Unlike a “social” network, LinkedIn is a “business network” that I like to refer to as an online resume.

LinkedIn is an interconnected network of experienced professionals from around the world, representing 170 industries and 200 countries. You can find, be introduced to, and collaborate with qualified professionals that you need to work with to accomplish your goals.

LinkedIn is just like any other marketing tool – you have to have a goal and a strategy to get there. It can be used to make new business connections and potential leads, to apply for job positions and to build business relationships in your target geography. 

Here are some tips on using LinkedIn effectively:

1. Create a strong profile. Make sure you fill in all the fields. 

2. Make connections to people you already know. The more connections you have, the more credible you look. 

3. Get References (give referrals to get referrals!).

2. Set a goal for your LinkedIn. What do you want to accomplish from using it? What types of people would you like to make connections with and what do you want from those connections? Maybe you need to make 5 new sales in the next 30 days from small business owners. Make that your goal! 

3. Target specific companies or people. Once you set your goal you should know who you need to target. Check out your connections’ connections! See who your 2nd and 3rd degree connections are and request an introduction.

Other Helpful Resources

• Five LinkedIn Tips
• How Many Connections is too many?

I’ve gotten this question for several business owners in the last couple weeks. I guess its ad renewal time for Verizon and the Yellowbook… 

Which phonebook is more valuable? Which book should I advertise in? Should I advertise in all of them? Should I advertise in them AT ALL… or should I just be listed? 

These are all great questions and ones that everyone should consider. As a public relations expert in technology this is what I know: 

• The use of phone books is becoming more scarce because of the information age and the internet
• People who do use phone books probably don’t have the internet or don’t care about using the internet… so… we are mainly talking about an older generation
• In Lynchburg, VA the population is a little slower on new developments and technologies, so compared to the rest of the world people are probably still using phone books

Unless you are tracking the phone calls you get from the phone book, nobody can really tell you how effective it is has been. And unless you can tell the future, nobody can know how effective it is going to be.

Phonebooks are going to become obsolete in the future… we all know this… but just how near in the future?

So, we tend to go off of other people’s experiences in making our decisions. And that is precisely what I have been telling people. I have heard good things about Verizon, OK things about Yellowbook, and horrible things about My Community Phonebook. So… there you have it. 

Another way to advertise in the “Phonebook”

We can adapt to the new technologies and use the internet! The internet is a giant phone book in itself. Make sure you are listed in:

• Google! Do search engine optimization to get your services and products listed organically. Also make sure to be listed in Yahoo and other Google-juiced sites
• Online phone books like yellowpages.com 
• Online communities and networks like Facebook and LinkedIn
• Customer Review websites like Yelp

All of these websites allow for you to have your phone number and address – some of them even give you the opportunity to put up a map and get customer reviews.

Search Engine Optimization, that is. If you own or update a blog or website, then you need to know the basics of optimizing a page for search engines to find. 

Most people think that the index (or home) page of your website is the most important. Well, I won’t argue with that completely – but when it comes to using your website as a marketing piece, it needs to be more than a business card. By optimizing each article or page on your website individually, you will help Google list your website in organic search results when people are looking for YOU. 

Here are a few tips to help Google find your website: 

1. Your website or blog is built with clean code. Pretend YOU are a search engine spider. What do you look for on a website? Do you want the content to be easy to find and easy to read? So do search spiders! Search engines want your website code to be clean enough that they can find the content within the jargon. 

2. Do your search engine research. Without giving away all the goods, I would say start with Google Suggest and Google Insight, and see what some popular trends and topics are. Then go into your search engine key word tool and find the exact phrases that will key Google to display your website. 

3. Use your keywords in the correct formula to get Google to notice you. Its easy. Use the key phrase in the title of your page, in the first paragraph, and the last paragraph. There are lots of other rules that will help you out, but that will get you started.