Meryl's Notes Blog

LinkedIn can do more than just grow your connections and look them up. I love using LinkedIn Answers, which gives me an opportunity to ask questions to the vast network. Some of you may not have discovered this feature or realize it can help you with an assignment. Take advantage of LinkedIn and all of your connections.

Your Account

1. Create a complete profile.
2. Enter your @twittername or email address after your last name in your profile so it always shows up. (See mine for an example.)
3. Import blog entries into LinkedIn with BlogLink or WordPress applications.
4. Incorporate Twitter tweets into your profile with the Company Buzz application.
5. List clients, publications and writing work in profile.
6. Link to your other social media accounts so account stays fresh with updates.
7. Set up to receive LinkedIn messages in your inbox so you can respond right away.
8. Publish LinkedIn URL on business cards, email signature, email newsletters, web sites and brochures.
9. Import vCards and contacts from other platforms to find more connections.
10. Export contacts to import into other applications.
11. Join industry and alumni groups related to your writing topic, business and past work.
12. Join writing groups.
13. Avoid hard-sell and marketing when posting in LinkedIn because they’re a turn-off.
14. Update your status with recent work that benefits customers such as “Need ideas on how to use Twitter? Read 50+ Writer Uses for Twitter.”

Content

15. Do market research with Polls.
16. Conduct polls and surveys.
17. Share poll and survey results.
18. Post content with value to show expertise without a hint of self-promotion.
19. Ask questions in Answers to find experts, obtain quotes or learn more about a topic.
20. Post questions in Answers to see what customers and prospects want or think.
21. Link to your other social media accounts so account stays fresh with updates.
22. Combine with other social media tools like Twitter. For example, someone asks question in Twitter, you respond in 160+ characters on LinkedIn and link to it from Twitter.
23. Start and manage group or fan page for book, topic, platform or business.
24. Share links to articles and content posted elsewhere with a summary of why it’s valuable to clients and prospects.
25. Post presentations using a presentation application.
26. List your newsletter subscription information and archives.
27. Use LinkedIn’s search tool to find what you need and specify what you need (people, jobs, groups, etc.).

Connect

28. Use search feature to find people, agents, writers, virtual assistants and experts by company, name, industry and city.
29. Research experts, agents and others before meeting or contacting.
30. Write honest and valuable recommendations.
31. Request a LinkedIn recommendation from happy clients willing to provide testimonials.
32. Check connections’ locations so you can meet with those in the city where you’re heading using My Travel application.
33. Ask your first level contacts for introductions to their first level contacts.
34. Connect clients with your first level contacts.
35. Interact with LinkedIn on a regular basis to reach those who may not see you on other social
36. Find experts and writers to invite them as a guest blogger, speaker, guest, etc.
37. Post job listings to find qualified talent to help with a project or be your backup.
38. Look for connections related to a gig you want.
39. Collaborate with others by sharing files, data and information with applications like Huddle Workspaces.
40. Find vendors and contractors through connections.

Marketing

41. Post discounts and package deals for books, writing services and products.
42. Buy a direct ad that only your target market will see.

ShortURL to this post: http://bit.ly/linkedinwriters

What other ways do you use LinkedIn for writing?

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