You hear a lot of hype about the benefits that Facebook and Twitter can bring to your business, but these social networking sites can often overshadow the even greater potential LinkedIn has for virtually every department within the organization. What makes LinkedIn so superior to alternative social networking sites is its exclusively professional audience and no-nonsense atmosphere. Although many organizations will want to reach out to customers and members through Twitter and Facebook, LinkedIn is a preferred choice for making more professional connections with like-minded people. To discover how various departments within your organization can benefit from this highly useful social networking tool, consider the following extensive breakdown.
Sales
You don’t generate revenue without having a strong focus on sales. LinkedIn offers the opportunity to broaden your outreach and connect with buyers in a more meaningful and personal way. Although a standard LinkedIn account already comes with countless opportunities for making sales connections, upgrading to a Pro account eliminates messaging restrictions. This means that sending messages and starting up a conversation is easier than ever. Even if these connections don’t always lead to sales, they could still lead to mutually beneficial partnerships that can be equally valuable to the organization.
Marketing
One of the primary objectives of marketing is to connect with as many professionals and consumers as possible to ultimately get your organization’s name out there. LinkedIn’s Groups feature makes it easier for businesses to do so by connecting them with like-minded individuals. With this tool, your marketing team can collaborate with those in your industry and in related industries regarding marketing tips, the state of the industry and other factors that have a strong influence on delivering an effective marketing strategy.
In addition to joining different groups and collaborating with a wide range of different professionals, your marketing team can take advantage of LinkedIn’s Answers tool. This tool allows professionals to submit questions for everyone to see in order to foster discussion about everything from finance and accounting to technology. Submitting and answering questions regularly is a great way to connect with industry leaders and develop innovative ideas.
Human Resources
The best man or woman for the job won’t always come to you, which means that sometimes you have to come to them. Prior to modern technology, seeking out top-notch talent meant attending job fairs and universities, but today technology is the first tool that HR professionals turn to when looking for new employees. LinkedIn in particular is an excellent technological tool for seeking out professionals that fit your standards and criteria for a certain professional.
With the site’s advanced search option, you can be easily matched up with professionals that fit all of your preferences. For example, you can look for ambitious candidates by seeking only for those earning a master’s degree, or look for specific characteristics that your company values, such as passion, creativity, and innovation.
With the tremendous functionality and accessibility of LinkedIn, there is no excuse for any organization to not take advantage of the many opportunities this site offers for professional growth and development. The list above spotlights just a few departments in your organization that can benefit from LinkedIn, but the site’s versatility makes it a useful tool for virtually any department. Although it may seem ideal for those departments whose main goal is to connect with others, these professional connections and collaborations can facilitate success and efficiency no matter how social the part of the business in question might be.
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About the author: Zach Buckley is a freelance writer based in the Midwest. He enjoys exploring developing trends in education, technology and culture. When he isn’t reading or writing blogs, he enjoys sampling good music and good food. Follow him on Twitter! @Zach_buckley
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
@JohnDukovich http://t.co/mfi0mlh6
Great post Zach.
It is surprising how little LinkedIn is used by both organizations and individuals within those organizations.
Your breakdown is a good start to open some eyes within.
I do notice individuals run full speed to LinkedIn when they get laid off or lose their jobs…
I agree with you, Garrett. LinkedIn is always talked about when people are job seeking, but it offers much more than an ordinary job board. Those people who understand how to use it to its fullest will truly reap the rewards.
@Garrett Gitchell I agree with you, Garrett. LinkedIn is always talked about when people are job seeking, but it offers much more than an ordinary job board. Those people who understand how to use it to its fullest will truly reap the rewards.
@Garrett Gitchell Garrett, I tell people the time to join, build their profile and their network etc is while they are still happily employed. As a colleague of mine likes to say, dig the well before you are thirsty.
@Des @Garrett Gitchell Definitely. It’s never too early to make the most of LinkedIn.
RT @AmyVernon Get LinkedIn or Get Left Out: Using LinkedIn Effectively http://t.co/DreWxOti via @maddiegrant
Nice summary of benefits and opportunities, Zach.
I agree that Groups offer great opportunities. Unfortunately, some are little more than spam fests – with people using them just to post links to their latest blog posts. It’s essential to find groups that are well managed, where there is genuine interaction and mutual respect. And if you feel you have something special to offer your industry or the world in general, it could be worthwhile starting your own group: but I always recommend that people do some field testing to see how other groups are run (or not) and learn from the good ones as well as the duds.
@Des I agree with you, Garrett. LinkedIn is always talked about when people are job seeking, but it offers much more than an ordinary job board. Those people who understand how to use it to its fullest will truly reap the rewards.
@Des Starting a LinkedIn group is certainly not for the inexperienced by any means. It does take a lot of monitoring and managing to keep topics focused and to get the most out of each member. I think a great way to start is by getting to know people through the ‘answers’ part of the network. It’s a great way to build credibility and gain better insights on potential topics.
@Zach_Buckley Well Zach, I was pretty inexperienced (read, totally) when I started LinkedIn Bloggers on Yahoo back in ’05 – now on LinkedIn Groups. I was also pretty rpo-active in inviting personally (not a broadcast) some movers and shakers, including people who are now such big names they’d probably say no now.
That original group grew to about 900 and worked well (the LinkedIn group is not as big and a lot quieter, but that’s another story).
What made the difference in getting started well was that I recruited some people more knowledgeable and experienced than I to be co-moderators (co-managers in LinkedIn Groups parlance). But I do agree that it is not something to rush into, which is why, as I say above, it’s a good idea to join some groups and see how they operate. And yes, getting involved through Answers is an excellent way to start, and – as you say – build cred, etc.
@MariSmith @socialfish what a great line!
@simonatstorm Agreed!
@socialfish
There is what which makes LinkedIn so excellent to substitute internet sites is its specifically professional viewers and no-nonsense environment.
@sarahsantacroce Great article.
@GILL_Media I’m thinking about upgrading to “business” what do you think?
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