The Buzz and Strategies of LinkedIn
Discussions, webinars, and news articles about business-related social media are everywhere. These sites are an effective way to expand reach and generate quality leads and are gaining popularity for those purposes. Social media and viral video have seen dramatic growth among b-to-b marketers, and virtually all forms of newer media are now valued by these marketers as demand generation channels, according to an exclusive survey of b-to-b and b-to-c marketing professionals by BtoB and the Association of National Advertisers.

Asked about specific social media networks they currently use, an overwhelming 81% of b-to-b marketers cited LinkedIn, compared with just 25% of the b-to-c marketers. Interestingly, microblogging service Twitter ranked higher among b-to-b (70%) than b-to-c (46%) respondents. Facebook is the most-used social media site overall (74%), and enjoys high use among b-to-b marketers (60%).

LinkedIn is the Facebook of business networking. With more than 40,000,000 users, it is almost imperative to be linked into this network.

When a connection is made on LinkedIn, both connectors must agree to that connection. So, if someone has 200 connections on LinkedIn, he has at least that many people that are willing to establish a business connection with him. Any connection can dissolve another connection at any time, without notice or notification. To maintain connections, it is important to communicate with those connections and to share in "give and take" situations; a one-sided connection (one connection is constantly seeking something from the other, without reciprocation) will probably get dissolved eventually.

A LinkedIn profile becomes a form of branding for those members who work the system properly. LinkedIn profiles will often find their way to the top of Google searches, so a well-crafted profile is important, and should be monitored.

Build an attractive profile

• Build your page like a resume, it is an extension of you
• Make it attractive, use a professional photo of yourself
• Research shows that a professional photo makes contact success 5 times more likely
• Use an interesting tagline that provokes thought
• Check your spelling and facts

Build your network

• Linkedin allows you to upload your address book and will search for your contacts that are already members.
• Send an invite to all your contacts
• Join ten groups
• There are groups of all types; i.e. professional, hobby, special interest, focus groups, industry specific etc.
• Look at the groups your contacts belong to
• Joining under a personal name rather than company name helps avoid the temptation to simply push company marketing into a community discussion group.
  
• Look for industries you would like to break into

Make more contacts!

• Remember that you can not contact some one you do not know directly
• This is why it is important to get involved with groups that have professionals with similar interests. You CAN contact them if you belong to the same group.
• By connecting through a group you can open many doors
• Search for new people that you meet in other venues and connect to them
• Search for other people at your current contacts' companies to deepen your reach within a company. Get to know them.

Implement Linkedin Strategy

• Successful networking in LinkedIn takes diligence
• Plan on spending 30 minutes a night reviewing your contacts, your profile, making updates as often as possible, taking interest in the groups you have joined
• Recommend people that you have successfully worked with. They will in turn recommend you.
• Invite others and ask them to look at your profile and make suggestions

Make the most of LinkedIn and use it as a research tool to determine customers' and prospects' interest. By following their online discussions, seeing what kinds of questions they post and what's on their minds, you'll keep your finger on the pulse of your market.