It’s in every business owner’s best interest to build their network. Doing this expands your possibilities by keeping you visible and connecting you with new markets. LinkedIn is one of the best platforms to grow your network, and I’ll show you how…
When the COVID lockdown hit, I could have easily screamed, “My business is in DEEP 5H1T!”
And I won’t lie, the thought did cross my mind. But it wasn’t my first or second or third thought.
Why?
Because I realised something important – even though I couldn’t meet my network face-to-face anymore, I still had the power of the internet at my fingertips.
I’d invested a lot of time and energy building an online network on LinkedIn. Despite not ever meeting lots of my connection “in real life” we had made some meaningful connections.
LinkedIn is weird. You can tell a lot about a person by following what they post over time.
I’ve never been one to hold back the personal stuff for Facebook, because I don’t use Facebook. My friends hang out on LinkedIn, so that’s where I post.
As for my coaching business, well, it was actually set up to thrive online. But my networking group, Networking in…, now that was a different story. My networking group, Networking in… was a different story.
We had to pivot fast and move everything online.
We were the first Networking group that I knew to make the switch. And it wasn’t easy. I went from bustling in-person events to starting with just 13 people online.
We used LinkedIn to talk about the changes and numbers quickly rose.
And three years later, I don’t regret that decision one bit!
LinkedIn saved a lot of businesses during the pandemic, ours included. It kept our name out there and gave us a presence and a new market to speak too, a market without geographical boundaries.
And it made it easier to maintain business relationships in the “Hell” when we couldn’t get together and have a coffee or chat, or hug.
That’s why I firmly believe that every business owner needs to have a strong presence on LinkedIn. It’s not just about surviving – it’s about thriving, even in the toughest of times.
Lessons
2020 was a terrible year for businesses! But imagine how much worse it would be if there was no internet?
Businesses that used LinkedIn successfully during the pandemic ended up succeeding BIG.
My favourite example has to be my power couple friends Harold Floyd and Ami Floyd who embraced the platform and its benefits whole heartedly and have amassed millions of impressions on their posts.
What I’m trying to say, in two words, is this: LinkedIn works!
A study by Hubspot suggested that LinkedIn is 277% more effective for lead generation than Facebook and Twitter.
6 Tips to Grow your LinkedIn Network
1. Profile
We’re all victims of judging the book by its cover. You walk into a bookstore and you’re compelled to pick up the ones with the best covers.
The same goes for LinkedIn. You want people to look at your profile and choose to stick around to find out more.
One of the most important steps to growing your LinkedIn network is to have a strong profile.
Here are a few ways to do this:
-
Choose the Right Picture
Choose the right profile picture and add a nice (up to date) background photo. Make sure that you are appropriately dressed for your industry. Make sure that the picture is of good quality, and remember to smile.
-
Summary Section
Make your summary section more than just a job title. It needs to reflect your personality as well. Show your skills and experiences, and what sets you apart from competitors in the industry. Keep it concise but informative.
-
Compelling Headline
The headline is the first thing people see under your name. It’s a summary of who you are and what you do. Make sure that in those few words, you capture the attention of the viewers while highlighting your expertise.
2. Keywords
Did you know that you can optimise your LinkedIn profile for SEO By using the right keywords?
If you want to be visible and searchable, you have to make it easy for people to know about you and your business.
Keywords are the secret sauce! They make it easier for prospects to find you.
Check out the top keywords that you are currently found for. Try out different combinations to get it just right.
Remove all the irrelevant words in your job title, about, highlight and experience sections.
Here are two tips to find the right keywords:
-
Use LinkedIn’s Keyword Suggestions
When you’re editing your profile, you’ll see that LinkedIn will suggest a couple of keywords. Don’t just pick them blindly, though. Stop to think about whether they really align with you, your values, and your profession.
-
Research Competitors
Look at the profiles for people who are in similar roles or industries. Check out the keywords that they use, and use similar terms on your profile. You don’t need to copy and paste, just find a match that works well for you.
3. Content
If you want to grow your network, you have to give people a reason to stick around.
What kind of content are you sharing? And is it helpful to the people you want to attract?
Personable content is definitely more relatable, and will ensure you more eyeballs. Share information that is likely to be useful to your potential customers..
Here’s how to make sure the content you are putting out there is received well
-
Keep Up With the Trends
Sure, you may want to come up with somenew stuff. But an assured way to get everyone’s attention is to give commentary on the hot topics. Ask yourself – What are people talking about? Keep up with the trends. What are people talking about? And what are they interested in?
-
Stay Authentic
Remember to remain authentic and share what actually matters to you. Because when you are true to yourself, people can tell. People can relate, and they are more likely to buy into your idea.
4. Engagement
What makes social media so special is that real time engagement.
It’s the quick exchange of thoughts and information.
You have to be social on social media.
Engage with your audience. Talk to them. Share your views and opinions.
By engaging with people on social media, you not only grow your network but also form meaningful business connections.
Here are two proven ways to engage with your audience:
-
Engage Publicly
Like, comment, and share the posts that resonate with you. This will also open you up to new people who agree or politely disagree with what you are saying. You can easy form a conversation just from seeing people’s public thoughts and opinions.
-
Engage Privately
Don’t be afraid to directly message people asking them for advice or sharing your views. You could even follow up on a conversation that was had in public. Engaging with people privately is definitely a much more memorable way to pick up a conversation and be remembered.
5. Groups
LinkedIn groups have been around for the last 19 years!
And they’re very effective.
If you’re looking for a niche, then groups are a very effective way to find specific people.
It also helps you to learn new information about the people who you would like to convert into customers. In short, it’s a great marketing research tool.
These are undoubtedly one of the best places for both B2B and B2C enterprises to expand their LinkedIn networks.
LinkedIn currently allows basic members to join up to 50 groups. It even has a “groups you may like” feature that suggests groups based on your current connections.
Here are two tips when joining LinkedIn groups:
-
Join Relevant Groups
Find industry, topic and location specific groups that contain concentrations of people that you would like to network with and join them. LinkedIn’s search bar is a very good place to start, as you can easily search for people within your location, industry, companies, and much more!
-
Participate!
It’s no use joining a group if you aren’t going to speak and share your opinions. The essence of groups is to provide a niche place where people can have conversations relevant to them. Make sure that you are actually participating by asking questions and helping others to answer theirs.
6. LinkedIn URLs
One of the easiest ways to grow your LinkedIn network is by adding your profile to different places so that people can easily find you.
It makes your recipients easily view your profile and learn more about you. It makes you more credible.
You will need some sort of LinkedIn icon or image to link. You can create your own image. Or, you can use an image from LinkedIn.
Here are two obvious places to put your LinkedIn URL:
-
Email Signatures
Your LinkedIn profile should be attached to your email signature. This makes it a lot easier for the right people to connect with you professionally. Your clients or potential clients will have easy access to your LinkedIn if there’s a link attached to each email that goes out.
-
Business Cards
Another good place to put your LinkedIn URL is your business card. You could even go the extra mile of putting it on a QR code, to provide recipients with a quick, easy way to follow you professionally.
Conclusion
If you’re a small business owner, it goes without saying that you need to grow your LinkedIn network.
Social media networking has proven to be one of the easiest, fastest, most affordable and effective ways of connecting with people.
If there’s anything that the pandemic taught us, it’s that…
The 6 tips to grow your LinkedIn network are:
- Profile
- Keywords
- Content
- Engagement
- Groups
- LinkedIn URLs
We’re always up for a chat, so if you have any comments about this blog or want to have a conversation, get in touch. Outside ideas are on a mission to help people and businesses grow.