Are you one of the 135 million people using Linkedin as a professional networking tool?

• If not, why the heck not?
• If you are, are you leveraging Linkedin’s full power to grow your business and career success?

There are many reasons to join Linkedin and to add it to your personal marketing tool box.

Linkedin should also be considered in your company’s marketing strategy. I can’t imagine a modern marketing plan not including social media in their go-to-market  game plan.

Firstly, it’s free (you can’t argue with that!). Other reasons you should be investing a little more time on Linkedin including the following:

10 Reasons to Participate in Linkedin

1. Increase your visibility to the local and global marketplace;
2. Make your personal branding statement by carefully writing your profile
3. Enhance your personal search engine ranking by having a robust profile on Linkedin. (test this out by googling yourself and see if your Linkedin profile pops up on the first page)
4. Get 3rd party endorsement by giving/getting recommendations on Linkedin
5. Be easily “findable” by people looking to connect or re-connect with you
6. Add value to people in your network by posting quality content and links to your Linkedin “share an update”
7. Add to the knowledge base by posting ANSWERS to the questions posted on Linkedin
8. Re-connect with past colleagues, clients and roommates – some of whom might be working for companies that might need your professional services;
9. Connect with new, influential people that you are unlikely to come into contact with in your regular geography
10. Invite targeted people in your network to key events and groups that you are involved with.

I didn’t even mention the job search/recruiting/qualifying aspect of Linkedin. Certainly that function is there too, but it is only a small part of the business benefits that you will receive by being an active participant in the Linkedin community.

Why I wrote this blog post

I am working with a new client in the professional services industry. They have hired me to create four new networking skills training courses for their people. Everyone in their firm will be trained in the art of business networking, not just the business development folks. Pretty progressive…

After conducting five telephone interviews with selected partners and associates, I can see that I will have to do some serious persuasion to get them active on Linkedin. One gentleman responded “Not social media. I leave that to my teenagers.”

That was enough motivation for me to write this blog article.

Setting Standards for Linkedin Usage

I want to suggest that you set standards for Linkedin participation across your organization. I’m not talking about compliance do’s and don’t’s, but rather quality marks of on-line presence and performance. The bar needs to be raised. Too many people still have their heads in the sand when it comes to Linkedin and social media. That could be limiting your company’s marketing platform. Why not make it a business/job mandate?

Your people may need guidelines on how to use Linkedin and other social media for business/professional purposes. They may need some training and assistance. Some of your associates may need some motivation to change their attitudes and behavior about social media tools like Linkedin.com

Here are my suggested standards for using Linkedin. Depending on your level in your organization, you may want to stretch to a higher level of proficiency and presence on Linkedin.

Level 1 – Basic

• Basic profile: top-line summary
• Current position and education
• Have 25 or more Level 1 contacts (including current work colleagues)
• Professional photograph
• Check in with Linkedin at least once/week

Level 2 – Good

• Personally written summary
• Current and past positions, education
• Have 100 or more Level 1 contacts (including current work colleagues)
• Professional photograph
• Belong to at least one Linkedin group
• Update status weekly
• Check in with Linkedin at several times per week

Level 3 – Better

• Professionally written summary
• Current and past positions, education
• Have 250 or more Level 1 contacts
• (including current work colleagues)
• Professional photograph
• Receive 1 or more recommendations
• Give 1 or more recommendations to others
• Belong to at least two Linkedin groups
• Update status weekly with link to relevant business topic
• check in with Linkedin daily

Level 4 – Best

• Personal brand listed next to your name (not just your title, but what you stand for)
• Executive level  summary
• Current and past positions, detailed accomplishments, education and affiliations
• Have 500 or more Level 1 contacts (including current work colleagues)
• Professional photograph
• Received 3 or more recommendations
• Given 3 or more recommendations to others
• Belong to three or more Linkedin groups with regular participation
• Update status weekly with links to relevant business topic
• Contributing content to your network via social media
• Check in with Linkedin several times per day

Tips for Inviting People to Linkin with you

Always write a personal note when sending people a Linkedin invitation. Do NOT use their default messages “Because you are a person I trust, I would like to add you to my professional network”  or “I use LinkedIn to keep track of my professional network, and would like to add you. ” Take the time and effort to write a short personal message inviting them to connect with you. It will have to be short, as Linkedin limits you to  67 characters, and you cannot put in a web site in the initial message.

•  My pet peeve: please don’t send me a Linkedin invitation listing me as a FRIEND when we have never met.

Disclaimer: I have no financial incentive or affiliation with Linkedin.com other than being a user of their free service. I guess you would call me a fan.

Your Networking Goal for the Week

Step up a level and improve your Linkedin visibility by practicing the above listed standards. If you are at level 1 currently, take the actions listed to get to level 2. If you are at level 2, motivate yourself to reach level 3. If you are enjoying a level 3 status, don’t rest on your laurels; push yourself to get to level 4. If you are already at level 4, congratulations! You are now in the position to mentor and motivate others in your network to raise their bar on their professional on-line presence and participation in the global business community.

About the writer: Kathy McAfee is known as America’s Marketing Motivator and is author of the book Networking Ahead for Business (Kiwi Publishing 2010). In her role as Executive Presentation Coach and Professional Speaker, Kathy helps her clients to become the recognized leaders in their fields by mastering the art of high engagement presentations and more effective networking and connecting. To learn more about Kathy, visit her web site MarketingMotivator.net. To receive free weekly networking tips, sign up at NetworkingAhead.com