If you’re not networking, you’re not working to grow your business – at least not to your fullest capacity. Networking is an effective, cost efficient way to spread the word about who you are and what services you offer.

While face to face networking remains difficult during the pandemic, that should not slow you down. You can gain momentum networking via phone, email, Zoom meetings, and social networking sites.

Today, we’re going to focus on LinkedIn, one of my favorite ways to network remotely. It’s a social media platform with tremendous networking potential for entrepreneurs at all levels of business, from those with new businesses to those with 6-figure income businesses looking to reach the next level.

In today’s marketplace, it is vital to have a well-written, compelling LinkedIn profile that tells your story accompanied by a professional photo.

When you have a presence on LinkedIn, every person or prospect you meet, speak with, or email can “Google” you, learn more about you, and establish a connection with you that you can build off of. If you don’t have a profile, many will perceive you as invisible.

But in a sea of professionals, many of whom are in the same industry as you, how do you stand out? What practical action steps can you take to increase your visibility on LinkedIn?

Invest in a Professional Photo.

Did you know that your LinkedIn profile is 10 times more likely to be viewed if you have a photo? Having a photo is key to achieving networking success using LinkedIn. After all, you are trying to build relationships and people should be able to recognize you after visiting your profile.

Make sure your profile is current, not outdated. It should also be a professional shot that showcases you in a professional light, not a picture of you and your friends or a cropped image of you at a social event.

Endorse Someone!

Take the time to endorse friends and colleagues on LinkedIn for the valuable skills you know they possess. When you give an endorsement, the individual you endorse receives a notification and is invited to reciprocate.

By taking time to personally and thoughtfully endorse your contacts whose skills and talents you can vouch for, you encourage others to take a moment and consider what skill-sets and value you bring to the table. When appropriate, they will often endorse you as well.

When you are endorsed for specific skills, your profile is strengthened. Prospects who consider working with you and contacts who consider referring new business to you want to know that other people have confidence in your unique skils.

Ask for Recommendations.

Be proactive and humbly request that colleagues and clients who know the value of your work and what you bring to the table to provide you with LinkedIn recommendations. Those who are confident in your skills and abilities will be happy to oblige.

Remember, the more recommendations you have, the more you will stand out from your competitors.

Tell Your Story.

Take the time to complete your professional profile, a summary of who you are, and what you do best. Your summary should highlight your specialties, noteworthy accomplishments, career experience, and thought leadership. It should be succinct and written in first person.

Your summary is your opportunity to introduce yourself and provide a snapshot of who you are. If you’re not a strong writer or you aren’t quite sure what to include, consider having a copywriter produce a mini bio for you. When someone searches for your profile or comes across it, your summary is what they will review first.

Remember, you’re trying to engage people with whom it is valuable to build relationships, so put your best foot forward. First impressions always count.

Peruse the List of “People You May Know.”

It’s important to periodically review the list LinkedIn generates of people you may know. You’re on LinkedIn to build your network and increase your number of valuable connections. That means you need to connect with people you don’t know yet!

One of the best ways to do that is to connect with mutual contacts or individuals who share certain characteristics with you, such as those who live nearby or attended the same college as you. Send a short, personable note along with your request to connect to potentially valuable contacts.

Browse the “People You May Know” list on a weekly basis. Not only will doing so inevitably lead to more connections, but also it will help you appear in the search engines of a greater number of people.

Personalize Your Invitations to Connect.

When you invite someone on LinkedIn to connect with you, don’t send the generic default message: “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” Sending an impersonal, boring message is a missed opportunity to engage the contact with whom you’re trying to build a connection. Take a minute or two to draft a personal invitation. Make mention of where you met, a similarity you share, or a topic you saw them comment on in a LinkedIn group you are both members of. You could even ask a question.

When you make the effort to add a personal touch, you boost the likelihood of them accepting your request and open the doors to a correspondence that will lay the foundation of a new relationship.

Publish Interesting Posts.

Another way to gain visibility and influence on LinkedIn is to publish interesting content. When you post articles you have personally written or comment on and link to articles you have read, you establish yourself as a thought leader and highlight your expertise. (Of course, the advantage of publishing an article you’ve written on your blog is that you’re directing traffic to your website!)

Your existing connections are notified when you publish content and other LinkedIn members can come across your posts by searching relevant keywords. I have used this tip myself to grow my Celeste Giordano Coaching following on LinkedIn to more than 500 connections.

Join the Conversation in LinkedIn Groups.

One of the best ways to connect with new people on LinkedIn is by joining relevant groups. There are groups for people with certain job titles and groups dedicated to niche topics of interest. With literally millions of groups to choose from, the opportunities to broaden your network are endless.

But don’t just join groups to fish for prospective clients. The best way to engage prospective clients is to actually contribute to the conversation in the group. Don’t sell your product or service or promote yourself. Rather, share your expertise! When you add value, you always gain.

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I share practical tools and skills that have helped many entrepreneurs work through obstacles that hold them back from building lasting legacy businesses.

One of the most common obstacles entrepreneurs face is a lack of new leads and new clients. If you’re struggling with this area of your business, contact me today to talk about the tried and tested strategies that allow your business to flourish.

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Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus^TM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I work with each client to implement the strategies they’ve been missing that will enable them to break through barriers preventing them from the success they know they are capable of. Contact me today to find your future clients who just don’t know what they’re missing.