LinkedIn basics

LinkedIn

The basics

Why?

• LinkedIn is the largest, most accurate database of business professionals in the world – as well as being a great source of information and knowledge.
• Your clients and potential clients are likely to be on there:
• Keep in touch
• Help Maxinity stay top of mind
• Demonstrate expertise

Write a new post

Search bar

Click for profile options and settings

Home page – updates from your network & pages you follow

Saved posts/ articles

Messages – opens up

Share a post

Your brand - Main profile page

• Can edit wherever pencil sign.
• Most important areas:
• Photo.

• Headline – 220 Characters max.
• About - 2600 Characters max (including spaces).
• Experience - Section title 100 characters, Section description 2000 characters.
• The more of your profile you fill in the greater chance you’ll be found.

Profile page

What to include

• About section
• This as it says is about you. Try and make it a bit personal – e.g. why you do what you do, what drives you. Your personality and skills should come out here. It would be good to mention how you help people within your current role – but only if you wish to.
• Experience section
• This is about your role at your current and previous companies.
• It is how people often find out a bit more about the company you work for and if you’re the right person to speak to, so should cover what you and the company do.

Settings and Privacy menu – please check all tabs

Gives you the option to change your profile URL here

Checking messages and notifications

• You can set up messages to also come to your email via the notifications tab in the settings menu, so please do this to ensure you don’t miss messages.

Linking in with people

• Are you connected to everyone you are speaking to on a regular basis for business - if not start there?
• Search for them on LinkedIn and then press the ‘Connect’ button.
• Adding your own message is a good thing to do particularly if you can remind them how you know them.
• Then add other people you know.
• Who would you like to connect with? Find them and send a personalised message if possible or otherwise just an invite (research shows almost the same take up).

What to post

• Share and comment on articles from your contacts which you like.
• Share Maxinity company posts – with a relevant comment if possible.
• Search topics you are interested in and share/comment on posts/articles you like.
• If you feel the urge to generate your own content then great – but don’t put information up for the sake of it.

In Summary

• We know that most of you are unlikely to have a lot of time to spend on LinkedIn, so I have only covered the basics.

• Make sure your profile is up to date.
• Connect with people you know.
• Share/comment on company updates and other articles that interest you.
• There is a lot more you could do – but if you can at least do the basics it can benefit you and the company.

Next (baby) Steps

• Can you commit to updating your profile (including settings menu) by the end of next week?
• Can you commit to sending invites to current contacts by the end of March?
• Think about a possible introductory post about yourself.
• Can you commit to going into LinkedIn at least a couple of times a week after that and whilst you are there share posts from the company page? I will also start to notify you when they go up.
• At the same time, please can you check your feed for other articles you can share/comment on?
• LinkedIn is about building relationships, so please go in regularly.