There was something about the way Carol McManus talked about her success with LinkedIn that it finally took. I’m in. Both feet.
Maybe it was the $250,000 ROI she’s enjoyed in ’10, or the [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRBchZLkQR0] video clip which humorously illustrated that sense of stuckness I’ve been experiencing over the past couple of years.
Or another [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8]she showed on the power of social media. The one that included an image stating that incoming freshmen at Boston College are no longer being given email addresses from the institution.
The cumulative effect of her talk was that being an active participant on LinkedIn is no longer optional for me. It must be a part of my marketing/networking mix. Carol suggests 17 minutes a day and gave us plenty of ideas for how to use that time–enter a discussion in a group you’ve joined, find friends and colleagues to connect with, update your profile, write a recommendation for someone in your network.
Because of the sheer volume of professionals on LinkedIn, it’s imperative to be there as an active player. The numbers are staggering. She told us her reach is–given her network of connections and exponentially theirs–is 11,000,000 people. Surely, there are among those 11 million several who need her talent. As Carol succinctly put it, “Find out what train your clients are on. Then lay down in front of it.”
I can’t wait to share with you my first success. I’d love to hear about yours, too.
Take my webinar, Mom!!
http://learn.linkedin.com/jobseeker
It’s designed for job seekers, but the first 30 minutes are general Linkedin guidance.
xoxo
Way to put a stake in the digital ground, Jane. I’m glad you’re on board – pun intended 🙂
Be sure that LinkedIn is the train in front of which you need to lay down. I delivered a presentation about social media recently and included a social media hotseat as part of the presentation. The woman who was in the hot seat thought she should have been on LinkedIn, but after further investigation, it turned out that she needed to be on Facebook. (And, she was wondering why she wasn’t getting results!) I’m sure it goes without saying, but social media isn’t one size fits all. What worked for Carol may or may not work for you.
Consider your goals and your market, but whatever you do, keep going.
Make it social!
I play the Social Media Revolution media clip before almost every presentation I deliver and it never fails to wow people. I heart Erik Qualmann.
P.S. And, yes, take Lindsey’s webinar! 🙂
@Lena
Great advice, as always! Thank you.
Jane – I love this video, and I also love that I came by today because you posted on Twitter! I am sharing this video on my site today, too. It is too perfect to pass up. Lots of people are stuck (in a lot of different situations), and sometimes, it just means putting one foot in front of the next. Hope to see you on Twitter more, too!
@Miriam
So glad you enjoyed it. I’m slowly increasing my comfort level with it all. I formed a social media group to ‘play’ and show each other how to do stuff. My goal is to get to your level of expertise one day.