LinkedIn is proving to be one of the more popular social networks for business; a safe haven where “normal” business rules seem to apply.
Facebook is great for your “water-cooler” chat and sharing photos. Twitter works for the “cocktail hour” chat, buzzing with link sharing and playful banter. But LinkedIn is the platform that many professionals and business owners feel “safe” online.
LinkedIn is your suited-and-booted business networking environment where people are there to talk business. And more and more of you are signing up.
But, for some reason, most business owners seem to think of their LinkedIn networking as a completely separate activity from their “real” face-to-face networking. Once you are sat in front of your PC, it’s easy to slip into virtual mode, isn’t it?
But if you make the time for “real” networking, how often do you look up the people you’ve met on an online network such as LinkedIn?
Virtual relationship building does work. But what really turns up the power on your virtual networking is making is real. And what better way of making it real than by reaching out and connecting with people you’ve already met.
It’s quite simple really and yet very few people I meet at networking events do it. After each event, look up the people you’ve met and wish to build upon that initial meeting and invite them to connect on LinkedIn.
Your online world becomes much friendlier and works far better for you when you link it up to your offline one.
Have you got any more LinkedIn tips? Leave a comment and share your thoughts
Other articles you may be interested in:
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- Make Networking Work – Follow Up At All Times
- Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace: Which social networks should you belong to?
Tags: LinkedIn
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Fabulous tip Karen, thank you! it is obvious when you think about it, but often we don’t do it. My experience also tells me that here in NZ (perhaps in in the provinces particularly!) people are a little less enthusiastic, and hopefully this will change in time
Julie
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My tip would be to customise each invitation, with, – we met at…. or following our discussion about…. – that way people know that you really are looking to follow up on the initial “live” meeting, – not just add another number onto their “followers/links”
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