Archive for October, 2009

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LinkedIn is the best social network to be in when professional networking is the main agenda. With millions of people around the world active everyday in the network, LinkedIn has devised new ways for people to access their LinkedIn accounts and make sure that they stay in touch with their colleagues and prospects no matter where they are. Even without a computer or laptop, it is now possible to keep LinkedIn close to you as long as you have a mobile phone that is wirelessly connected to the Internet.

LinkedIn iPhone Application

The iPhone gained a lot of popularity after developers started to create special applications that are designed to make their web services easier to access taking full advantage of the screen size and multi-touch features. LinkedIn followed by introducing their own iPhone application on August 21st boasting a similar interface as the iPhone contacts. Many of the core features in LinkedIn can be used from the iPhone including the contact searching which is easily accessible from the bottom panel.

In addition, connections can be viewed in a minimalistic way by pressing the “Connections” icon on the bottom of the screen along with other contacts that these people are connected to. It is also possible to add new connections if new prospects or acquaintances were found via search or other profile. Any updates posted by contacts are reflected in the main window as well. If there are contacts that are willing to introduce you with others, you can review those introductions from your iPhone. By pressing the “Invite” button on the upper right of the screen, you can invite new people to LinkedIn the same way you could in the computer. Currently the iPhone application comes in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Chinese with more languages being supported in the future.

LinkedIn Mobile

So far, there are no other mobile specific LinkedIn applications. This means that non-iPhone users must rely on the LinkedIn mobile site which can be accessed at http://m.linkedin.com. You will be immediately presented with a login form where you type your e-mail and password and optionally choose the language. Once you are logged in, you can immediately search for a contact or choose 7 other options that are part of LinkedIn’s main features. You can broadcast your status message to let others know where you are or you can browse your address book to obtain information that may not be stored in your phone book. Lastly, you can invite and view the public profiles of colleagues. You can check out the other features by visiting the URL using your browser even if you are not using a mobile phone.

The features of LinkedIn mobile are actually similar to the ones found in the iPhone. What the iPhone really excels in is the overall layout of the functions and convenience in choosing contacts and connections. iPhone users benefit from the best possible mobile LinkedIn experience, but other mobile users are not left in the dark.

LinkedIn has all of the core features that you can find in any social networking site including the ability to search the database for other people that you can link to or add as contacts in order to grow your network and establish closer ties. Unlike social networking services, you are not necessarily adding these people as “friends”. Although you may find some professionals that are actually your friends in real life, LinkedIn’s idea of networking is bringing coworkers and colleagues closer together. Any other people that you do not know very well can be considered as prospects and they can be useful in hiring new people in your business or getting opt-ins for your online site. All it takes is finding these prospects using the tools in LinkedIn.

Using the Advanced Search Option

This is the most common method as it can return lots of different prospects all by inputting a few commands. You can either refer to your prospect list that you created through other marketing methods and search for their full names to see if they have LinkedIn profiles or you can define a target group to get a list of the people that match that group. Spend more time with the target group as different profiles may have similar groups that are written in a different way. For instance, you if you are planning to look for marketing directors, try to look for marketing managers as well.

Exploring Groups

Many members in LinkedIn join groups to participate in themed discussions or simply try to get more profile exposure. Like searching using the advanced search option, try to explore groups that match your target group for better chances of quality prospects that are interested with whatever you have to offer in your LinkedIn profile.

Browsing other Profiles

You can use the first two methods to grow your network. After you have a few prospects in your network, you can start browsing their profiles and see their connections. The people that they are connected with may turn out to be prospects as well since it is likely that connected people have the same interests or are in the same company. Take a good look at their profiles before making any decisions.

Keeping an Eye on Network Updates

Once you start to browse other profiles through connections, you will see many more ways to grow your network. The more people that you have connected in your network, the more network updates you will see. This is very important in finding quality prospects because you can take advantage much quicker than others if you keep a close eye on the updates. Be on the lookout for individuals that change positions so you can move on in and make a proposal if the changed position is something that you can take advantage of.

With over 40 million members registered in LinkedIn around the world, it is likely for prospects to wind up using any of the methods. Having a large network always gives greater possibilities so try to build you network first if you ever have problems finding prospects in LinkedIn.

Today’s post is a little different.

Every now and then, I will get an email from Steven Burda if he likes a particular blog post. Just an acknowledgment, but I started to recognize his name. So when he sent an email today with a request to blog about this issue, I took notice.

Steven is a LinkedIn evangelist.  He is a Super Connector, has over 2500 (yes – two thousand five hundred) recommendations and 500+ connections (what does that mean?). Unfortunately, he has reached the LinkedIn-imposed “limit” of connections he is allowed in his account.

To that end, he has written a letter to the LinkedIn Executives, and with his permission, I am reprinting it here:

Dear Linkedin Executive:

I’d like to ask you to please take the time to read this letter in its entirety and follow up…

My name is Steven Burda and I am not your average Linkedin member/user. I am not a LION, but a SuperConnector.

I want you to recognize that I am a diehard Linkedin member/user and evangelizer who spreads goodwill to thousands of people concerning Linkedin and social media arena. I have become a power-user and networker to the point that I became “over-connected” from the perspective of Linkedin. I have tried to use Linkedin in good faith according to the User Agreement and TOS, but I’m at the point where there is a major restriction placed on my account that I feel I are being discriminated against. I would like to resolve this issue with Linkedin through direct dialogue with an Executive. If Linkedin cannot respond to this request within a week of receipt of this correspondence, I will have no choice but to get back to my contacts in the mass media of the situation (which I don’t want to do) especially since I am featured in September 2009 book: “The Connectors: How the World’s Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life” (Wiley & Sons, Hardcover). I received numerous awards, publications and recognition for the work that I’ve done in professional field, as well as being the Connector, a blogger and groups Moderator/Manager.

I work full-time for The Boeing Company in the finance department, but as an addition, I have stakes in two businesses: Burda Consulting Co (non-profit, registered in PA) and Burda Photography (recent business, started with my wife Alla). In addition, I am a public figure, published person and a mentor to many. I do speaking engagements on the benefits of mentoring, professional networking, social media and Web 2.0. I deal with and in contact with hundreds of professionals on a monthly basis. Because of me, I believe thousands of professionals have joined Linkedin or became more active in networking. I hope you do see what kind of buzz, and free viral PR/marketing I bring to Linkedin for the benefit of the good. Each person I connect with offline and online is a business opportunity!

Your company (Linkedin) and the management has placed, in my opinion, a harsh and an unwarranted cap on my account because I’m so well-networked and connected, thus, doing a disservice not only to me, but to those who want to be part of my network. This strict limitation is hurting my credibility, visibility and profitability. Those people who have sent me invitations are still awaiting my acceptance – and they are, but not limited to: my sister Yael, my father Lev Burda, as well as many real-life friends, neighbors, past/current colleagues, classmates and even former managers and teachers. Those people want to recommend me for the work I did and also want to be professionally associated with me – but they can’t due to this severe and unwarranted limitation. Also, there are hundreds, even thousands of people that I mentored over the years, and those who want to do business with me – those that want to be part of my exclusive network. As you see, currently I cannot send an invite to them – but more importantly, cannot accept their invites. This is very counterintuitive to networking and collaborating concept, and goes against your own motto “relationships that matter” – wouldn’t you think?

What about the fact that I cannot accept my dad, my sister, my current/past colleges and even my boss into my direct network on Linkedin is mindboggling!! I have over 2,300 recommendations and endorsements on my Linkedin profile for my work and service that I provide – wouldn’t this show that I am a legitimate, hard-working and consummate networking professional that makes things happen? As evangelist of Linkedin, I freely promote Linkedin at all the networking events, places and workshops that I attend. I’m 100% capable of managing my own network.

Would you be able to make things happen? Or is this becoming an issue similar to the censorship and limitations Google has experienced in China? Please confirm the receipt of this letter. I ask and encourage you to give me a direct call at [deleted] or e-mail me at: [deleted].  We need to talk this through, on the phone or via email. It has been since January 15th, 2009 that I cannot accept any and all of the invites from trusted people that are currently have pending in my inbox, and both I and the sender want it to be accepted ASAP for the mutual benefit and professional business dealings and exchange of ideas. This is a unique case, and hope it won’t be ignored. All I am asking is one of two things: 1) get a call from an Executive of Linkedin for a ten-minute phone discussion on this issue or 2) have the ability to accept my pending invitations I currently have in my Inbox.

I feel that only by giving an honest assessment of the situation and showing the desire to resolve outstanding issues, from both sides, will solve any potential misunderstandings, as well as future opinions and perceptions of what is really going on, and why.

Respectfully,
- Steven Burda, from Greater Philadelphia Area (Pennsylvania) | www.linkedin.com/in/burda

Steven also sent these links where others have written about the same issues. Perhaps it’s time that LinkedIn ListensIn.

http://tinyurl.com/WhyLimit

http://tinyurl.com/BlogOnLimit

http://tinyurl.com/WhoInvite

Ever since its launch back in May 2003, LinkedIn has continued to stress out the fact that it is a special social networking service for professionals only. Although LinkedIn doesn’t consider it a strict rule that forbids non-professional members from registering, LinkedIn shouldn’t be used the same other social networking sites are used. The two reasons provided below explain in greater detail.

LinkedIn’s Network is Full of Professionals

LinkedIn considers itself as a social networking site of professionals simply because virtually all of the members registered are, in fact, professional individuals. These professionals log in their respective LinkedIn accounts to collaborate with other LinkedIn members or search for new professionals for job hiring, competition research, and other purposes. Nobody will ever look for information that doesn’t pertain to professional records or information. If these people really wanted to look for information like that, they would resort to general purpose social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.

Since LinkedIn states in their front page that they are a professional social networking service, more professionals will join everyday to build their network. Nobody would bother adding a contact that has no professional background whatsoever. To add to that, professionals will most likely ignore you if they find out that you are in LinkedIn to make friends or gather personal information because that is out of the scope of the network.

Puts your Reputation at Great Risk

LinkedIn is the only website with millions of registered users that revolves around professionals. This gives you a single chance to build your professional image and show it to the world. If you mess up and do not take LinkedIn seriously, people that see your profile will conclude that you are a not a very serious professional. This will make it difficult to redeem yourself as there is currently no other popular professional social networking site that works like LinkedIn. Make your entry in LinkedIn count the most by starting out with a strong profile that can boost your reputation in the network.

No Benefits Gained

It is generally a waste of time and effort spreading a non-professional image in a place filled with people that do the exact opposite. Nothing will ever be gained out of the attempts because non-professionalism is considered as off-topic within the network. If you observe the different profiles and discussion boards, only business topics are covered.

Remember that there are appropriate places where you can freely use the social network however you would like. LinkedIn is one of the most unique services that strive to be different from the rest and that is exactly why they have gained so much popularity and success as new members register every day. It is the professionals themselves that defined LinkedIn’s true purpose and you can become a part of that purpose if you understand LinkedIn’s goals and make them your own as you try to spread your professionalism and grow your network by adding contacts with similar professional interests as you.

Many professional Internet marketers do not stop stressing the fact that is now possible to start some great network marketing businesses via social networking. Some individuals saw great success just by creating profiles in MySpace and Facebook and growing their network from there while pouring out the initiative in advertising. With LinkedIn gaining in popularity and more professionals coming in, you should have a better advantage if you apply the same techniques that professional marketers use in other social networks to the LinkedIn network. These four easy steps should put your new marketing business in order just by using LinkedIn.

Prepping up your Profile

If you already have a LinkedIn account, the first thing you should do is review your profile and judge if it is presentable enough for others to take a closer look at your network marketing business. Judgments should be based on how complete your profile is how closely related it is to the website that you are trying to advertise. It is very important to get a good picture of yourself that highlights your professionalism for an overall better impression by visitors.

Focus only on Website Advertising

One of the most common mistakes that new LinkedIn members make is that they start pitching their business or sell products immediately even before they grow their network. Not only will this lead to professionals ignoring your profile, but puts your account at risk and you might end up being kicked from the network for blatant advertising.

The trick is to focus on the website advertising where all of the selling is done in your business page. That way, people that are curious enough to click your link can get the bigger picture outside of your LinkedIn profile. The easiest way to website advertising is by means of posting articles in groups making sure that you leave the website address on the bottom of the article.

Find New Groups to Join

For better exposure of your articles and website, try to join as many groups as possible. Target the groups that tackle affiliate marketing, Internet marketing, MLM, and related topics as their primary subjects to get the right audience. You may also find groups that are related to the products or services that you are selling if any.

Keep Posting New Articles

Once you are in enough groups, do not just be idle and wait for people to see your profile. Make the first move and post even more articles with your website URL on the bottom to attract more quality traffic to your site. Making your articles unique is highly recommended for SEO purposes. Even if you do not know how search engine optimization or keywords work, different articles spell more ways for your website to be found in LinkedIn especially if they talk about completely different topics. As long as they are somehow related to your business website, you will be getting the visitors that you need.

Building a flourishing network marketing business takes time even if you use LinkedIn. However, once enough time is dedicated in building your LinkedIn network, your website traffic should grow exponentially even if you take a small break in marketing.