Referral Marketing with LinkedIn
New Rules for Growing Your Book of Business
By Dan Sommer
March 24, 2009


Next page     Bookmark and Share  Email Article   Display as PDF


Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.  

 

Two-thirds of the global population is actively involved in social networks like Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn. Unlike Facebook and MySpace, which are more focused on social interactions, LinkedIn has quickly become one of the most powerful professional online communities for the business community.

LinkedIn has more than 35 million registered users, spanning 170 industries. Professionals can connect with colleagues, ask for introductions through existing colleagues, and take advantage of a host of other features to grow your business.

Getting started with social network marketing is easy. Patience and attention are required, but the yield can be fantastic. Here's a quick guide to getting started with LinkedIn—the premier professional network.

  1. First, generate a list of your existing contacts, including your clients.Be sure to include their email addresses. If your contacts are currently in Microsoft Outlook or a similar email/contact management program, you can skip this step.
  2. Set up an account at www.linkedin.com. (You can skip this step if you already have an account with LinkedIn.)
  3. Build and optimize your LinkedIn profile. Highlight the practice areas in which you have expertise. Be sure to optimize your profile by adding the following information:
    1. Your current position/practice area
    2. Your past position (if relevant)
    3. Your educational background
    4. A summary/an elevator pitch that best describes your primary areas of strength
    5. Your photo
    6. Your specialties, including areas such as estate planning or taxes
  4. Build your Network. Use the search function to find your clients, friends, and colleagues—or import the appropriate contacts from your email program, such as Outlook. Add them to your network, which initiates an invitation to each of your contacts, which they will need to accept.

Display article as PDF for printing.

Would you like to send this article to a friend?

Remember, if you have a question or comment, send it to .