How to use LinkedIn for effective networking

LinkedIn is essentially a business-oriented social networking site that is used by employers and employees all around the world for networking purposes. Recruiters use it to find new staff, while freelancers use it to extend their network of contacts.

One of the prime reasons members use LinkedIn is for networking. You can connect with past colleagues, or you can discover new contacts that can help you better yourself. You get to build and maintain relationships and create new opportunities for yourself.

Networking is super important; a bigger network of contacts increases your chances of landing a new career, or of changing your current working style. You get to help others, too. If you don’t feel as though you’re getting the best out of LinkedIn networking, let’s take a look at how to use LinkedIn for effective networking.

Use The ‘Add Connections’ Feature

If you haven’t used LinkedIn’s “Add Connections” feature, now is the time to start. This feature seeks out the LinkedIn members in your emails and makes suggestions regarding who you may want to network with on LinkedIn.

Rifle Through Your Business Cards

Using LinkedIn for effective networking means thinking outside the box. Rather than limit your scope to whom you know online, take a moment to think about whom you’ve met offline.

If you have a collection of business cards hiding away in your chest of drawers, why not rifle through them and see who you can find on LinkedIn?

Add People You Meet

We all meet new people in our day to day operations. If there is someone you’ve met recently who really caught your eye and who had a good rapport with you, you could search for them on LinkedIn and make a connection. Now there’s an idea!

Join Groups

LinkedIn has many different groups and all of them are very active. Finding a group you like is easy, as is posting and getting noticed.

If you have something to say, LinkedIn groups are a great platform. Here you can share advice and ideas with other people, establishing new connections. It’s a great way to network online.

Be careful not to spam, but add your thoughts as often as possible. Just don’t go missing for days on end!

Condense Your Networking

It’s important that you don’t get over-eager and start joining lots of different groups in a bid to build up your list of connections. Although this is tempting, it just doesn’t work.

It’s much better so you can conserve your energy and use it on a few specific groups and a just a few people. Spending time getting to know a handful of LinkedIn members is more valuable than spending bits and pieces of your time with a variety of members. This doesn’t give anyone a chance to know you.

Patience Is Key

Knowing how to use LinkedIn for effective networking, means knowing how to be patient. Effective networking takes time, so you need to be patient. Reply to messages; follow up with people who you made a connection with. Above all else, stick at it.

If social networking is something you think would benefit you and your business, but you just don’t have the time, contact our team at Easy Consulting. We’ve got all the time in the world to help out people like you. It’s what we do on a daily basis, so you can be sure we’re pro’s at it!