang around with your friends. Presumably you have gone to a networking event to network. So go and meet people!

4. Try and learn something about the people you meet. Don’t just fling around as many cards around as you can!  You are better off meeting five people and finding out something about them so that a relationship can be established, rather than “meeting” 25 people you just give a card to. Be genuine about who you are when you are talking to people. Show interest in who they are and what they do. It’s not ALL about you!

5. Followup within a day or so. This can be as simple as sending an email saying you enjoyed meeting them. Or perhaps sending an interesting article you found that is about something they are interested in. Don’t send them reams of information about your business and how you want to work with them – unless they asked for it.

6. Don’t drink too much alcohol at a networking or industry function. It doesn’t take much to ruin a hard-earned reputation. 

7. Have fun!  

What do you do to make the most out of networking events?

One of my goals for this year is to go to more networking functions. That’s easy you think. There are loads to choose from. And yes, there are. However like many solopreneurs, my time is fairly precious, and I want to make sure that the networking events I go to are going to be relevant and help me achieve my goals. 

How do you do that I hear you ask. Well, personally I go to networking events for a number of reasons: 

• to hear a speaker who interests me
• to meet prospective clients
• to catch up with a number of friends/colleagues/business associates all at once (it’s a lot easier than arranging a lot of coffees!)
• to support a charity that I believe in – particularly if they are fundraising
• to support the organisers if they are clients, friends or starting out a new networking group that sounds interesting. 

Most of these reasons are fairly self-explanatory. However I am often asked how do you know that prospective clients are going to be at the networking function you are going to. There are a few ways to find out: 

• trial and error – go to a couple and see what sort of people are also there (this can sometimes be a bit exxy in terms of time and money)
• go where your target market goes – one reason I go to events run by the Australian Institute of Management is because other business owners go (and they are one of my target markets)
• ring the organiser and find out who has attended previous events – while they probably won’t give you names, they may give you some examples of professions and roles
• ask the twitterverse if anyone has been, what they thought, and what type of people were there – the people who reply will also be a good indication of attendees.

 How do you choose what networking events you go to? And what are your favourites?