LinkedIn's New Contacts Feature: The Best Thing to Happen to LinkedIn Since LinkedIn! In case you haven't noticed by my overly long title I'm a huge fan of LinkedIn's New Contacts feature. In fact, Miles Austin and I will be doing a free webinar on LinkedIn Contacts next Tuesday (May 7th) at 9 AM PST, noon EST. Click HERE to sign up! LinkedIn's New Contacts - So Easy! Where to Get It I'll be doing several posts on the new Contacts since there's so much to show. But you should get started with it now! If you don't have it yet, you can get it at http://contacts.linkedin.com/ If you have an iPhone or iPad you can also get the LinkedIn Contacts App from iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/linkedin-contacts/id635424128?mt=8 If you are nervous about... Read More

If Skype and LinkedIn had a secret affair, the result might be hookflash! I recently met Trent Johnsen on one of our #LinkedInChat sand discovered he was the co-founder of hookflash . Hookflash is a really cool iPad app (and business tool) that allows you to make calls and meet your LinkedIn connections face to face (well, over your iPad 2 or 3.) I always say that LinkedIn is just the first step in building relationships, and hookflash takes you to that next needed level of real-time f2f interaction! OK right now it is only available for the iPad, but I am sure other tablets and smart devices are coming soon. According to a recent hook flash blog article, the iPhone is on the way, and then there will be a browser-based version for everyone. ... Read More

Double the ROI of your Conference or Tradeshow LinkedIn: Pre and Post Conference LinkedIn is an excellent tool for both preparing for conferences and as follow-up after a conference. Let's talk about some of the ways you can use LinkedIn to have more success, more sales, and more engagement before, during and after your conference and tradeshow travels! 1. If at all possible, see if you can get an attendee list for your conference. This is easier to do if you are a presenter. As an attendee, you might have to pay for this list - or it might not be available at all. However, if the conference is also posted as an event in a meetup, Facebook or LinkedIn Event, you will be able to see the other people who have marked themselves as interested or attending. Its worth... Read More

Personalize your Public Profile URL Its amazing to me that there are people out there who still havent personalized their LinkedIn Public Profile URL! Not only is a personalized URL easier to remember, but it looks much better in an email signature and on a business card (Or if you are a job seeker on a resume!) Nothing says, Im a LinkedIn neophyte like a public profile that reads: http://linkedin.com/pub/firstname-lastname9890734-akjshfiho . So - make sure your public profile reflects your name, your business, or your area of expertise: www.linkedin.com/in/yourname . Example: www.linkedin.com/in/linkedinexpert These URLs are unique, so its possible that your name might be taken. Here are some other options you might consider Use a middle... Read More

What NOT to do on LinkedIn… Recently my LinkedIn account was suspended – again.  I had already written a whole series on “What NOT to do on LinkedIn” so I thought I was being compliant  - but apparently not.  So here are a few more things I recently discovered NOT to do on LinkedIn! 1.  Don’t put anything other than your name in the name field .  Put only your first LinkedIn Expert ” and enjoyed a few great days of Google visibility.  Alas, what I didn’t do was read the End User Agreement that states: “Do NOT Publish inaccurate information in the designated fields on the profile form (e.g., do not include a link or an email address in the name field). Please also protect sensitive personal information such as your email address, phone number, street... Read More

LinkedIn for Jobseekers:  Part Two My good friend and compatriot Caitlin Fisher of Hellerman Baretz recently asked me to write a blog article for them on Social Media for the Job Seeker.  Since that is in perfect alignment with this 3 week LinkedIn for Job-seekers #LinkedInChat series we are doing, I though I would share my answers here as well. And scroll to the bottom for the questions we will ask on tonight’s #LinkedInChat moderated by @SteveCassady . (I’d be there but I’m on my way to Mexico – woohoo) Why should PR (and other) job hunters participate in Twitter and LinkedIn? Twitter:   Let’s address Twitter first – It has been, far and away, the best PR tool I have ever used.  I would say 90% of my interviews, requests... Read More

Your Questions Answered… Every Tuesday night we do a #LinkedInChat on twitter to answer those driving questions you have that have not been answered.  Since some of you can’t make the chat, I decided to ask my Twitter following throughout the week what they wanted to know.  Each and every one of the questions and suggestions below could demand a full hour of LinkedInChat (and maybe we’ll do just that.) In the meantime, here are the questions for Tuesday’s LinkedInChat – brought to us from our great followers on Twitter! For those of you who like to prepare for your chats with helpful answers and valuable website links  - here are the questions: Questions:  @GetGravitas (Jay Lebo) suggests: “What are best practices for starting/running your own LI... Read More

Searching on LinkedIn Looking for Mr. GoodLink on Tonight's LinkedInChat One of the biggest complaints I hear from people about LinkedIn is that they cant actually find who they are looking for. Well we are here to help! You don't want to waste your time bumping in the vast noisy space of LinkedIn - meeting the wrong people - making the wrong connections. You need the right tools and techniques to find Mr. or Mrs. GoodLink - the right person at the right time for your needs: (Client, Vendor, Partner, Employee, Reference, Employer, etc) LinkedIn Search Interview: First of all, listen to this short interview I did yesterday with Michele Price - @ProsperityGal on Twitter. She was voicing her own frustrations with... Read More

URL to IRL I love social networking – but the truth is, most of my business comes when I meet someone face to face  (F2F) or they see me speak.   As I prep for a 4 city speaking tour, I thought I’d record for you some of the things I do in order to really connect with my network. How to turn your URL LinkedIn experience into a IRL (in real life) F2F meeting: Using Postal Code Field in your Advanced Search Advanced Search - Postal Code Field Use the location search to find people you know (but might have forgotten you knew) in the cities you are traveling to – and take them out to dinner. Use the location search to find SME’s you want to know in the cities you are traveling to – see if you can buy them a drink. Use the... Read More

LinkedIn Location Have you checked out your “Experience” section on LinkedIn lately? They have a new field for “Location” and its completely user-generate d.  So while I recommend you put the locations you work: “ Fort Collins, Front Range, Greater Denver Area ” you can also put “ In computers everywhere! ” I think for those of you who have Brick and Mortar businesses or work with a strong local audience, this section might help with your find-ability .  Since LinkedIn only allows you to pop in one zip code in the Headline section , this will allow those of you who have a greater travel circumference to reach more people. It will also be useful for people who work for companies that might be based in Boston, but you work... Read More