Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business Read online

  As the definitive social network for people doing business, entrepreneurs ignore LinkedIn at their own peril. Take the direct approach to reaching the movers and shakers by listening to what Ted has to say.

  —JOEL COMM, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF TWITTER POWER 3.0: HOW TO DOMINATE YOUR MARKET ONE TWEET AT A TIME

  Ted Prodromou wrote THE book on LinkedIn. I used to say the real secret to success is to get out there and work like hell but The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business, Third Edition is full of actionable strategies that will impact your bottom line immediately so you don’t have to work as hard.

  —FRANK KERN, ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER DIRECT RESPONSE INTERNET MARKETING CONSULTANTS AND COPYWRITERS ON THE PLANET. WWW.FRANKKERN.COM

  Are you looking for a handbook to cover all that’s possible with LinkedIn? Look no further than The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business, Third Edition. Filled with actionable insights you can use now, you’ll want to grab a copy of this book today, and you’ll hope your competitors don’t get it first.

  —PHIL GERBYSHAK, SALES TRAINER AND COACH

  Everyone knows it’s smart to connect with over 500 million business people on LinkedIn, but very few people know how to connect on LinkedIn profitably without wasting tons of time and money. If you want to know the behind-the-scenes, real-world strategies, you need to read this book filled with applicable tips and tricks to save you time and money, and to give you a roadmap to actually making money on LinkedIn.

  —SCOTT KEFFER, BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND FOUNDER OF DOUBLE YOUR AFFLUENT CLIENTS®

  Ted keeps his finger on the pulse of LinkedIn. When a LinkedIn feature changes, he’s one of the first to know about it. He teaches you how to connect in a way that’s genuine and well received.

  —CEDRIC CRUMBLEY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF PROVEN SALES AND RECRUITING METHODS

  When it comes to marketing, there are loads of marketers that talk a good game, but Ted is truly knowledgeable and always up to date on any social media platform changes. His strategies and ideas have given me an increase in business and helped streamline my processes. I recommend anyone looking for a marketer to read this book.

  —CHRISINE VERHULP, WWW.VBSVIRTUAL.COM

  The LinkedIn techniques Ted teaches in this book are remarkably effective and super simple to implement. Follow Ted’s lead, because I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it can be.

  —ADAM FRANKLIN, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF WEB MARKETING THAT WORKS

  WOW—The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business, Third Edition is a must-read book that will guide you through how to become an influencer in your industry and how to connect effectively with other influencers. As usual, Ted Prodromou holds nothing back. His tips, strategies, and formulas for LinkedIn success are simple but powerful. The end results will help you attract the affluent clients you’ve been waiting for!

  —RAVEN BLAIR GLOVER, PRESIDENT’S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE

  After targeting my LinkedIn profile using just some of the techniques Ted teaches in this book, I received a LinkedIn Mail from an HR Director from Sherwin Williams to speak for one of their training events. Is doing business with a Fortune 500 company worth investing your time in your LinkedIn profile? YES!

  —ELIZABETH MCCORMICK, INTERNATIONAL MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND FORMER U.S. ARMY BLACKHAWK PILOT AT PILOTSPEAKER.COM

  After meeting Ted and becoming aware of his LinkedIn knowledge, experience, and talent, I had the privilege to put his work into action by following the skill sets described in his bestselling books. The best is yet to come as we are already increasing our connections by several people a day! Thanks, Ted, for making LinkedIn easy to implement and fun to follow!

  —ANDREA ADAMS-MILLER, CEO AND FOUNDER OF THE RED CARPET CONNECTION

  Ted’s insights in this book and coaching have been instrumental to our efforts for building an effective LinkedIn presence with our high-profile clients. The breadth and depth of Ted’s expertise as well as his ability to patiently guide us through the LinkedIn maze has significantly impacted our bottom line. He is one of our most valued resources.

  —SUSAN GATTON, EXECUTIVE COACH

  I knew quite a bit about LinkedIn (so I thought), but gained so much more useful knowledge from The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business, Third Edition. It was one of the best investments I have made in my social media education.

  —MAGGIE HOLBIK, BUSINESS AND SOCIAL MEDIA COACH

  Ted is simply the master at communicating the best formulas for LinkedIn success. Ted helped me see that LinkedIn is so much more than the sum of its parts. He guided me through creating a synergy on LinkedIn that yielded a greater understanding and fast, solid results.

  —MICHAEL FLINT, CEO OF SWEET SUCCESS & HISPANIC MARKETING SUCCESS

  Ted provides an incredibly simple solution to understanding and using LinkedIn. I am looking forward to adding the latest edition of his book to my library.

  —ANDY PETERSON, DIRECTOR OF CLIENT VICTORY, KAHUNA BUSINESS GROUP

  Entrepreneur Press, Publisher

  Cover Design: Andrew Welyczko

  Production and Composition: Eliot House Productions

  © 2019 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc.

  All rights reserved.

  Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed Entrepreneur Media Inc. Attn: Legal Department, 18061 Fitch, Irvine, CA 92614.

  This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

  Entrepreneur Press® is a registered trademark of Entrepreneur Media, Inc.

  ebook ISBN: 978-1-61308-400-7

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Foreword by Melonie Dodaro

  Introduction

  LinkedIn’s Evolution

  My Personal LinkedIn Story

  What You’ll Find in This Book

  CHAPTER 1

  Why LinkedIn?

  The Demographic Gold Mine

  Business Professional Search Engine

  High-Value Professional Network

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 2

  Getting Started on LinkedIn

  Why Choose LinkedIn?

  Determine Your LinkedIn Objective

  What About Other Networking Websites?

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 3

  Creating Your LinkedIn Account

  Contact Information

  Adding Your Social Media Accounts

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 4

  Supercharging Your LinkedIn Profile

  Profile Headline

  Profile Picture

  Status Update

  Experience

  Education

  Volunteer Experience

  Skills and Endorsements

  Recommendations

  Accomplishments

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 5

  LinkedIn Privacy Settings

  Public Profile

  Account

  Privacy

  Ads

  Communications

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 6

  A Tour of Your LinkedIn Homepage

  LinkedIn Mobile App Homepage

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 7
/>   LinkedIn for Companies

  Components of a Company Profile

  Company Status Updates

  Creating Your Company Page

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 8

  LinkedIn Search

  Why Use Search

  Keywords Are Still King

  LinkedIn Advanced Search

  Using LinkedIn’s Advanced Search for Sales

  Advanced Job Search

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 9

  Getting Found on LinkedIn

  Keyword Selection

  Competitive Analysis

  LinkedIn Ranking Factors

  LinkedIn Hashtag Communities

  LinkedIn Topics

  LinkedIn ProFinder

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 10

  Giving and Receiving LinkedIn Recommendations

  How Can Social Proof Get You Hired in Today’s Economy?

  What Are LinkedIn Recommendations?

  Why Do I Need LinkedIn Recommendations?

  How Many LinkedIn Recommendations Should I Have?

  What Makes a LinkedIn Recommendation Great?

  What to Say in Your Recommendations

  Whom Should I Recommend?

  How to Ask for Recommendations

  LinkedIn Endorsements

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 11

  Connecting with Others

  Strategic Networking

  Open Networking

  Are Your LinkedIn Connections Real People?

  Connection Invitation Etiquette

  Removing a Connection

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 12

  Using LinkedIn InMail to Reach Out

  InMail vs. Introductions

  What Is InMail?

  Tips for Writing InMails to Increase Your Response Rates

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 13

  LinkedIn Groups

  LinkedIn Groups Aren’t What They Used to Be

  Finding Quality Groups

  What Is the Best Way to Use Groups?

  Communicating with Group Members

  How to Start a Group

  Managing the Group

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 14

  Managing Your LinkedIn Connections

  Using Notifications to Engage Your Network

  Syncing LinkedIn with Google Calendar and Contacts

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 15

  The Definitive Publishing Platform

  Controlling Your Content

  Status Updates

  Articles

  Who’s Viewed Your Updates

  Native Video

  Broadcasting Live Video

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 16

  LinkedIn Mobile

  LinkedIn Mobile App

  LinkedIn Job Search

  LinkedIn SlideShare

  LinkedIn Learning

  Premium Apps

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 17

  Recruiting New Employees

  Harness the Power of Your Search

  Tips to Help Your Recruiting Effort

  LinkedIn Recruiter

  Finding a Job

  LinkedIn Career Pages

  Work With Us Ads

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 18

  LinkedIn for Sales and Marketing Professionals

  Building Your LinkedIn Sales Network

  Should You Go Anonymous?

  Leveraging Your Company Page

  Leveraging a Company Group

  Prospecting on LinkedIn

  LinkedIn Company Groups

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 19

  Sales Navigator

  Engaging Your Leads and Connections

  Discover New Leads and Accounts Automatically

  Team Tools

  Social Selling Index

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 20

  LinkedIn Advertising

  Content Marketing

  Advertising Options

  Text Ads

  Dynamic Ads

  Feed Ads

  Message Ads

  Display Ads

  LinkedIn Elevate

  Data Tools

  Website Demographics

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 21

  Creating LinkedIn Ads That Convert Like Crazy

  Selling Through Ads on LinkedIn

  Creating Laser-Focused Campaigns

  Writing Effective Ads

  LinkedIn Text Ads

  Creating Attention-Grabbing Headlines

  Factors That Generate Clicks

  Brainstorming Headlines

  The Old Magazine Rack Trick

  Create a Swipe File

  Writing Your Ad Copy

  The Power of Images

  Follow Advertising Guidelines

  A/B Split Testing

  Targeting Your Ads

  Bidding

  How to Measure Success and Improve Your Performance

  Conclusion

  CHAPTER 22

  LinkedIn Success Stories

  Growing Your Coaching Practice: Gary Barnes, The Breakthrough Business Mastery Coach

  Selling the Dream on LinkedIn: Paige Collin, Franchise Owner

  Paving the Way to a Successful Military Transition: Cedric Crumbley, Author and Marketing Consultant

  Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking: Doreen Hamilton, Public Speaking Coach

  LinkedIn Native Video Success: Deborah Herman, Book Publishing Professional

  Helping Women Sales Professionals Sell More Comfortably and Confidently: Natalie Klun, Sales Expert

  The Accidental Entrepreneur: Linda Lovero-Waterhouse, Social Media and Online Marketing Coach

  Cyber Security: Craig Petronella, The Petronella Technology Group

  Financial Fitness for America: Keith Youngren, CPA and Financial Money Coach

  CHAPTER 23

  Commencement

  Glossary

  Index

  Acknowledgments

  This book is dedicated to my brother-in-law and best friend of 40 years, Dieter Schien. While Dieter wasn’t an avid LinkedIn user or entrepreneur, he was always supportive of my family and me. Dieter used to attend local marketing events and networking meetings with me. He liked tagging along to meet new people and to learn something new, even though he was disabled and couldn’t work for the last 15 years of his life. Dieter was a lot like Norm on Cheers. Everyone knew and liked Dieter because he was friendly, kind, helpful, and a lot of fun. When he entered a room, everyone would yell, “Dieter!”

  I’m going to miss you, Dieter, and I love you.

  Foreword

  by Melonie Dodaro

  Founder and CEO of Top Dog Social Media and the bestselling author of LinkedIn Unlocked and The LinkedIn Code

  There is no question that LinkedIn is a gold mine for those who take the time to understand how to leverage it. The problem is that most don’t take that time. So many people are still collecting connections instead of building long-term relationships. Ted is one of those people who really understand how to build relationships, so when he asked me to write the foreword for his book, I accepted immediately.

  When it comes to social tools, nothing can beat LinkedIn for business-to-business (B2B) lead generation. In fact, I tell my clients all the time that the highest ROI that I (or anyone else) can help them achieve with digital marketing is to train their team on how to use LinkedIn to generate leads and build relationships. In my company, 80 percent of the B2B leads generated from social media come from LinkedIn.

  As the author of two LinkedIn books myself, I am attracted to the no-fluff style of LinkedIn as a business social network, as opposed to platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. I also enjoy Ted’s straightforward approach to LinkedIn in this third edition of the Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business.

  With the declining reach of Facebook and the social media fatigue that is setting in,
you cannot afford to ignore LinkedIn any longer. Now, more than ever, it’s vital that you tap into the LinkedIn gold mine—with more than half a billion professional members and growing—to build your personal brand.

  Your personal brand is also more important than it’s ever been. You may not even realize that you already have one. If you are showing up in Google search results, you have a personal brand. The question is, are you proud of it? LinkedIn is the first place people will look to learn more about you professionally. Having a professional presence on LinkedIn is crucial to your personal brand.

  Once you are proud of how your profile positions you and what you offer, the next step is to use LinkedIn’s incredible and robust advanced search function to find and connect with your perfect potential clients. You can proactively generate leads on LinkedIn, consistently and predictably.

  These are only two of the many things you will learn by reading this book, but if you walk away with just those two, you will have made back your investment a hundred times over—providing, of course, that you implement what you learn.

  LinkedIn continues to be the world’s largest business network, so if growing your business is important to you, don’t just read this book—put it into practice.

  Introduction

  Welcome to the third edition of Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business. When I wrote the first edition of this book in 2012, I never imagined I would write a second edition, let alone a third. Our world has changed so much since I began writing the first edition in late 2011. The world was slowly recovering from the Great Recession caused by the devastating collapse of our real estate markets and financial system in late 2008. Businesses small and large were forced into bankruptcy. Millions of people lost their homes to foreclosure, their jobs, and their careers.

  My story was no different. I lost most of my marketing agency clients in 2009, and I was really struggling. This was the second career reset for me in a decade, and I had lost all confidence in my ability to successfully provide for my family.

  With one child in college and another about to enroll, I was fortunate to find a full-time job as an online marketing manager for a software company near my home. Jobs were few and far between, and they actually hired a 51-year-old to work alongside a team of twentysomething marketers.

  I was back in the game!

  This software company was in the right place at the right time. From 2009 through 2013, their profits quadrupled in the worst economic times since the Great Depression. Unfortunately for me, the company restructured after a venture capital investment, and most of the marketing department was let go in 2013.