This document summarizes a webinar about using LinkedIn to find nonprofit board members. It provides tips for nonprofits to determine their board needs, optimize their LinkedIn profile, build their professional network, search for candidates, and form connections. The webinar advises nonprofits to clearly define the skills and expertise needed on their board, establish recruitment procedures, and look for candidates from their extended network on LinkedIn before needing to fill openings. It also reviews how to use advanced search, get introductions, directly contact candidates, and maintain relationships.

1. Sponsored by:
Need Nonprofit Board Members?
LinkedIn Helps You Make Connections
Maria Semple, Marc Halpert and Geri Stengel
June 25, 2013
Use Twitter Hashtag #npweb
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Protecting and Preserving the
Institutional Memories of
Nonprofits Since 1993
www.cjwconsulting.com
(866) 598-0430
info@cjwconsulting.com
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Coming Soon

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Today’s Speakers
Maria Semple
Principal
The Prospect Finder
Hosting:
Cheri J Weissman, CJW Consulting & Services, Inc.
Assisting with chat questions:
Jamie Maloney, 4Good
Part
Of:
Marc Halpert
Managing Partner
Your Best Interest
Geri Stengel
President
Ventureneer

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Need Nonprofit Board
Members? LinkedIn Helps
You Make Connections
Nonprofit Webinars
June 25, 2013
Presented by: Marc Halpert, Maria
Semple, Geri Stengel

6. 9 © 2013 Ventureneer. All rights reserved.
Agenda
• Understanding the challenges and the opportunities
• 6 ways to ensure LinkedIn Board Member Connect
works for your nonprofit
1. Determine board needs
2. Look your best
3. Build your network
before you need it
4. Experiment with search
5. Be introduced or go direct
6. Build relationships
• Use LinkedIn for Other Purposes

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Understanding the
Challenges and the
Opportunities
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A Searchable Database of
225 Million Affluent Influential People

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Determine the Skills
And Expertise You
Need on Your Board
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What Skills and Subject Matter Expertise Are Needed?
• What skills and points-of-view are
missing?
• What connections to resources
and constituencies are needed?
Source: Michael Davidson, boardcoach.com

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Define Recruitment and Orientation Procedures
• Recruitment process
• Candidate interview questions
• Orientation procedures
• Board manual
Source: Michael Davidson, boardcoach.com

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Identifying Candidates
• The more specific you are in identifying skills and resources
needed, the easier it is to find them
• Think broadly about where you might find candidates –
professional organizations, people who have shown an
interest in the organization, etc.
• Board members should always be looking for their
replacements
• Invite the organization’s friends to a candidate identification
meeting
Source: Michael Davidson, boardcoach.com

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Look Your Best
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Build Your Network
Before You Need It
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It’s About the Connections of Your Connections
Adapted from Flickr image by Noah Sussman

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LinkedIn Groups
• Use the Search box and begin typing in words describing what
you are looking for.
• See what Groups your own 1st degree connections are joining.
They may be right for you, too!
• Use Groups to expand your own connections and identify
people.

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Example: Animal Welfare nonprofit wants to find
people interested in pets.
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Sample Group Profile
Notice over
38,000 people are
in this Group!
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Experiment With
Search
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1. Auto-complete – As you type your
search term you’ll be prompted with
options for what you may be looking for
2. Suggested searches – Now when you
type in a search term you’ll see example
search queries for people or jobs related
to the term as well as a preview of top
results to help you find what you’re
looking for in one click.
3. Smarter query – The more you search
for content on LinkedIn, the more it learns
and understands your intent over time to
provide the most relevant results.
4. Enhanced advanced search – More
filters like location, company, school etc.
5. Automated alerts – Save your searches
and get an alert you when the results
change.
Advanced Search
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Advanced Search
Click on “Advanced” for more robust
search features and targeted searching!
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Advanced Search
Board Connect allows
for greater searching
capacity!
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Save Your Searches!
Puts LinkedIn on auto-pilot for you.
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Be Introduced or Go
Direct
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Email Directly, Get Introduced, Use InMail

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Direct: Ask to connect
Direct: Ask to Connect

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Ask a 1st Degree Connection for an Intro

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LinkedIn Board Member Connect
Talent Finder account
($1,000 value)
Amplify your ability to
search and to reach.
FREE for one person at
your nonprofit!
For more info, email:
boardconnect@linkedin.com

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InMail Note – Personalize It
Dear xxx,
We share a number of connections on LinkedIn, and an interest in xxx.
I’m on the board of Praxis Housing, a homeless organization in NYC. I
am looking for good people to help with this great organization,
including opportunities from serving on a committee to joining our board.
Based on your skills in xxx and your experience with xxx, you would
make an excellent candidate for our board.
Please let me know a good time to speak and your phone number.
Regards,
Geri

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Build Relationships
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Different Medium Same Rules

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Use LinkedIn for
Other Purposes
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Auction Gifts

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Going Out of Town:
Setup a Meeting With Someone You Want to Know

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Need an Excuse to Be in Touch: LinkedIn Today

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Wrap up
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A Roadmap to Using Linked Board Member Connect
1. Determining board needs
2. Look your best
3. Build your network
Before you need it
4. Experiment with search
5. Be introduced or go direct
6. Build relationships

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• LinkedIn Board Member Connect
• Board Tune Up Kit
• 5 Ways to Make LinkedIn Board
Connect Work for Your Nonprofit
• Putting LinkedIn to Use for Your
Nonprofit – articles and more
• LinkedIn’s Learning Center for
Nonprofits
• Other free sources for board
candidates:
– boardnetUSA.org
– BoardServeNYC
– New York Junior League Nonprofit
Board Clearinghouse
– Industry associations such as
lawyers, accountants, nurses, etc
• Paid sources for board candidates:
– VCG Governance Matters
– BoardAssist
Resources

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Questions

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Connect With Us
Name Contact Info
Marc Halpert marchalpert@connect2collaborate.com
203-373-0875
http://www.connect2collaborate.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/marchalpert
@marchalpert
Maria Semple http://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasemple
http://www.facebook.com/TheProspectFinder
http://www.twitter.com/#!/mariasemple
Text PROSPECT to 22828 for research tips
Geri Stengel geri@ventureneer.com
212-362-3088
http://ventureneer.com/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geristengel
http://www.facebook.com/Ventureneer
@ventureneer

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