LinkedIn changes too often and is not for me anymore.

How many times do I hear that? How many times is it based on a knee jerk reaction because people have no idea how to use it?

If I am honest the answer is loads of times every week for both questions. What we have to do is keep a few things in mind before we go off on one and kick Linkedin into the long grass.

LinkedIn is the Ship of Theseus...

Basically this excercise in thinking asks, if every component of something is replaced does the object fundamentally remain the same as the original?

Plutarch, that clever Greek chap first put this foward using a 30 year voyage of Theseus in which every plank of the ship had to be replaced and asked did the same ship return as the same ship that sailed away?

Essentially, if something changes can it still be the same? Is LinkedIn the same as it used to be?

LinkedIn has changed so much over the last few years with things being taken away and loads added that for many they can't see it as the platform they used of old, and hence see no value in it.

I get that and yes key functionality has been sacrificed in the name of shifting functions to paid versions or just ditching applications for no clear reasons.

Who recalls Signal? Ahh the good old days, Tags, where are you now? Multiple messaging..sigh...the summers were warmer...

STOP...

The essentials are the same and will not change the thinking behind how you approach LinkedIn if you keep the basics in mind.

Let's look at the Key A, B, C's of the what remains a brilliant but flawed platform.

?Remember, over 50% of buyers in the B2B sector will have conducted research as part of their purchasing decisons. The same is true of non buyers, those planning to buy or source people, services etc, what will they see when your name is put into Google?

Research plays a huge part in the whole marketing and sales process and social selling, social solving means that online is important.

A is for...

Audience - you have to know who your target audience is and then craft a profile that attracts them..magnetise that profile to attract the best and repel the rest. Write for your Audience and talk TO your tribe and not AT the whole world. A profile for everyone is a profile for no one.

Audit - Knowing your audience means that you should be connected to the right people and so you need to Audit what connections you already have...stop collecting the wrong colour sweets. ( Audits are good for a Gap Analaysis as well)

? So if your ideal client is a Purchasing Director, how many connections of yours are this job title? Where are they? Which sector is best for you and are you swimming in that pond? Make a note of numbers of perfect connections and set targets to get more. Audit those numbers, search on Linkedin by 1st Connections and download your connections to check on a monthly basis.

Adapatability - how many of us hate change? Yep most of us. Sad thing is that the company you run today is not the same as the one you ran last year...if you think it is then boy are you ever in trouble.?You have to adapt to new tweaks on LinkedIn and make the most of what you have not lament what has gone. You should be your own Ship of Theseus and adapt constantly and be Aware of the market you operate in...do not be a Kodak or a Blockbuster or any of the others that turned a blind eye to what was going on and lost everything.

B is for...

Branding - your profile is all about you and not about you...that Theseus Paradox again. Most profiles talk too much about the person writing it and not about the problems their services solve and who wants that solution.

Start to tell your story in the headline and carry on in the Summary and Experience sections. Make sure your Youtility shines through, what you stand for and the unique elements of your offering. Swim branding widths whilst the rest do standard lengths, get noticed. Be seen as a Problem Solver and different.

Get hold of the Tom Peters article, The Brand Called You, written in the 1990's but so about today.

Benchmarking - So much to say here but mainly where you are right now? Have a plan...are you connected to the right people? Does your profile have all the right bits and angles covered? How's that Public profile of yours? What about your Profile Badge...ohh that made you think! What the hell is that? ? Message me and I will tell you. ?

Positioning is covered in this one...what are you saying to the world? Do you come across as what you say you deliver? When did you last look at those keywords? In fact what does a word cloud say you do? Different I bet from what those Google key words are saying!

As above in Audit, keep a monthly account of key KPI's... number of connections in target market, what is your SSI (Social Selling Index) for the month? You can find this at www.bit.ly/SSIfind be logged into LinkedIn then go to the link.

Business - what are you getting from LinkedIn? Are you making the right connections and are they producing results?

Do you search and save those searches on LinkedIn and off? Search Alerts are just that, an Alert when someone who fits search criteria is found, it is not the original universe of people you first uncovered. Do you have a consistent messaging and Follow On process? Are you doing the same as everyone else and Business by Accident is your norm not sales by design? Are you drowning connections in stuff...you know articles and things designed to get you noticed but not them interested.

So many people get it wrong by adopting the latest 5 Points to Sales type strategies...message one, hello, message two look at this {rubbish white paper, PDF, Cheat Sheet} message three "I couldn't help notice you live on Planet earth, what a coincidence so do I..." message 4, let's meet, message 5 what time is best for you?... STOP IT

Phone those new connections, send something in the post (remember a posted item has a USP - Unexpected Small Personal) send a video of you asking about them. Do different things to get different results.

C is for...

Conversations - the point of all this activity is to have a conversation both on the platform but more importantly off it...work towards getting to meet up, so much more gets done that way.

Create, Connect, Converse, Convert is a simple mantra and programme that my 90 day tribe get taken through. It is the whole process of curiosity to customer to long term advocate. The goal is to Contribute to what others are doing by commenting, suggesting and solving. Amplify your value at all times and stop broadcasting your services...although every once in a while you are allowed to post a "Did you know I do this?" update or long form article.

Connections - treat every one you have as important and as above keep your audience in mind and remember the simple things ? connections don't need to add up they just need to count. Stop collecting them like sweets and avoid Connect and Neglect which is a pointless waste of your time and theirs. Have a plan as how to keep in contact and how you can best serve that connection. Consideration is important here, don't connect then send a sales message straight away...your job, with your profile is to Social Solve not Social Sell the heck out of people.

Content - this drives me mad as I see so many people posting such huge amounts of drivel that no one will read ( Yes you may be saying this post included and sorry if you feel it has no value). The number of Likes or Comments is a nonsense if your phone isn't ringing or your inbox singing with requests to work with you.

Content should make the reader content and have context. ?Think about what you are posting and keep asking "So what?" "Will this help?" " Would I read this?"

? There you have it a very quick ABC Guide to LinkedIn that zooms through but hopefully captures the essence of how to approach using the platform, jump in and get engaged.

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I do hope this has been of use, please do connect. ?If you want the original one page summary of this then happy to send it to you along with my WHY template that gives the basics of completing your profile. ? Comment and share and feel free to call and connect on Twitter, simply go to www.bit.ly/AngusFollow

Please do connect if we are not already connected and do ask if you would like clarification or information on how I help business owners get their LinkedIn Unlocked

? Feel Free to call me on 01442 876 038 if you want any help or have any questions.

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