How to build a powerful network on LinkedIn and WhatsApp?

LinkedIn is one of my favorite websites now.

Some people think it is a bit clunky and its algorithm is poorly built.

However...

The social media platform is a powerful tool for building and maintaining professional relationships. With over 900 million members worldwide, it's the world's largest professional network. Whether you're looking for new job opportunities, seeking to expand your network, or establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry, LinkedIn can help you achieve your goals.

Here are some tips to help you build a powerful network here:

1. Optimize your profile

Your LinkedIn profile is your professional online identity. Make sure your profile is complete and up-to-date. Include a professional profile picture (make your face visible), a compelling headline (take mine as an example - Co-Founder/ Venture Advisor/ Community Builder at Venture Starters - Every Wednesday, Kiffik Biomedical, Inc. and GiGO CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INC ), and a detailed summary of your experience and skills (no need to be too long). Use keywords relevant to your industry to make your profile more searchable. You can also add emojis to your name and that will not look unprofessional as many people would think.

2. Connect with others in your target audience (at first)

Start by connecting with people you already know, such as colleagues, classmates, and friends. Use the "People You May Know" feature to find and connect with others in your industry or profession. When sending connection requests, personalize your message and explain why you want to connect.

3. Join groups (or make your own)

LinkedIn groups are a great way to connect with others who share your interests and expertise. Join groups relevant to your industry or profession, and participate in discussions to build relationships and share your knowledge. That is why I created my own LinkedIn group for Venture networking and a Discord channel for the group itself:

• Link to the Venture Network LinkedIn Group
• Link To the Venture Network Discord Server

4. Engage with your network

Stay engaged with your network by sharing updates, articles, and other relevant content. Like and comment on posts from others in your network to show your support and build relationships.

5. Offer value

Look for ways to offer value to your network, whether it's by sharing your expertise or introducing people to others in your network. Offer to help others with their career or business goals, and be willing to share your knowledge and expertise. What I do is, I often write posts about other startup leaders and organizations and I regularly tag them to show them that they have been featured. I plan to do the same here with a fellow super-networker Marc Jarrett.

6. Use LinkedIn features

LinkedIn offers many features that can help you build a powerful network. For example, you can use the "Advanced Search" feature to find people based on criteria like location, industry, and job title. You can also use LinkedIn's publishing platform to share your articles and showcase your expertise (Like I am doing right now). You can also publish an article via the company page's Newsletter feature. Try it out with your organization.

7. Attend events

LinkedIn also offers opportunities to attend in-person events, such as networking events and industry conferences. These events can be a great way to meet new people and build relationships in person.

8. Be proactive

Don't wait for others to reach out to you. Be proactive in reaching out to others and building relationships. Identify people you want to connect with and send them personalized messages explaining why you want to connect and how you can help each other. I am constantly writing short messages to people in my target group. Constantly adding m

9. Follow up

After you meet someone new on LinkedIn, be sure to follow up with them afterward. Send a personalized message thanking them for their time and expressing your interest in staying in touch. Connect outside of LinkedIn so you can reach them at any time and even if something happens with your account (being hacked or restricted), you will keep those contacts as well.

Summary

Remember, building a powerful network on LinkedIn takes time and effort. Focus on building genuine relationships and offering value to others, and the results will come. LinkedIn is not just about making connections, it's also about building a supportive community (like I did and am doing with VentureStarters.com and GiGO CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INC) that can help you navigate challenges and achieve success. So, start building your network on LinkedIn today and enjoy the benefits of strong professional relationships (and potential customers).

Already have a good network on LinkedIn? What should be the next step? Marc Jarrett's suggestion would be... WhatsApp.

As I previously mentioned, I often write about interesting topics, people, and organizations. In this article, I want to talk about a fellow super-connector and networker Marc Jarrett.

Marc is a professional networker who operates 500+ WhatsApp groups to facilitate virtual business networking. These cover a wide range of subjects such as real estate, M&A, Commodities, eCommerce, Automotive, construction, fashion, all kinds of tech, Powerful Women, and many more.

He has been extolling the virtues of networking this way long before the pandemic, not least since it saves so much time, money, and carbon.?His ‘Wonderful World Of Virtual Networking’ LinkedIn article written in 2018 bears witness to this.

But perhaps the biggest benefit afforded by networking this way is its globality.?For those of us in the brain game, the whole wide world is our proverbial oyster.?

Marc Jarrett spent the majority of his career in telecoms and was the first to market with mobile logos and ringtones back in the day when every other person had a Nokia.?A decade or so later, he launched the world’s first fundraising celebrity chatline.

Here are some of the WhatsApp groups that he operates:

• Marvellous Mauritius ????
• Business In Kazakhstan????
• Lovely Latvia????
• Superb Sri Lanka????
• Perfect Peru????
• Bonnie Scotland??
• Dynamic Dominican Republic????
• Beautiful Bahamas????
• Creative Croatia????
• Magical Malta????
• Terrific Thailand????
• Perfect Poland????
• Victorious Vietnam????
• Terrific Turkey????
• Super Singapore????
• Marvellous Malaysia????
• Business In C?te d'Ivoire
• Israel Goes Global????

And many more... The list is now more than 300 strong. I am grateful to be part of the network that Marc is building and I am looking forward to our collaboration.

If you are interested in joining any of them, let him know.?He will also ask you to introduce yourself to the group outlining who you are, what you do, and whom you would like to meet to help meet your business goals.

Here you can check his website:

But why WhatsApp?

WhatsApp is of course a telecoms app and there are TWO BILLION REASONS why people should network this way – because that’s how many people use it.?Ironically, the one country that does not use it so much is its birthplace.?Only one in five Americans use WhatsApp.?Marc is on a mission to make that one in four.

And unlike email, you can see who had read your message when the ticks turn blue on WhatsApp.

Plus you cannot send voice notes by email. You can do it on WhatsApp. Not to mention that WhatsApp supports up to 2GB of file transfers, which makes it much easier for us all to collaborate on projects.

In Europe where Marc is located, WhatsApp is pretty much ubiquitous - everyone uses it.

So do not wait and make contact to build your network!

Post by?Lachezar Zanev?(Luke), Ambassador at Kiffik Biomedical, Inc.?and Co-Founder at?Venture Starters - Every Wednesday

Join my Founders & Funders Discord server called Venture Network below:

Personal email: [email protected]

Marc Jarett's email: [email protected]