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There are over one billion Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn alone each month. Social media has fundamentally changed the way our society communicates, the way we make purchasing decisions, where we work and even who are friends might be.
Even with the overwhelming statistics above, many of us are still struggling to integrate these platforms into our daily lives. The two most common objections I hear are 1) ”I don’t have the time.”, or 2) “I do not know where to start.”
I consider LinkedIn the primary social platform for a business professional. If you can only pick one of the big four platforms to engage with as you begin, LinkedIn should be your choice. The following twelve activities can be completed weekly, within approximately 30 minutes. These can be accomplished in one sitting, or accomplish two per day and take one day off. Try one strategy and stick to it until it is proven to be working for you:
1. Review and Accept/Ignore Connection requests
No reason to to do this more than once a week. You can review all of your invitations in one list and accept the invitations that you desire by selecting the checkbox for each one, then selecting ‘Accept’. You will need to decide your own strategy for who you will accept invitations from.
2. Review Weekly Group Updates
Within the Groups that you have joined, set the notification schedule to “once a week”, allowing you to stay current on the discussions and activities without getting distracted throughout your week.
3. Invite new connections from previous week
Many of us still hand out and receive business cards from those we meet with in person. Use a tool like CardMunch to scan the cards once per week, and then click the option to invite them on LinkedIn. This can help build your network, and save time over doing it manually.
4. Write one recommendation for someone that impressed you this past week
You will generate some very positive responses by incorporating this into your weekly LinkedIn activity. Who do you know that you would recommend to a friend or colleague? Take the time to write a recommendation, just 2-3 sentences is appropriate.
5. Add a Status Update to your profile
Add a sentence or two on a specific focus or activity for the upcoming week. Working on a big proposal, travelling to the opposite coast on business, just pick something and you will give your connections an update and possibly stimulate some communication. Or perhaps, share a link to a particularly intriguing blog post that made an impact on you.
6. Answer a Question in the Questions area
Review the questions in LinkedIn that others have asked. Share an answer or two that are in your area of expertise. Be succinct and to the point. Provide links to reference material and/or additional experts that might be of help to the person asking the question.
7. Ask a Question that you really would like an answer to
What would you really like to know? Puzzled on next steps? How to handle a specific situation? You will not only hopefully receive some answers to your question, but also be introduced to some potential new connections with expertise that may prove helpful to you in the future.
8. Add a company to those that you follow
Think about a company that is important to you and your professional success or growth and follow them in the Company area. Set the notifications as appropriate for your needs, most likely no more than once per week and for the frequency that you are logged into LinkedIn..
9. Add a comment or post in one of the Groups that you are a member of
Whether to a Group discussion, or to an Update from one of your connections, take a few minutes to add a meaningful comment and Like button click. We all love to generate comments and input from our connections and readers and it can generate some good will along the way. Leave your footprints in the sand of your LinkedIn travels.
10. Review your Company Profile and modify or add to it as appropriate
Review your company profile each week. See who is following the company, review new hires, changes, and other activity across the social media platforms. Company profiles are relatively new to LinkedIn and capabilities and functions are being added frequently. Stay on top of this area to maximize your company presence.
11. Follow a competitor’s company
If you want to keep an eye on your competition, this is an easy and productive way to do so once per week. Once you are following, monitor the updates and changes during your weekly LinkedIn review time. Focused, current and timely information all in one place.
12. Send a note to three connections that you haven’t connected with in past three to six months
Review your LinkedIn connections and pick three or more and send them a brief note to check in. Whether they are a customer, employee, vendor or personal friend, you will be surprised at the reaction you will receive from those you send notes to. Reaching out to a few people each week that you haven’t connected with for some time is a rewarding personal and business activity.
