LinedIn: Online Networking

There are 9 million professionals on LinkedIn. That's a lot of people that you could potentially connect to! But, I'm often asked: "So, how can I utilize Online Networking, such as LinkedIn? Can I really contact people directly?" I like to think of Online Networking, such as LinkedIn, as a very large expo. They're there to make connections! Some big differences between a live expo and an online expo are:

1. Everyone is online, so people can be from all over the country
2. Everyone has an exhibit table in which you can "display" your expertise, your hobbies, your contact information and website, and testimonials
3. People can see who your connected to within the group-and if someone wants to be introduced to someone within your connections, they can ask to be introduced

Some similarities are:

1. If you don't work the room, you wont get much business from it: Don't be shy about asking your connections to introduce you to people you want to meet, but be considerate-don't bombard one contact with lots of introductions at one time.
2. The more connections you have, the more potential business: Think of it as a game to see how many useful connections you can make!

I've made a lot of great connections with LinkedIn, and believe it will soon bring me some great business! One of the most frustrating problems with trying to connect with people in LinkedIn is when a member's profile is not fully developed, and you're not sure what they do. Be sure to take some time and fully develop your profile so that it's easy for people to see what you do. Think of it as your table at an expo - it's your first impression!

Try it out, and get networking with LinkedIn! Be sure to look for my profile and get connected! To Your Success! Rachel Pradhan.