LinkedIn Tip #9 - New Group Secrets!

One month since the big LinkedIn updates and we are still finding surprises!

Well, if you are not using it much, you may have just discovered them.

No worries! In the LinkedIn Book of Christine, it is all good!

The groups received a huge overhaul.

Now we only have to use the "Advanced" search tool to look for key people we want to know and do business with. It used to be that you could use this tool, or go directly into each group to perform a search of the members there. Then you could send them a message, follow them, or ask them to connect with you. You did not even have to know them in order to message them.

Here are the keys to the "Advanced" search tool:

1. You can select more specific search parameters. For example: You can choose which type of connections to search or which groups you wish to search. You can get your search nailed down to the postal code for the exact area in which you wish to search. So Cool!
2. You can set up a search and just leave it in place for a while. LinkedIn will continue to search for those parameters and send you the results, depending on how often you wish to receive these results. The frequency of emails can be set up through your settings menu.
3. You can search your first connections, or second connections, or groups, or 3rd plus connections. My suggestion would be to search one of these at a time. With each group that you search, for instance, you can change your search criteria as many times as you wish until you have exhausted all your options for that group. Once your search results stop bringing up results, it might be a good idea to leave the group and search another one.

Play with the "Advanced" search tool for a bit and discover how slick it really is. The "Advanced" search tool is not really that new. You could always perform these types of searches. Most of us did not use these to their max. However, the new updates have refined this type of searching, in my humble opinion.

The fact that LinkedIn will keep sending you results from your searches until you change them is phenomenal!

Once you find some key people you would like to build a relationship with, you can take it from there. Remember that the relationships are built online, and real business gets done offline, face-to-face.

People want to do business with people that they know, like and trust. It takes time to build those relationships. It may take as long as 3-6 months to start getting business through LinkedIn, but if you are building solid relationships with people, taking your eyes off yourself and finding ways you can help others first, you will be amazed how LinkedIn will work for you.

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

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www.marketingmentress.com

marketingmentress@gmail.com

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LinkedIn Tip #8 - LinkedIn Group Overwhelm

Are you feeling overwhelmed with all the changes that LinkedIn has just launched?

You are not alone!

It can be just a tad daunting when you are not that familiar with LinkedIn to suddenly be faced with the feeling that you have lost all your work. This has prompted me to share some tips to help you adjust to this new platform.

There are two types of groups:

a. Open Groups

b. Closed Groups

Open Groups

You can view the discussion thread before you join the group to see if it is a group you want to join. You are accepted into these groups immediately without having to be approved first. Once you are in an open group, you are free to mix and mingle with the members.

Closed Groups

You cannot view the discussion thread before you join the group. You have to join the group before you can view the discussion thread. Once you click to join a closed group, you then wait for someone in the group to approve you. You can wait weeks for this to happen sometimes, depending on how often the manager of the group checks it. Once you are accepted into the group, you are free to mix and mingle with its members.

LinkedIn will allow you to have up to 5 pending acceptances for the groups. It lets you know with a message when you have reached your limit for the day.

When you are wanting to start your own group on LinkedIn, there are also some things to consider very seriously.

1. If you set your new group up as an open group, you cannot change your mind and switch it to a closed group.

2. If you set your new group up as a closed group, you can always decide later to switch it to an "Open" group. However, remember that once you switch to an open group, you cannot switch it back to a "Closed" group.

As you join groups, remember that you do not need to stay in that group forever. You can join up to 100 groups. You are free to leave groups whenever you wish. Nobody knows when you leave the group, especially if there are more than 25 people in the group.

My suggestion would be to check out the new format for the groups. There is a tutorial that will walk you through some of the basics. I recommend that you take advantage of this short walk-through.

Remember LinkedIn is the most professional platform on the "net". There is none other like it. Everyone on this platform is there to do business.

Treat LinkedIn like you would a live networking group. The members are real people and it takes time to build trust with people. You build the relationships online, and real business gets done offline.

For answers to your LinkedIn questions, feel free to contact me.

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

1-780-904-9557

www.marketingmentress.com

marketingmentress@gmail.com

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LinkedIn Tip # 7 - What Kind of An Impression Are YOU Leaving?

How do you feel about linking up with profiles that have NO headshot?

Every day I receive requests from LinkedIn members asking me to add them to my network. Many of those requests come from profiles with NO headshot. How do you think that makes me feel?

First I wonder what they are hiding from me. Second I wonder if they are fake profiles. Third I do not connect with them if I do not know them and understand that they are new and working on getting a professional headshot.

If you own a business and want all your staff members to be on LinkedIn to help maximize its use to promote your business, what kind of an impression are your employees leaving about your company?

Even if you put a "selfie" on your profile, do you think that will promote a positive impression about the company?

Here's the "shtick".

You have 3 seconds to make a great first impression on LinkedIn. Yes, you read correctly. Try an experiment. Go on your LinkedIn profile, and check out some of the profiles listed in one of your groups. Slowly scroll down the pages of the members in the group and make mental note of the profiles that catch your eye.

Right! The first thing you look at is the headshot. The second thing you look at is their name and the third is their "headline below their name"... 3 seconds flat!

Take time to check out the LinkedIn profiles of all your staff members. Better yet, what kind of example are you giving your staff. They will duplicate what you do, only be a little more slack than you are.

It takes effort to keep your standards high. As a business owner, it is imperative that our profile is in stellar shape and that you invest in a professional headshot.

If you are looking for a professional photographer in your area, please let me know. I can connect you to some highly recommended ones in my network.

To learn more about enhancing your entire LinkedIn marketing program and how the groups are the key to it all, join us Nov. 19th for LinkedIn 202 - The Secrets of the groups:

https://li202groupsecrets2.eventbrite.ca

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

1-780-904-9557

www.marketingmentress.com

marketingmentress@gmail.com

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Tip # 6 - Three Reasons Why the Groups are the Key.

Now that you have heard that the groups are the key to LinkedIn, are you wondering why that is?

It is easy to get caught up with the daily responding and commenting in the Home Feed, let alone responding to the group discussions we belong to. No wonder people feel just a tad overwhelmed with LinkedIn and how to maximize its' use.

Many people become disenchanted with the platform and leave it, never to return, because it just takes too much time to figure out all on our own. Here's a hint.

You need a coach to help you get started. I for one would never have managed to be this far along with my LinkedIn without the help of a coach to get me started.

LinkedIn is a business platform, not a social platform. Facebook is like the backyard bar-b-q; Twitter is like the coffee shop chatter. Business gets done on all three platforms, but if you want to get serious about business to business, LinkedIn is the platform for you.

One of the most confusing areas of LinkedIn is the groups. Now that we can join up to 100 groups, they can be more than a little daunting.

Tip #6 - Three Reasons Why the Groups

1. You can join groups that contain your target audience for prospective clients and if a specific group is not working for you, you can just leave it and go find another one that will suit your pipeline better.

2. You can search the groups with specifically targeted clients in mind and send them a message without being connected. Each group is like its own networking meeting where you can meet people and build the relationships you need and want for business.

3. You can set up your own group and invite other LinkedIn followers to join you in a discussion you have started there. You can attach a survey to this discussion that screens your potential target market even finer.

With the way we can use the advanced search tool now, it is easier than ever to target our specific market.

Join our next webinar: LinkedIn 202 - The secrets of the groups

https://li202groupsecrets2.eventbrite.ca

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

1-780-904-9557

www.marketingmentress.com

marketingmentress@gmail.com

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Twitter: @mktgmentress

Secrets of the Groups - Tip #5

Are you looking to build the relationships you need and want for business?

Part of building relationships is carrying on a conversation, like you were meeting someone in life for the first time. This all begins on LinkedIn with the connections we make.  In real life, real time networking situations, we respond to each other and find out all about the other person first, before we say anything about ourselves...or at least that is what should be happening. When we immediately start pitching our stuff, we turn people off. They want to run away.

The same is true on LinkedIn.

When we accept a connection, the first thing we should do is click the tiny envelope beside their name and send them a cordial "thank you for linking up" kind of message, and invite them to connect with you on your other platforms of online media.

Remember, it is not all about you. It is about how many people you can help.

Once you make that initial connection, the next step is to check their profile and find out all you can about them. Search for ways that you can serve them to add value to your relationship. For example, if you know of someone in your connections who would be a great possible client for them, introduce them. I have done this many times, and had cheques mailed to me as a result of business that has been generated. It is called working joint ventures (JV's).

Moving on to the next step.

The secret to LinkedIn is in the groups.

Many business owners think that the secret to the groups on LinkedIn is interacting and taking part in all the discussions, but how can one manage to take part in 100 different group conversations every day?

With the new platform, we can now join up to 100 groups. However, before you get all overwhelmed, there are ways to keep in communication with all these groups without having to spend the entire day responding to comments and posting. The key is to join groups that would contain your ideal types of clients. For instance, if you had a health and wellness business, you would not join all health and wellness groups, because everyone in those groups is looking for the same type of clients you are. Think where your past clients came from, and join those groups.

It used to be that you could go into each group that you were a member of and search through the members for your target audience and potential clients. That is no longer the case. LinkedIn has set their search systems up, so that you do not go into the groups to perform this search.

Now you just use the "Advanced" search.

The Advanced search allows you to choose which area you would like to search. Among those are the groups. You can choose which of your groups you would like to search each time.

You can also set the Advanced search up so that it will continue to search with those parameters you have set up and let you know when your search has found potential clients for you.

Also, you can change your search parameters any time you like being as specific as you like.

The Marketing Mentress has a 2 hour webinar coming up on the 19th of November from 6-8pm MDT.  It is called "Secrets of the Groups". If you want to know all the tricks you can employ through the use of group searches and how to maximize your time with them, this is a great webinar. Learn how to make money with the groups.

Register to save your seat:  http://li202groupsecrets2.eventbrite.ca

I look forward to helping you.

Tip #6 will be The Three Reasons Why Groups are the Key.

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

1-780-904-9557

www.marketingmentress.com

marketingmentress@gmail.com

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Accepting and Responding to New Connections - LinkedIn Tip #4

Many times when I am working with people helping them with LinkedIn, they are trepidatious about connecting with people on this platform. 

They are worried that if they do not have their "business running perfectly" they better not do anything on LinkedIn until they are where they think they should be.  Or they are worried that their boss will see that they are doing a side business.

Here's the shtick.

You can turn off all notifications while you are setting up your LinkedIn profile. In fact, I recommend that you turn them off, otherwise LinkedIn will be sending all your connections message after message about you and your profile. You can always turn notifications on later, when you are ready.

Here's another point.

It takes time to build up momentum on LinkedIn, and if you just get on there, set up your profile, and then sit there waiting for people to "ask you to dance", you will be waiting for a very long time! We need to be actively interacting with people on LinkedIn, in order to build the relationships we need and want for business. It all takes time and patience.

Tip #4

Head over to the little blank person icon with the plus sign beside it in the upper right corner of your LinkedIn platform and hover over it. A drop-down menu will appear, and you will see who is asking to connect with you. As you move your cursor down the menu, you will see "x" and "check mark" icons appear. You can click on the check mark to accept a connection.

Once you have accepted a connection, you can click on that contact immediately and then send them a message thanking them for joining your network and ask them what inspired them to join LinkedIn, or something that is copacetic with their profile.

It is important to acknowledge every person who reaches out to connect with you or accept your requests to connect. It is all about making that first great impression. You only have 3-8 seconds to do it online.

If you do not want to connect with someone, then click the "x".

It is all about being responsive and gracious. Treat connecting on LinkedIn the same way you would if you attended a live networking meeting.

Happy Connecting!

Next time we will discuss how to search through the members in the groups.

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

1-780-904-9557

www.marketingmentress.com

marketingmentress@gmail.com

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Are You Connected...Really?

Today I am sitting in the lobby of the Rowe building at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. 

I am watching a myriad of young men and women as they gather in this great lobby waiting for their next classes to start. 

Know what I am seeing? 

There is very little conversation happening. Most of them are on their electronic devices. They may be standing close to their classmates, but they are not communicating.

Have you heard of the quote, "No man is an island"?

Theoretically this quote should be true. But I have noticed something very significant that is occurring with this age of connectivity. Social media has and continues to create more "Islands".

It seems that more often than not, people are sitting alone or even beside friends texting and checking online for ... whatever. In fact, instead of chatting to one another, they text each other, even when they are sitting together!

I was waiting at a stop light to cross the street and there were two young ladies, around 14 years of age standing in front of me waiting for the light to change. They were both busy, thumbs flying as they were texting someone. Then a very strange thing occurred! One girl turned to the other one and said, "Yes!" Then there was another flurry of flying thumbs, and the other girl turned to the first one and said, "No Kidding!" -And that is how their communication was continuing as we stood there on the corner.

I was in shock!

What is this world turning into? No wonder we are having more challenges with building relationships today than ever before. All our gizmos and social media are actually making us more disconnected.

Then what in the world does this "age of connectivity" really mean? Does being or staying "connected" mean that we are taking our relationships for granted and simply think that because we are "connected", we are communicating?

Lightbulb!

We are human beings and thus are gregarious by nature. We all need interaction with other human beings in order to stay healthy. In fact, we have discovered that when people stay isolated for a long time, they are more apt to have things like dementia when they are older. Dementia can start when we are in our twenties. It usually is not detected for at least 20 years, thus it is thought to be a condition of old aged.

Is this age of "connectivity" also creating the microwave oven effect on our other relationships?

Because we are sending and receiving messages online at an alarming rate, when we do not get the results we desire quickly, we leave in search of another solution

.

If our relationships are not growing at the rate or in the area we desire within a very short period of time, we give up on them and search for that "perfect" one.

Believe me, it does not work that way.

Building relationships takes a lot of work! Years! It is not easy and "life does not run smoothly."

It takes reading lots of books; working together with open minds; finding solutions to those "hic-ups" along the way. Believe me, they will happen, and yes, "life does not run smoothly", but if you have a willing heart and mind, together you can do amazing things. 

If you are in business, you will want to seek out a good coach to guide and mentor you through this process.

It takes time to build those relationships we need and want with the people we need and want for business, and it all starts with you.

Get connected on a much deeper level. People you are connected to will only do business with you if they know, like and trust you. If you are in business, you will be glad you did.

Make it a great day!

Christine Till

The Marketing Mentress

1-780-904-9557

www.marketingmentress.com

marketingmentress@gmail.com

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