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Stephanie
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Keep Connected and Current
Beyond the obvious step of keeping your profile current and offering links to valuable information that showcase your expertise, use the link between LinkedIn and Twitter to update your status with tweets. And be sure to explore the world of LinkedIn Groups beyond your profile -- that's where you can interact with folks on a range of topics and post surveys. Whether this sparks ideas for blog posts or eBooks, or helps you connect with a potential partner or customer, it's a rich source of goodness.
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Jamie
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Confession: I'm lousy at LinkedIn
I get it. I know what I "should" be doing there (everything my fellow Savvy Sisters advise here), but ... I just can't seem to tear myself away from Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and - most recently (Oh, mighty time suck!) - Pinterest.
The only thing I regularly do on LinkedIn is scan the update emails - you know, the ones that tell me which of my connections landed a new job, updated their skills, or made an interesting new connection. When I get the digest of this activity in my inbox, I scan it and reach out to people with a "congrats!" or a "hey, I didn't know you knew how to do that" or whatever might be appropriate.
It's a small thing, but it helps me stay on top of the changes in people's professional lives.
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Wendy
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The importance of those keywords
Keywords are, well, key. When I need an expert or a resource for a story, LinkedIn can always be counted on to provide me with several contacts. This shows the importance and power of updating your profile often whenever you have traveled into new territory.
I also use the LinkedIn groups to get my name out and to find out the names of others who are active in certain subjects. Stephanie's suggestion of reaching out and joining other groups outside what might be your comfort zone is beautiful. Expand your reach a little, you might be surprised at what you get.
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Kate
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Make it a Habit
Whenever I finish a project or leave a contract, I make sure to send LinkedIn invitations to everyone I built a relationship with. Of course this includes the marketing department, but don't forget the engineers (or equivalent for your specialty). They move jobs, too and if you had a good repore they might be in a good position to recommend you at their next gig.
I have been fortunate enough to get referrals for multiple projects from folks I kept in touch with via LinkedIn - and after they switched jobs three times in four years there was very little chance of me keeping up with them any other way.
So make it a habit and do it every time!
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