Why you shouldn’t ‘be’ on LinkedIn
A static presence on this increasingly dynamic professional network is a wasted opportunity. Reach out, show your expertise, and make significant contributions and connections.
I recently asked a group of business development associates whether they had ever read a useful article on LinkedIn. Not surprisingly, 90 percent said yes.
LinkedIn’s (many) updates are conscientiously evolving it into a daily newspaper, shifting its role from dormant resume file to “give us 15 minutes each morning and we’ll make you a better professional each day.”
But 0 percent of those folks had ever posted a useful article on LinkedIn.
They admitted they use LinkedIn to find industry news, but they let other people—including competitors—control the message.
To which I say: You shouldn’t be on LinkedIn.
Share on LinkedIn. Teach on LinkedIn. Discuss, debate, learn, grow, engage on LinkedIn. But please, for the love of Pete, don’t just be on LinkedIn.
If you want to be a better networker and make your social presence into a useful tool, stop looking at LinkedIn and start engaging with it. It is a business network. As with all networking, it requires consistent, conscientious effort.
Find interested audiences, and talk to them
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