Use LinkedIn to promote–ethically and powerfully

Some people collect LinkedIn connections like they collect pennies in a big, empty mayonnaise jar.

They add them one by one, watching the pile of names grow bigger and bigger.  They keep track of how many connections they’ve made.  And they feel pretty darn good when their list grows to 100. ..300…500 names and beyond.

People who don’t know any better view their LinkedIn connections like the rainy fund inside the mayonnaise jar.  They’ll use LinkedIn when it’s time to job-hunt.  But until then, their list of contacts just sort of sits there.

That’s because in the world of social networking, people have heard that they should never ever use LinkedIn to promote.

Don’t tell that to Scott Allen, an expert in social media and social networking and a columnist for About.com.  Since creating his LinkedIn profile four years ago, he has used LinkedIn to:

—Close a 5-figure consulting deal with a company that found him at that site.

—Find an agent for his first book, “The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals.” (You can download the book for free. It’s chock full of excellent examples.)

—Collect feedback from 100 contacts who read the draft of The Virtual Handshake.  Of those, about 80 had never met Scott face to face.  Yet he established such a strong connection with them on LinkedIn that they took the time to not only read his book but provide valuable comments.

—Generate media opportunities.  How many?  “I’ve lost count,” he says.

—Find joint venture partners.

—Connect with authors who interview him and quote him in their books.

Scott calls that promoting.  Not the in-your-face, obnoxious kind that most of us hate.  But the smart, subtle, savvy kind that makes it easy for people to find him if they need the kind of help and information he can offer.

He goes the extra mile on LinkedIn by answering questions from other LinkedIn users whenever he can. 
Add to his 500 connections an impressive 63 recommendations, almost all of them absolutely glowing.

He stresses, however, that someone on LinkedIn with only 70 or 80 really strong connections can make them go a lot farther than somebody with 500 names of people who they barely know. His own connections, I’m betting, are nothing like those forgotten pennies in the mayonnaise jar.  

Scott says Publicity Hounds who aren’t using LinkedIn to promote are missing a huge opportunity.  He’ll be my guest during two teleseminars from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 16, and Thursday, July 17, called “How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything–Ethically and Powerfully.”

This series is limited to the first 100 people who register.  On July 16, Scott will explain how to build an impressive profile, use LinkedIn to position yourself as an expert and do all the little extras on LinkedIn that most other people don’t bother doing–things that can really make you stand out from the pack and get found by the search engines.

On July 17, he’ll walk us step-by-step through the entire process of how to use LinkedIn to promote.  He’ll even share case studies of LinkedIn members who have done just that, with great success.

If you haven’t built your LinkedIn profile yet, this teleseminar series if for you.  Even if you’ve been using LinkedIn for several years, we guarantee you’ll learn far more than you know already.