Presentation to Jonesboro Arkansas Regional Chamber of Commerce Lunch n Learn July 21st on basics of using LinkedIn. Abbreviated summary what is LinkedIn, Is it the proper social channel for my business, how to use LinkedIn, how to create a good profile, how to find connections, how to create a company page, using groups, and basics of pulse.

1. LINKEDIN BASICS FOR BUSINESS
THE PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL NETWORK
PRESENTATION HERB LAWRENCE
VICE PRESIDENT GOVERNMENT GUARANTY LENDING
FIRST COMMUNITY BANK

2. WHAT IS LINKEDIN?
• 330+ MILLION PROFESSIONALS IN 200 + COUNTRIES!
• 3 MILLION COMPANY PAGES
• EXECUTIVES FROM ALL FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES ARE MEMBERS
OF THIS NETWORK.
• RELATIONSHIPS MATTER – CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN A NEW WAY
TO PROLONG PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS & TO CREATE NEW
ONES VIA YOUR EXISTING CONTACTS!

3. BASICS TO COVER
• IS LINKED IN RIGHT OR YOUR BUSINESS?
• PROFILES
• CONTENT – POSTING
• CONNECTIONS – FINDING FOLKS
• COMPANY PAGES
• PULSE – PUBLISHING WITH LINKEDIN
• TOOLS

5. WHY ONLINE MATTERS

6. WHAT ARE MY GOALS?
• WHY AM I HERE?
• WHAT DO I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH
LINKEDIN?
• WHAT IS MY “VALUE PROPOSITION?
• HOW ARE OTHERS USING LI IN MY INDUSTRY?
• HOW MUCH TIME TO DEDICATE?
• HOW DOES LINKEDIN FIT INTO MY OVERALL
MARKETING PLAN?

7. FIRST THINGS FIRST – JOIN LINKEDIN
• HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM
• HAVE YOUR RECENT RESUME READY!
• COMPANY NAMES, DATES, EDUCATION
• SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE GAINED AT EACH JOB OR SCHOOL!
• A PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT, OR RECOGNIZABLE PHOTO!
• DON’T BE TOO CASUAL WITH THIS PHOTO, THIS IS A
PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL NETWORK– NOT FACEBOOK.

8. CREATE A STRONG PROFILE

9. PROFILE COMPLETENESS:
WHAT YOU NEED TO GET 100%
• CURRENT POSITION
• AT LEAST: 2 PAST POSITIONS
• YOUR EDUCATION
• PROFILE SUMMARY – A SHORT PARAGRAPH ABOUT
YOURSELF & PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS! (REMEMBER
YOUR KEYWORDS!)
• PROFILE PHOTO – NO BABIES, NO PARTYING. KEEP IT
PROFESSIONAL (HEADSHOTS WORK BEST!)
• YOUR SPECIALTIES - HELPS FOR ENDORSEMENTS!
• AT LEAST: 3 LINKEDIN RECOMMENDATIONS

10. CONNECTIONS ARE EXPONENTIAL!

11. FINDING CONNECTIONS
• SEARCH FOR PEOPLE.
• IMPORT E-MAIL ADDRESS BOOK
• INVITE PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH YOU
ON LINKEDIN.
• START WITH YOUR COMMUNITY –
SEARCH FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL
CIRCLE FIRST.
• INTRODUCE YOURSELF – SEND
MESSAGES TO MEMBERS OF YOUR
INDUSTRY OR COMMUNITY THAT YOU
HAVE YET TO MEET.

12. SHARE YOUR LINKEDIN URL
• SHARE YOUR PRESENCE ON LINKEDIN ON YOUR BUSINESS CARDS
– THIS A GREAT WAY TO BUILD YOUR CONNECTIONS ONLINE &
MEET NEW CONTACTS.
• REACH OUT TO YOUR CLIENTS IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY –
FACEBOOK IS GREAT FOR BUILDING A CASUAL RELATIONSHIP,
BUT FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE LINKEDIN CAN WORK BETTER!
• YOUR LINKEDIN URL IS LOCATED: ON YOUR PROFILE – UNDER
EDUCATION & RECOMMENDATIONS. YOU CAN EDIT YOUR URL
TO BE EASY TO REMEMBER!

13. SHARE ON LINKEDIN BUTTON

14. STATUS UPDATES: WHAT SHOULD YOU SHARE?
• LATEST PROJECTS OR EVENTS YOU ARE SHOWING
• YOUR LATEST SPECIALS, DEALS OR NEWS
• TIPS FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS/SUPPORT INFO
• LINKS TO YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE:
• FACEBOOK PAGE
• TWITTER ACCOUNT
• WEBSITE
UPDATE AROUND 2-4 TIMES A DAY –
HOOTSUITE IS AN AWESOME TOOL FOR FEEDING POSTS.

15. WHAT IS GOOD CONTENT
• EDUCATES
• INFORMS
• ENTERTAINS
• PROVIDES VALUE
• BUILDS TRUST
• CREATES RELATIONSHIPS…THEN
• SELLS……

16. WHY GOOD CONTENT MATTERS

17. HOW TO SPREAD CONTENT
• VIDEO
• IMAGES, PICTURES –
• ARTICLES
• INFOGRAPHICS
• EBOOKS/WHITE PAPERS
• WEBINARS
• PODCASTS

18. BEST TIME TO POST ON LINKEDIN
• WEEKDAYS DURING
BUSINESS HOURS,
SPECIFICALLY:
• TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY,
THURSDAY
• MOST CLICKS & SHARES
TUESDAYS 10-11
AM
• BEST TIME OF DAY: 7-8 AM
AND 5-6 PM

19. COMPANY PROFILES
• FOLLOW OTHER COMPANIES – LOCAL, INDUSTRY, OR PARTNERS.
• SEARCH FOR JONESBORO, PARAGOULD, MEMPHIS COMPANIES
WHO ARE ALREADY SET UP ON LINKEDIN.
• SET-UP YOUR OWN COMPANY PROFILE- (ONLY ONE PERSON
NEEDS TO DO THIS!)
• GET YOUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ACTIVE ON LINKEDIN INVOLVED
WITH THE COMPANY PROFILE!

20. COMPANY PAGE

21. SETTING UP YOUR COMPANY PAGE
• BE SURE YOU READ THE DIRECTIONS!
• USE YOUR WORK EMAIL
• YOU DO NOT WANT TO ATTACH A PERSONAL EMAIL TO THE
COMPANY PROFILE (WHY? NO ONE ELSE IN THE COMPANY CAN
LIST IT.)
• SHRINK YOUR LOGO – 100X60 PIXELS
• PICK THE BEST COMPANY TYPE
• BE HONEST ABOUT THE SIZE!

22. DON’T FORGET …
• KEYWORDS, KEYWORDS, KEYWORDS!
• COMPANY SPECIALTIES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT!
• DISCUSS WITH YOUR OWNER & FELLOW EMPLOYEES WHAT YOUR
COMPANY DESCRIPTION SHOULD BE!
• BE DIRECT, PROFESSIONAL & SIMPLE!
• ITS LIKE A FIRST IMPRESSION- MAKE IT COUNT!

23. PULSE

24. DON’T GIVE UP!
• DON’T JUST CREATE A PROFILE – GET INVOLVED WITH GROUP
CONVERSATIONS, ACTIVELY ADD YOUR CONTACTS TO LINKEDIN
& RESPOND TO RECOMMENDATION REQUESTS OR MESSAGES!
• SEEK OUT THOSE WHO WOULD RECOMMEND YOU, TOO!
• UPDATE YOUR LINKEDIN STATUS– SHARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL
NEWS!
• EXAMPLE: REAL ESTATE AGENT LISTS A NEW HOME – SHARE
THE DETAILS! YOUR CONNECTIONS MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO
BUY A HOME FROM SOMEONE THEY KNOW THAN A
COMPLETE STRANGER!

25. TOOLS TO SAVE TIME
• HOOTSUITE.COM
• BUFFER.COM
READ ALL ABOUT THESE AND OTHER SCHEDULING TOOLS
AT OUR STORIFY ARTICLE “SCHEDULING TOOLS FOR
BEGINNERS”

26. SUMMER READING
• HUBSPOT HOW TO MASTER CONTENT MARKETING ON
LINKEDIN
• PROFILES 6 LINKEDIN TIPS TO MAKE YOUR PROFILE POP
• COMPANY PAGES 4 ADVANCED TIPS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR COMPANY
PAGE
• PULSE HOW TO USE PUBLISHER TO GET MORE
VISIBILITY
• GROUPS 3 WAYS TO GENERATE LEADS WITH GROUPS
• ETIQUETTE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LINKEDIN
ETIQUETTE

27. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT
LINKEDIN!
• HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM