Tips for Using LinkedIn
Recently I asked the following question on LinkedIn:
What is the best way to network on LinkedIn? Should you connect with anyone, or only those you know and trust?
Here are some of the answers I received:
“I like to link with everyone. I never know who I’m going to meet and who is going to respond. The relationships I’ve made by reaching out to people I didn’t know, but thought might share interests has been hit or miss, but the ones that have worked out have been more than worth the reaching for.”
Doug Hering (LION - LinkedIn Open Networker)
“LinkedIn policy is to only connect with people you know.
However, there are a great number of people on LI who are “LI Open Networkers” (LION) and they connect outright with anyone and everyone.
Then there are those who are in-between.
Remember a few points in deciding who to connect with.
1. You let everyone you connect with know your primary email address associated with your LI profile. Once they have that, they can do with it as they wish. (ie: They can email you all the time, they can sell your email address, they can sign your emailbox up for mailings, etc.)
2. If you try to connect with people you don’t know, they may say that they “Don’t Know” you and if you receive too many of those, LI restricts your acct.
3. You may get to know more people through your expanded network who could, at some point, help you.
It all depends.
In my opinion, to grow your own network, take out your address book and email everyone in it. Email any vendors that you have done business with. Email friends and family. Email anyone you know who has an email address.”
by Illona Cowen
Additionally, there is a book out that can help you. It’s called “I’m on LinkedIn…Now What?” by Jason Alba. Jason has outlined all the steps you need to take to utilize the power of LinkedIn. He also has a website that can help you with your questions about how to market yourself on LinkedIn. It’s www.linkedinhelp.com
Happy Networking!
Additional Note: The “Answers” part of LinkedIn is a useful tool for market research. The access to hundreds of thousands of business people and their expertise is so useful for when you need to do market research. Asking questions will continue to be a part of my weekly business research.