How does one get started with LinkedIn?
You’re coming from a place of no presence and want to get going as fast as possible, but really don’t want to spend all of your time with the system…
Getting a quick and thorough, 90-minute introduction to LinkedIn is the entire reason “The LinkedIn Personal Trainer” exists, but let me offer some candid advice.
Bite sized pieces
The scale of every social media realm – including LinkedIn – can be daunting.
How will you ever find the time to learn what you need to know, to create your presence, and continue to work with the system?
One step at a time.
I absolutely must recommend “The LinkedIn Personal Trainer” as a first step – because it gives you so much in such a condensed and easy to understand format. Call this the 90 minute introduction I’d give you if we could sit down for coffee.
You can skip it and read free articles (even those from this site) to get bits and pieces of the same content, but it won’t be put together with a logical flow, and because web articles cover one point at a time, there will be gaps. (but you’ll have saved a few dollars and spent several more hours in the process;-)
Your profile
I say this over and over – start with the central aspect of your profile – your summary and headline.
Define these around your personal brand.
And then add in other sections of your profile. Try finding time to work on one section each week. Before you know it, your profile will be looking good.
Connecting
Take another 20 minutes each week to look around for people you know and trust, and invite them to connect.
Because you take the time to know your connections well enough to trust them, you don’t have to sit and wonder if you should accept connections. If you really are that conflicted about making a connection, you probably don’t trust that individual enough to connect right now!
Archive the request, or ask to meet with the requester – to build a better relationship.
Five minutes a day
And lastly, spend five minutes each day checking into the system for updates and activity.
There’s no need to be continually coming back to the site within one day, and if you use some of the time saving suggestions from this site, you can keep on top of other people’s activity with a quick review.
Higher comfort level
That’s what I want for you.
I’d like you to be comfortable with your profile, the LinkedIn features, and your ability to use the system – to succeed.
And if you come up with a question that you can’t find the answer to – please forward it along. I’m always looking for new topics to cover.
To your continued success,
steve
—
Steven Tylock
http://www.linkedinpersonaltrainer.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevetylock