You want to improve your business networking. What's the best platform to help you do it?

I believe in your early days of career or on whichever juncture your professional setup is one constantly need a mentor, someone who can validate the professional decisions taken by us. LinkedIn as a platform just by one login connects you to people of all credentials. It shares an unspoken bond between 2 unknowns who connect for purpose. A deep desire unknown or known .

Go where your audience is. LinkedIn is the dominant platform online, however if your main target audience congregates in one particular place or event etc then that’s where you put your energy. Simple but overlooked always.

As a sales rep with a decade of B2B sales and marketing experience across Europe and Africa, I've found LinkedIn to be an unparalleled platform for business networking. With over 1 billion users, LinkedIn offers a vast network of professionals, enabling not just visibility but real, impactful connections. It's where I share insights, engage with industry advancements, and foster meaningful relationships that transcend geographical boundaries. Leveraging LinkedIn's comprehensive tools - InMail, Groups, and targeted content - I've expanded my professional network and directly contributed to onsemi's growth. LinkedIn isn't just about connections; it's about building a community where value, expertise, and opportunities converge.

Find people who has the same goal as you. If you want to share books, go to book clubs - as simple as that. Finding like-minded people is the best way to navigate, because then you don't have to navigate alone.

LinkedIn is the most powerful business networking tool I have used. It’s a platform that allows one to build connections and strengthen networking opportunities but there’s so much more than that. Share learnings, build personal brand, support one another, bridge a gap, build community, enhance opportunities, find new thought leaders and access the ability to learn and develop.

To stand out on LinkedIn, ensure your profile showcases not just your role but your impact. Include a professional photo and a headline that succinctly captures your essence, like 'Focused on Customer Success & Business Goals.' Use your summary to share your unique skills, experiences, and value. Highlight specific achievements and real-world applications of your skills, showing your adaptability and results-oriented nature. Keep your profile fresh with recent projects and achievements, demonstrating your ongoing growth. Treat your profile as a living portfolio to foster engagement and open new networking avenues. This approach highlights your expertise, evolution, and active role in your field.

The LinkedIn profile layout is especially unique and enables us to include a lot of valuable information on one page. To make the most of the space and create a strong first impression, it's important to use as many of the features as possible. I believe that the "FEATURES" feature is not being used to its fullest potential. This feature can be used to demonstrate how we are using our skills to create an impact beyond just our page. You can add links to feature articles, podcasts, blog posts, and more in this space.

LinkedIn stands out as the premier platform for enhancing business networking, offering a rich landscape for sharing insights, discovering opportunities, and engaging with industry leaders. However, I firmly believe that traditional face-to-face networking retains its unparalleled value, providing a depth of connection and immediacy that digital platforms can't replicate. Combining LinkedIn's vast professional network with the personal touch of face-to-face interactions creates a powerful synergy. By leveraging LinkedIn to initiate connections and then deepening those relationships through in-person meetings, one can craft a more nuanced and impactful networking strategy.

I would absolutely recommend newsletters. Recently I stopped posting normally and reverted to news letters. My impressions have increased over 80% and you quickly start building a community of interested readers.

LinkedIn is AMAZING! No question. However, to build sustainable currency requires work, deposits, engagement and personal touch. Go to events advantageous to your role/industry or what you are setting out to do. People want to help people that they can trust with their contacts. Build rapport with and LIKE. Go out and shake hands, be armed with your 35 seconds commercial and BE YOURSELF. Have a balance of both in-person and online. Lastly, showcase your knowledge, talents and experience. No one knows what you do and how deep you do it, but you! Time to show others. And follow up! Do what you say you are going to do. #CreateValue