The Top 5 Mistakes on LinkedIn
Posted by Scott Dunn on November 1, 2009
I often write about things you should do on LinkedIn to maximize your effectiveness. Today we’re going to look at the other side of the equation…the mistakes. The five mistakes listed here are related to your ability to eventually monetize LinkedIn.
1. Not Having a Purpose or Not Understanding Why You Are On LinkedIn
Quite simply if you don’t know the answer to this question then how do you know what actions you should be taking on LinkedIn? There are numerous reasons to be on LinkedIn and you may have several. The actions you take should be done to support your purpose.
My ultimate goal is to grow my business (make money) so I focus on growing my networks and communicating my message as often as possible. Because I know my purpose, have determined what actions support this purpose, and implement my strategy on an ongoing basis, I have been successful in developing new business clients.
Action Steps:
- Write down the top 3 reasons why you are on LinkedIn
- Determine what actions will support each reason
2. Failure to Participate
There are 41 million people on LinkedIn and a large majority does not interact with others on a consistent basis. This is a direct result of mistake number one. Without understanding your purpose you can’t know which actions to take that will produce a positive outcome.
There are only so many hours in a day and people tend to repeat what works. Social media marketing rarely provides quick results. Most often success is built over time only after people get to know you, like you, and trust you. You have to have the patience to continue participating when you’re not seeing the results.
There are no guarantees that your efforts will produce results, but if you do not participate consistently, I guarantee that you will not find success.
I spent almost a year providing value and interacting before I started seeing results.Now I can count on several inquiries each week from potential client’s looking to engage my services.
Action Steps
- Commit to taking action on a weekly basis
- Schedule these activities
- Post them next to your computer or in your electronic calendar
3. Presenting an Incomplete Picture
On LinkedIn people get to know you through being connected, belonging to common groups, the information your share, and your profile. People want to look at your profile and have a clear understanding of who you are and how you might be of service to them.
If you don’t provide enough information for them to know those two pieces they are unlikely to go looking for the information. You need to make sure you have a detailed profile. You need to include a professional photo. You need to have links to your websites, blogs, etc.
If you’ve been fortunate enough to get them to view your profile, you’ve accomplished the hardest part. It would seem a shame to lose them for simply failing to provide enough information.
Action Steps
- Look at 20 profiles to see how others are presenting themselves
- Spend an hour each month working on your profile
- Personalize your profile–add keywords, personalize your public URL, and Change your Web URL’s to the name (go to edit and choose “Other”)
- Look at the LinkedIn application to see which make sense to add
4. Not Sharing Information or Providing Value
Mistake number three is about people getting to know you. Number four is all about getting people to like you. It’s a simple fact: If you provide value to others without asking for something in return people will start to like you.
The quickest way to generate goodwill on LinkedIn is to provide value to others.Directly this might be responding to a connection or introduction request. You can also build goodwill by providing thoughtful responses to questions in Answers and in group discussion posts. Another great way to provide value to others is through writing recommendations for those who have provide great service or assistance to you.
Everything you do on LinkedIn either adds to or subtracts from your online brand so make sure you put some thought into what you say. Participate consistently and you’ll notice that your profile visits increase and people will start interacting with you.
Action steps
- Find at least two connections to introduce each week.
- Answer at least three questions each week
- Identify connections that deserve a recommendation and write it. Try to find at least 15 people to recommend. Make sure these are 15 people that deserve it.If you can’t find 15 now, build this up over time
- Failure to Build Credibility
By addressing the previous four mistakes you will have reached a point where people know and like you. You may have even started to build some credibility. There are six ways that I document to build your credibility. These include:
A. Your Profile: first impressions count.
B. Answers: In number four we addresses answers from the perspective of providing value. This is also a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise. Whenever you answer a question it is available for anyone on LinkedIn to view. Your Direct connections are also notified that you answered a question on their Home page.
C. Recommendations: Nothing beats having another sing your praises. I have found that my client recommendations have been a huge part of building my online brand.
D. Your connections: Who you are connected to can have an impact. When I seek to connect to others I will often reference a common connection in the invitation.
E. Your Groups: With groups you have something in common with fellow members. I reference common groups in invitation requests as well.
F. Providing Value: This will help others grow to like you but it also is very helpful in building your credibility.
Action Steps
a. Answer at least three questions each week in your field of expertise
b. Try to get 10 recommendations. You can request recommendations but only do so from people you know that you have provided great service or help to. If you don’t have 10, keep providing great service and you’ll get there. When you do, join The “Top Recommended People” group on LinkedIn.
c. Grow your connections based on your connection strategy
d. If you don’t belong to 50 groups find 50 that are relevant and join.
e. Seek out every opportunity to help others.
Wrap Up
There are many other LinkedIn mistakes I could mention including avoiding typos, having multiple accounts, etc. These 5 though are fundamental mistakes that will impact your ability to monetize LinkedIn.
I’m a firm believer that the true value in LinkedIn as a vehicle to add to your bottom line. You may have joined to network, to find a job, or to advance your career…all are great reasons… and all that at the end of the day are about monetization.
It’s OK to be on LinkedIn to make more money. It’s what will keep you coming back and participating, which in the end helps every other person on LinkedIn.
Sean Nelson
This entry was posted on November 1, 2009 at 9:41 pm and is filed under Social Media. Tagged: ad agency, Advertising, advertising alpharetta, advertising atlanta, advertising city of milton, advertising ga, advertising georgia, advertising johns creek, advertising roswell, advertising sandy springs, Alpharetta, alpharetta advertising, atlanta, atlanta advertising, b2b advertising, buckhead, buckhead business association, city of milton, city of milton advertising, digital advertising, GA, Georgia, gnfcc, greater north fulton chamber, greater north fulton chamber of commerce, Johns Creek, johns creek advertising, johns creek chamber, linked in, Linkedin, marketing, marketing alpharetta, milton, money mailer, roswell, Sandy Springs, Scott Dunn, scott t. dunn, Small Business, small business advertising, small business marketing, Social Media, sonar connects, sonarconnects, super coups, Town Planner, Town Planner Calendar, townplanner, townplannerga. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Kate Smedley said
Thanks for this useful article,as someone who needs to use Linked In much more effectively this has some great advice.
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bryan smith said
Good info. It made me want to improve my profile, get more involved in Social networking and get recommendations.
Ryan Smith, Attorney said
Thank you for the helpful information about using LinkedIn. I have been wondering how to use it more effectively. I look forward to implementing your ideas.
James Kelsey said
Very good article, I am guilty of all 5 so must practise what I preach and devise a plan to get the most out of LinkedIn.
Mike Brunetti said
Thanks Scott for a straightforward article. There is so much out there and the power of Social Media sites are huge. It can be very confussing to figure out what to do and how to do it. Your article brought some simplicity to a very complex thing. Everybody that is getting into this phenom (myself included) needs to read this and then do something with it.
John DuBay said
This is grea information. It should be on the home page of LinkedIn and/or content in the welcoming email from LinkedIn. I’ll be sure to share this with those who I am motivating to build the on-line brand through LinkedIn.
Bob Whyte said
Scott:
This post was the most articulate explanation I’ve read on why a business person needs to spend quality time on LinkedIn and specifically the ways they need to interact with others. Adding value and insight without direct reward runs somewhat counter to our natural inclination toward immediate gratification as recognition of value provided. But I totally “got it” in terms of having to offer insight and value to “earn” the right to have people know, like and trust you as the basis for recognition and reward. Thanks.
Anja Bastenhof said
Scott, thanks for your advice: it already reached the Netherlands though the Dutch Librarian’s group. Over here we are quite a few LinkedIn-participants (1,350,872 on 16 milion inhabitants, still a lot to win on this
. I start following you’re advice of participating more actively by replying right now. I enjoy tracing colleagues, friends and acquointances and adding them to my contacts. But there is more to experiment here!
Barbara Mason said
This is a thought-provoking article that brings home the idea that LinkedIn serves as a business networking site unlike others that connect us for our social or entertainment needs. When used with purpose, LinkedIn can increase your opportunities and income. I’m better prepared to create a winning profile and strategy. Thanks Scott!
Bob Patterson said
Scott,
After having a LinkedIn account for two years I have finally realized it’s value and begun to use it. Your article is very timely and helpful. I particularly like your action steps. Good stuff.
Thanks for taking the time to write it.
– Bob
Meenakshi Bhan said
Thanks scott, this would be really very usefull information for anyone who joins LinkdIn. I must say that couple of minutes back i too was very confused, and was looking for some such info that helps maximising my network connections. Your article been a great help and i’m definately going to follow your ideas.
Eric Pursh said
Excellent points! Thanks for the post.
Bob Whyte, in a comment above, hits the nail on the head when he says that “offering insight and value to “earn” the right to have people know, like and trust you…is the basis for recognition and reward.”
Well said, Mr. Whyte.
Tiffany Stewart said
Scott,
The biggest reason I have not joined Linkedin prior was for the reasons you mentioned above. I wanted to make sure I could network, once here, and found your advise very helpful. Thank you!
Tiffany Stewart
ACE Mystery Shopping
‘Improvement through Observation’
Patrick Brais said
This is indeed excellent information.I have been wondering about my presence on linked in and whether it will provide any added value or it is just a waste of time. Adding connections now should have a better objective.
Rahul said
Hi!
Good article.
It reminds us that what we are doing on Linkedin and map the direction for our proceeding to achieve objective.
Thanks
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Jacqueline van der Horst said
Thank you, this is very helpful!
Kind regards,
Jacqueline
Jen Armstrong said
This was a great article, thank you very much for sharing it. I agree with the above posts that this outlines how to use linkedin as a networking tool. I also enjoyed learning a new and easy way to quickly grow your network while still maintaining relevance.
Thanks again, really enjoyed this reading.
Best,
Jen Armstrong
Anonymous said
good advice
Anonymous said
I guess this is all information have been looking for to expand my network and build on my career.
thanks alot
Guarav Shukla said
Nice & Usefull infromation specially for new entraint. Thank you very much for sharing it. Worthfull article.
Regards
Gaurav Shukla
Mark Carter said
This is a great article, with lots of very practical recommendations. Many thanks for this ….
Launa McNeilly said
Thank you, Sean. I am new to this site and I am glad that your’s was one of the first articles I read. Now I know what I should do and what not to do. I will be re-reading your article many times I’m sure. I will be sure to work on my profile. What you say is very true and I need to let people know who I am and why I am here. Launa McNeilly
Macco said
Glad I’ve finally found somtenihg I agree with!