LinkedIn Followers
LinkedIn followers and the value of having one
Getting LinkedIn Followers to Be Of Real Value Means Motivating Them And Thinking 'Mutual Benefits'
Just about everyone gets the basic concept behind LinkedIn. It’s a place where you can make contacts with a variety of people who can potentially further your goals, whether they be business related, non-profit efforts, or whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. Maybe you’re looking for a new job, or a better job. Perhaps you’re seeking a joint venture partner. LinkedIn is a place where you can mingle with people who can make things happen for you.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool, but the vast majority of people get almost nothing out of it because they do the bare minimum. They create an account, put their name, picture and background information out there, and that’s about it. The best that can be said about doing the minimum is that it’s better than nothing. At least you are letting people know you exist. But to leverage the tremendous power of LinkedIn, you have to give to receive. You have to put some effort into it and “work the system.”
LinkedIn is all about networking. Those who master the art of networking in a proactive way are going to reap the rewards. If you expect to realise the value of LinkedIn followers, you need a specific strategy to get some real, positive action.
One of the first things you should do is not use LinkedIn randomly. When you seek connections with other LinkedIn members, target those who are most likely to have the skills and positions to be of use, and who are in the same industry, or related industries. The more specific you can target the better. A writer looking for a publisher and a book deal, for example, may be in dire need of a good literary agent. That writer should conduct keyword searches that will lead them to connections with publishing agents, and also people who are working inside the publishing industry. That way you are focusing your effort on “high impact” people who can really do something for you, and not squandering your time on those with no ability to help you.
Remember that LinkedIn is all about people coming together for mutual benefit. Let’s face it - users of Linkedin are often of the mindset “What's in it for me?” There’s nothing wrong with that. The key is to leverage the other person's self-interest to your mutual advantage. Remember that the more you can offer the other person, the more mutual benefit there is in the situation and the greater your chance of making connections that pay off.
Another key element of gaining advantages from LinkedIn followers is to monitor who is following you, and why. Who is checking out your profile? Why were people prompted to take enough interest in you to check out your profile? LinkedIn makes it easy to get answers. Just click on your profile, see which companies have been checking you out, and then consider making greater connections with them – why not send them a friendly note? Break the ice, and make something happen!
Perhaps it goes without saying that you should join at least a few groups on LinkedIn, and then participate with them on as regular a basis as you can. If you get into a good group within your area of interest and make comments, you start becoming known among those people, and may be able to make invaluable connections. Be helpful. Answer questions for other people, or make encouraging comments. Part of the reason for getting active in groups is that it helps you to start finding your way deeper into the matrix of the LinkedIn world. Often joining one group only leads you to an even better group of people you want to be involved with.
To that end, one of the most significant “finds” you can make on LinkedIn is a very tight cluster of people who are all deeply focused in a particular area – the same area you want to make inroads within. The idea here is to go from being in a larger, slightly more anonymous group, to a tighter group where there is more intimacy, and where you can get to know people on a more significant level. Again, you want to bring value to this group, and not be just a taker. Offer a free consultation, give advice, or provide some “inside information” that others in the group are eager to know about. When you’re helpful, you’ll get help in return, or at least be in a position to ask for a favour when you really need one.
When using LinkedIn, it’s a good idea to remember some basic behavioural psychology. Getting a certain action means offering an attractive reward. Ask yourself “What will motivate my LinkedIn followers to get them to do what I want them to do? What reward can I offer them? What carrot can I dangle in front of them?”
Let’s say you have written an eBook that is loaded with valuable information, but better yet, is laced with hotlinks that lead back to your website. Your goal is to get your eBook out into cyberspace where it can go viral. You can offer this free, no-strings-attached eBook to all of your LinkedIn followers, telling them they are free to use it on their own websites, and offer it as a gift to all of their visitors. What you are doing here is getting your LinkedIn followers to help you make your eBook spread far and wide across the internet, while offering them a reward – your free eBook – to create a successful win-win situation for all.
That’s just one example. What clever reward system can you develop to motivate your LinkedIn followers to do your bidding? Always remember - a behaviour that is rewarded is a behaviour that is repeated. Find the right motivator, and your LinkedIn followers may become a willing army helping you to achieve your goals.
Keep your LinkedIn activity fresh and up to date. You want your name to be in front of your followers as fresh as possible. Make a status update every day if you can, or at least three to four days per week. Make comments in the groups you have joined at least as often. Your LinkedIn followers will never do anything for you unless you are persistently present in their minds. Always remember: be active, participate, give to receive, offer rewards, and seek win-win situations. Do this, and LinkedIn become an extraordinarily powerful tool.