An overview on ways to use LinkedIn as part of an overall business development / practice growth strategy.

1. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
SO YOU HAVE A LINKEDIN PROFILE…
NOW WHAT?
Using LinkedIn as a Strategy
Presented by: Stephanie Smith
for
ABC Law Firm
Agenda/Overview
Optimizing your presence
Participation
Strategy
Practice Growth
Commitment
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 1

2. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Optimize Your Profile
Convey your personal brand/personality
Be found for business opportunities
Enables connection matches
Boards and leadership positions
Education
Headline
Getting Your Profile to 100%
Picture
Personal summary
Specialties – keywords & SEO
Friendly URL
Recommendations
Applications
Websites
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 2

3. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Ways to Participate
Status Updates
Groups
Questions & Answers
Polls
Status Updates
Use netiquette
URL shorteners – test links!
Integration with Twitter, Facebook, Blog, Buzz, etc.
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 3

4. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Groups
Used for connection recommendations
Follow vs. join
vs
Participation
Creating/starting a group
Questions & Answers
Areas of interest
Media (SME)
Posting questions
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 4

5. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Polls
Participating
Creating
Target an audience
Using LinkedIn as a Research Tool
Companies
Individuals
Connections
Competitors
Trends
Information about your firm
Polls
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 5

6. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Develop a Strategy
Internal policy
Who, What When Where Why
Who What, When, Where, Why, How
Consistency
Editorial Calendar
USING LINKEDIN FOR
PRACTICE GROWTH
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 6

7. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Practice Development
Client interaction
Referral sources
Competitors
Prospects
Employees
p y
Client Interaction
Make connections
Ask for introductions
Be a resource
Monitor competitors
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 7

8. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Referral Sources
Status updates
Look for new sources/connections
Recommendations
Competitors
Follow company
Former employees
Idea generator
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 8

9. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Prospects
Find out who you know
Get background info
Staff continuity
Time & Strategies
Once a week (minimum) to 2-3hrs/wk
“Accept” one connection at a time
Join one group at a time
Compliments traditional networking
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 9

10. So You Have a LinkedIn Profile…Now What?
by Stephanie Smith ‐ Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Statistics
93% of journalists are on some social media
platform
96% use corporate websites for research
t w b it f h
65% use social media for research
89% use blogs for research
91% of consumers (84% of business buyers) trust
peer recommendations
Thank You!
Stephanie Smith
Howard, Wershbale & Co.
smith@hwco.com
© 2010 HOWARD, WERSHBALE & CO. 10