LinkedIn is one of the fastest growing social media platforms in the world. Part of its power is that it's a social network based on the users' business positions and professional connections. Since we all know that the easiest way to get a job or reach clients is personal connections, it makes sense that the more you connect with other successful businesspeople, the more likely you will thrive.

So when it comes to LinkedIn here are the primary steps to getting started.  

1. Complete your personal profile and make sure to add a photo (your picture is a lot easier to remember than your name). Remember that LinkedIn is all about connections, so it is key that you try to go back and list all of your past and current positions and maximize your work history. By connecting what you are doing today to what you were doing 20 years ago you expand your connections which expands your opportunities. Your history will establish you as an experienced professional.
2. Find professional and personal contacts and ask them to join your network. You can do this easily by using the feature that allows you to import your email contacts. Also consider vendors, suppliers, bosses, assistants, teachers, mentors, advisors, colleagues, and friends. When you connect with friends on LinkedIn, they are exposed to your professional profile and what you are working on, which can be great when people they know are looking for help or a service provider.
3. Ask for recommendations. Ask several people to recommend you and make it easy for them by providing a link to your profile. Try to recall a client or a project that you worked on that is different from other recommendations to cover all your capabilities.
4. Ask your network a question, using the feature on LinkedIn. Qualify the results by selecting specific people in your network or people from a particular vertical market. Take a look at the example below when I asked my contacts how much time they were spending and how they used social media for an article I am working on. It also opens up a dialog whereby I can directly email them on their answers and suggest working together on projects or providing them with more solutions.

   Get real-time answers from your market

5. No time to do this all yourself? Give us a call and we will get you going.

For more tips and advice on getting more out of LinkedIn and other social media sites, or to attend one of our social media bootcamps on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Analytics; follow our blog or "like" us on Facebook. You can also ask a question by email at [email protected].