Why laser focus is essential on LinkedIn and 3 tips to achieve it

To get the most out of LinkedIn it’s essential to concentrate on relevance and quality.

The vast social media platform can easily become overwhelming unless you have a clear and focused strategy. If you connect with all and sundry, your feed will become clogged with irrelevant content and you risk missing out on great articles or achievements that your most valued connections are proud of that you might want to comment on.

If you approach LinkedIn with complete focus you can create a space filled with experts in your field, genuinely useful contacts and potential clients. We look at 3 top tips to make sure the platform really works for you.

1.     Be choosy when it comes to connecting

There should be a valid reason for every single connection you have. This includes those who ask you to connect as well as the connections you are seeking. Ask yourself why they want to connect, what you have in common and who their onward connections are.

When looking for connections, try to identify clients, prospective clients, professionals in the same field as you and your clients and industry experts. If you’re in doubt, have a look at what they’re posting and ask yourself if that’s the sort of thing you want to see appearing in your feed.  

The same goes for groups. Don’t join every one you see, but check out what they’re posting, who their members are and ask yourself if you’ll find it valuable.

This doesn’t mean you can’t be gracious with your expertise and accept connections from those who see you as a professional above them in their field, but just make sure they are serious about the platform and are using it in a business-like way. Generosity is important; someone who is just starting out might be thrilled to have you accept their connection request, just as you might be happy to connect with someone further on in your own journey. So long as they’re professional and aren’t likely to waste your time, accept them into your circle.

2.     Be discerning with posting and sharing

Try and post regularly, but not too much – you don’t want to clutter up your connections’ feed.

Don’t post articles just to have something to post. Make sure that everything in your feed has value to those in your circle. That way, you’ll build trust and a feeling of positivity in your connections.

Sharing is a great way to show your connections that you like what they’re posting and that you’re willing to help them spread their message, but again, be selective. Don’t forget that everyone you’re connected to will see the article as well. Remember that a share from a discerning LinkedIn member is worth more than one from someone who passes on almost everything.

3.     Develop good habits

Having a regular LinkedIn strategy will help you grow a strong and useful community. You don’t have to spend hours there, but schedule some time each week to pop in and nurture your relationships with your contacts.

Spend some time in the groups you’ve joined. If your potential clients are there it will be beneficial if they can see that you’re active, helpful and knowledgeable.

When you meet new people you’d like to connect with, remember to reach out to them as soon as possible while you’re still fresh in their minds. When sending requests, personalise them and try to make your case for why they might want to connect with you by making yourself of some value to them.

Creating a strong LinkedIn presence involves giving as well as taking. Give thoughtful and generous endorsements to those that you feel deserve them. When someone has done a good job for you, take the time to write something positive. Similarly, if someone has a question that you can answer, give them a helpful reply.

By keeping your LinkedIn circle small, you’ll find that the platform becomes far more valuable to you. You’ll waste minimal time sifting through irrelevant posts and you’ll actually want to be present there amongst your handpicked connections.

If you only implement one thing…

Pop into LinkedIn a couple of times a week and spend a quarter of an hour touching base with your connections and sharing a single item that you think will be of value or interest to them.

If you would like help with any aspect of LinkedIn, from creating a strong and attractive profile to putting together a long-term strategy to grow your business, give us a ring here at Links2Leads on 0118 380 5980, email us at [email protected] or fill in our CONTACT FORM and we’ll be happy to have a chat about how we can assist you.