How To Make LinkedIn Your Most Powerful Networking Tool

I sat in the middle of the circle of people. I was leading the discussion on using LinkedIn as one of the best social media tools to attract prospects, job opportunities and connections around the world. The people around me looked surprised. I was encouraging them to engage with people that they didn’t even know.

“How do you request?"

“Who do you look for?"

“What do you say to them?"

I have been pushing my social media over the last year as I’ve been building up my coaching practice. I use a variety of forms: Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, Instagram, Blab, and now lately Snapchat. All are used with the purpose of creating my image as my brand, and to get long-lasting relationships started. Out of all my social networks, nothing brings me more leads and helps me build relationships the way LinkedIn does.

Why Is LinkedIn Different?

LinkedIn was originally created as the business social networking tool. It was a way of creating a virtual database of business cards, and keeping up with people you met through working relationships and networking functions. It was developed and asked that only people you know personally are allowed to connect with you.

As social media became more borderless, it became acceptable to connect with people you didn’t know directly, and LinkedIn connections approached their network the same way.

The Online Networking Event

LinkedIn is becoming a way of connecting with people we already knew and as a way of reaching out to people that we don't know, yet. It has become a virtual networking event, where you already know what people do, where they are, and how to connect with them further.

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For me, LinkedIn has connected me with people across the globe. I have phone calls and Skype conversations with people everywhere. We discuss our occupations and how we may be able to collaborate in the future. I share my posts and comment on other people’s opinions. I have found new partnerships, clients, business supporters, and new ways to collaborate online.

How To Network Better Online

1. Create a solid profile

There are plenty of articles that explain how to create a better LinkedIn presence that I won’t cover here.

The basics still apply: get a proper and professional head shot for your image. No stock photography, no bathroom or car selfies. If you can’t afford a headshot (and there are plenty of photographers that specialize in LinkedIn profile photos for as little as $75 for a single and $350 for a set of 10), give a friend your cell phone, put on a work outfit and stand in front of a brick wall for an instant professional photo. 

Ensure your work experience is up to date, with at minimum, the details of your role as you would put in a resume. Finally, give yourself a clickable headline. Choose something fun, and enticing, or a juxtaposition: seeking my next exciting accounting role or Leading motivated individuals to 5-year high results.

2. Automate a response

This is where the networking starts to take it to the next level. Create standard email templates you can use when (1) people connect with you, (2) congratulate you on your next position, and (3) one that you can use to set yourself apart when asking to connect.

It is difficult to create a brand new email for every person that connects with you, that’s why spending time to craft one standard email will allow you the basis for the beginning of your message.

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With new connections, I give 3 sentences telling about my background, one simple way people can continue to connect (in my case it’s sharing the content I create), and finally how to reach me if they are interested in further engagement. From every 10 emails I send 2-3 people agree to book time for a phone call.

3. Seek out who you want in your network, and be open to requests

LinkedIn is the easiest platform for finding new people. You can refine by location, title, company (both current and previous), keywords (great when the person’s position is not their title, i.e. founder of a company), then finally by the level of connections (2nd, 3rd, more). Second level connections are the easiest to connect with since you and the other person share someone in common. It’s also likely you won’t be asked additional questions as to how you know the person.

If you are an entrepreneur, determine who your demographic is for your product. If you’re selling B2B likely there is a position or title of a person.

I know a stylist that loves working with women who are seeking more confidence, therefore, she should be looking for people with keywords “currently seeking” and within her geography.

Where I live unemployment is currently at a high, therefore job seekers should be looking for people with positions in HR.

As The Leading Sales Coach to entrepreneurs and small businesses, I seek out people globally with keywords founder, president, and entrepreneur. I look for people in the regions of my upcoming speaking events and seminars to send them directed information and build more following in those regions.

I also accept almost every connection that comes my way. I check out their profile for congruency with their location, education, and experience. I deny anyone that doesn’t have a profile picture. I put in my title “Connections Welcome". Anyone with the acronym LION (LinkedIn Open Network) will accept.

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I welcome all requests for my connection with an introduction email, as stated in point above. I open the door if they would like more information about me, my products and services. I’ve had people request conversations to hear about my 6-month sabbatical to backpack the world solo. I’m open to all of it. Relationships are built over conversation.

4. Use updates as a leverage for further engagement

Recently I added a new role with a new organization. This created a “blow up” on my LinkedIn. LinkedIn makes it easy to “like” or comment on the update, and they also ask if you would like to congratulate me on this change. With a one button click people send me a direct  congratulatory message. Overnight I had 140 direct messages flood my inbox, many from people I forgot were even in my network.

I used an email template to respond to each email, introducing the company I was now a part of, spoke of one of the projects we were working on, invited the person to engage with my other social media platforms, and then, as always, welcomed an invitation to have a conversation about how we may be able to collaborate.

Of that initial 140 emails I responded to I received 44 responses back and was able to immediately book 12 phone call meetings.

5. Actively keep engagement up

Social media is about being social, and somewhere along the lines we forgot that. We will like, comment and share posts of people that are close to us, and everyone else will get a profile creep hoping the person doesn’t know we checked out their profile.

Active posters post in hopes people will like, comment and share their work. They write posts believing the content will resonate with their network. They add their posts to groups, and out of every 100 views they receive, they are lucky to have a 10% engagement.

As an active content creator, I know when I do write a piece that resonates, I receive higher engagement. Every now and then I will also get a message from someone saying they have read many of my pieces, watched plenty of videos, and they have felt motivated and/or learned something from my content.

If you haven’t done so, introduce yourself to the groups you are a part of. Comment on questions. Ask your own. Groups are meant to create community and tribe, and a community is pointless if you’re listed as being in the group but never engage with anyone in it. This is especially useful for groups designed to bring people together for events.

Introverts can highly benefit by introducing themselves to the group, talking a bit about their work experience, and adding a fun, personal fact so that when they do go to the event people will be able to start a conversation easily, already knowing a few things about the person.

6. Create content with a goal in mind

LinkedIn makes it easy to create your own. Creating a new post sends a notification to your entire network. Looking for your next position? Write a post about what you’ve noticed in the industry and your opinion on what could be improved. Share this post with a few different groups you are engaged in. This will set you apart as a thought leader. Plus LinkedIn is high ranking in Google and it may lead to people seeing your article when they search certain topics.

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What is it that you are wanting to get from your network? Is it a client meeting? Is it to join your newsletter? Finish every article by letting the reader know what should be their call to action (CTA). By being clear in the ask you continue to keep the door open for additional engagement.

7. Find the small, reasonable ask that moves additional engagement

People are always happy to help out if it is within their comfort zone and ability. I’ve seen many requests on LinkedIn for an immediate purchase. People buy from people they like and trust, and a single LinkedIn email is often not enough to establish that level of comfort.

Asking for time to speak over the phone about potential collaboration is a great engagement tactic. As much as I want to find new clients, it is likely the other person does too, and by understanding more about their business, processes and the services they offer we may be able to refer to other people within our networks.

I end every conversation asking how can I support the other person going forward. I don’t want to end the relationship with a single phone call, I want to keep the lines of communication open for whenever the time is right for both of us to re-engage again.

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Kim is an international speaker, two-time author, and The Leading Sales Coach for entrepreneurs and small businesses. As Vice President of the Change Your Results! team, she helps companies create a sales process and ask the right questions at the right time in order to achieve immediate and consistent revenue streams in only a short time.

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