Getting the Most Out of LinkedIn, Part III

Daily or Weekly Tasks

• Reply to messages
• Answer questions
• Ask questions through LinkedIn polls, groups, or status updates
• Start discussions in your groups
• Share content in groups and in status updates with a link
• Send new invitations for people to join your group
• Send recommendation requests
• Write unsolicited recommendations

Ask and You Will Receive

• Ask for new business/contracts once you get to know someone and have been helpful to them.
• Ask for an introduction to someone.
• Ask for advice.
• Ask for a job.
• Ask people to sign up for a seminar or webinar.
• Ask for publicity.
• Ask for random stuff.

I have used this Wayne Gretsky quote previously, but it’s worth repeating: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Give and You Will Receive

• Give helpful advice.
• Give unsolicited recommendations.
• Share industry news and case studies of how you have been successful.

The more you share, the more friends you will make and the more business you will get eventually.

Analytics: What to Track

• Number of connections
• Number of groups joined
• Number of groups started
• Number of people who have joined your group
• Engagement on your groups
• Number of leads, phone calls, face-to-face meetings, and closed deals
• Number of questions asked/answered
• Number of recommendations given and received
• Amount of traffic to your site from LinkedIn (place link to your site in your profile, event postings, etc. and add your LinkedIn URL in other forms of marketing)