LinkedIn is a great resource for business owners and employees alike. And the lifeblood of LinkedIn are the groups. With our friends from Integrated Alliances The Profit Wizard has a LinkedIn Groups resource for you.
I really can’t say enough about how groups bring LinkedIn to life for me. There are a myriad of ways that groups can be used.
Personally I use groups to:
- Stay current on training and e-learning topics, because I no longer live & breathe that stuff day-to-day but I don’t want to be left behind.
- Do market research on the niches I market to or write for so that I can be aware of the problems & issues that they talk about and the language they use in communicating.
- Extend my influence in a niche or topic group by making thoughtful comments and curating posts or items of interest to the group.
- Keep an eye on the job market in the areas I am skilled. -I am not actively seeking work, but I know that if something changed and I had to, I have my finger somewhat on the pulse and I can use these groups to find a contract or even permanent employment.
- Identify good prospects to approach regarding my goods & services.
Notice I didn’t say: Sell my stuff
-You don’t want to be “that guy”
The reality is that doing the things I do ultimately helps me to sell my stuff. Particularly the last bullet. But that will be a softer approach made one to one, usually offering something free that I have identified as being of use to that person.
But to really give you some specific pointers on what you should and shouldn’t do Lori & Mike form Integrated Alliances have generously shared some information on a pdf for you to download:
The LinkedIn Group Power User Guide
Let me know what you think of the Power User Guide, and leave a comment about your experience with groups. What do you like, dislike, been burned with or had great success with…
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