How Can You Be of Service on LinkedIn in Business and at Work?

As I shared my LinkedIn experience, strength and hope last week for a group of newly minted sales folks setting up their LinkedIn profiles for the first time, I emphasized that LinkedIn / social media relationship-building, like relationship-building in real-life, is the key to authentic business development in business and at work. “Simply put, when you post on Linkedin, it’s about everyone else, not you,” I said. Their sales manager reinforced the point.  “Anything you can do to support and reinforce the success of your business network will eventually, in turn, support your success.”

Some of examples of supporting the success of others on LinkedIn include but are not limited to:

  • Links to articles / blogs of interest sharing best practices;
  • Links to your original blog posts of free helpful and immediately useful information in your areas of subject-matter expertise:  in other words, giving away free nuggets to help others authentically grow their businesses (e.g., without expecting anything in return and without just marketing your services) will inevitably help grow your business;
  • Sharing the good company news and job postings of your network contacts with your LinkedIn network and groups;
  • Promoting fundraisers (both donation links and events) for nonprofits you care about and support;
  • Giving away free useful information by posting your original content on LinkedIn or starting / contributing to a conversation on LinkedIn helps build trust in you as a professional as well as demonstrate your expertise – all great reputation-builders.

How will you be of service this week and beyond on LinkedIn, supporting the success of all in business and at work?

LinkedIn Best Practices for Business - August 2015