Natalie Morris Morris MC

The previous post talked about you keeping up with your profile. However, once you start getting involved with LinkedIn and you start getting the updates you may find yourself overwhelmed with information.

Here are a few suggestions that have worked for me:

• Have all your linked in e-mails go directly to one folder then only check that folder once a day or once a week. It is important to keep up with your contacts, but don't let them take over your day.
• Schedule time where you will focus on your LinkedIn Account. This will help you maintain your contacts and also will help you keep your profile up-to-date.
• Don't get involved with too many groups. Don't be afraid to join a group, but if you find it is becoming distracting go to the group select the settings tab and modify your settings, instead of a daily digest choose weekly, or choose none at all. If you are receiving e-mails choose to not allow e-mails. If you want to change these setting globally go to your profile and choose Account Settings.
• If all else fails you can always leave a group.
• Spend time reviewing the digest, make a list of items you want to follow up on, then make time to follow up. To be successfull at using LinkedIn you need to be well organized.

Remember LinkedIn is suppose to help your business not hurt it. You don't need to follow up with everything that comes through LinkedIn, only follow up with those things that you feel may be helpful.

Natalie Morris
www.morrismc.com

If you use the use the messages feature you can get information sent to you from Linked-In, you can choose either individual e-mails, or (daily or weekly) digests, or if you prefer not to get any e-mails.

The best thing about getting information directly from Linked-In is that you see updates on a regular basis which keeps the networking in the front of your mind, instead of it getting buried under the your everyday stresses.

A very simple tool to keep your profile up-to-date is the "what are you working on" feature just under your photo. This is short and sweet and easy to update.

• I am meeting with an "important client" to discuss their web needs.
• I am looking for contacts with non-profit organizations.
• I am working on my new blog.
• I am having lunch with someone interesting.

 Every day you can update your snippet, it doesn't require much and you may be surprised at who responds to your note.

Of course it is always important to keep up with your inbox. There is nothing worse than missing an important e-mail because you haven't checked your account in a while.

Another good way to keep up with your Linked-In account is every time you meet someone new, check them out and get connected. It really doesn't take much especially if you have a business card.

Natalie Morris
www.morrismc.com

I admit, it has taken a while for me to embrace LinkedIn. It seems like a lot of work for not a lot of results. However, now that I have been dedicated to it for a while, and my connections are actually starting to pay off I can truly see the benefit.

If you are happy and stable in your job, and you have plenty of clients to keep you busy, or if you don't need to meet new people to become successful than LinkedIn is probably a waste of your time.

However LinkedIn is very helpful for people who are:

Looking for a new job - Either actively or passively- Even if you are happy in your current position, would you take another job if they offered you more money, better benefits, more time off, flexible schedule? If someone called you today and offered you the perfect job, would you take it? If you don't have an active network how would they ever find you?

Looking for new clients - Most people prefer to do business with people they know, or with people who are recommended to them. However getting people to recommend you is not always that easy. Not because they don't want to but because either they don't really understand what you do, or they don't know when other poeple have a need for your services. LinkedIn allows people to scan through their contacts connections and see if there is anyone who might be a good fit for them at that time. They can then ask their connection for a recommendation, or better yet if your connection has already recommended you then they know you are a good connection.

On the Flip side - LinkedIn is a great tool for finding services- Do you need an attorney, a web developer, or even a hair stylist? What's the first thing you do? You ask a friend or colleague. LinkedIn helps you find these people easier, and even more importantly it allows you learn more about them before you even meet them or ask for a referral.

Finding lost contacts - We have all lost touch with people over the years, either they have move jobs, or you just lost touch. LinkedIn allows you to find those people and get connected again. You can use search terms that don't require knowing their full name. In fact you may only know a company where they worked and their last name and still be able to find them. Better yet, they may know a friend and you can get that connection through your mutual friend.

This all may sound like a great idea, but the real question is does it work? I must admit, it does. Earlier today I got connected with 4 friends I had known through a networking group years ago and now I am connected with them again. Also today, as I was scanning through my contacts I found a potential connection that may be of mutual benefit to both of us. I am eager to receive her response!

Another great feature is as your connection add new connections LinkedIn notifies you of their updates, this way you don't need to keep checking their profiles to see if they have added anyone new.

Linked in may not be for everyone, but it is becoming the biggest water-cooler on the net!

Go get LinkedIn!

 Natalie Morris
www.morrismc.com

The next question most new bloggers or bloggers-to-be have, is "Why should I Blog?" There are a few reasons why people decide to Blog.

The first reason is to create creditability, blogging is a simple, cheap media where you can toot your own horn to clients, associates, friends or family. The Blog gives you a place to showcase everything you know. You can also create multiple blogs to really focus your knowledge towards a niche audience.

Inexpensive advertisingis another reason. Most hosting companies will provide a free blog, as well as a number of other blogging resources, blogger.com is probably the most common, however there many other options, including wordpress.com, thoughts.com, etc. All you need to spend is your time.

One of the most common uses for a blog is an easy fast way to provide up-to-date information. You don't need any special software, you don't even need to be at your computer, all you need is a computer with Internet access and you can update your blog from anywhere. This is very useful for people who travel to events and want to be able to report up-to-date information in real time.

Social media is the buzz word today, and a blog is a great social media. Social media is a way for people to get connected and stay connected through the Internet. Blogs, Linked-in, forums, etc. are all forms of social media. Although any one on it's own will probably give you limited results, using them all together can create a social network that works for you.

Finally one other reason many people blog is to help boost their website's linkability.In the world of search engine optimization linking of one site to another has always been a great way to increase that sites rankings. However of the years these rules have changed from any link, to good links, to link that are from related sites. A Blog will talk about your services, skills, products, industry, knowledge, which will relate nicely to your website. Linking from your site to your blog and back will help create good likability.

Blogging can be fun and exciting!

Natalie Morris
www.morrismc.com

One of the hardest parts of writing a blog is actually making the commitment and getting started. When you ask most bloggers what they write about, you usually get a very general answer like "anything", "whatever you feel like", "whatever is on my mind". Although those answers are all "true" it doesn't really help the fist time blogger.

So here are some ideas as to get you started.

If you met someone for the first time and they asked what you did, what would you tell them?

What is a common question you get from friends, piers, associates?

What is something you wanted to find information on but didn't seem to be able to find it?

What are those little jewels of information you wish everyone else knew?

These are just a few examples, use your imagination to come up with topics that others would find interesting to read about.

The next question most bloggers have is "how" should they write their blog. This depends on a few things, one the audience you are trying to attract, and two what the blog is going to be used for.

If your blog is going to be attached to your website and is meant to provide information to clients, and potential customers, then you should strive to keep the tone professional. If your blog is meant to speak to piers, friends, etc. then your tone can be more casual.

However, the nice thing about the Blog is it should sound "conversational". So write like you are actually talking to your target audience. This should also help to keep you kn the right "tone", the same way you would talk to your target audience is the same way you should write your blog.

NOTE: just because your target audience is your friends and associates, doesn't mean your clients and superiors won't read it so always keep in mind you never want to offend or put off other people reading your blog.

The final question people usually ask is how long should a blog entry be? The answer is however long it takes to say what you want to say. If it's one paragraph today, and 2 pages tomorrow, than that's how long it should be, if its just one jem a day, that is great too. The most important thing to keep in mind is that is should be a regular process, every day, or every week, once you go longer than that you will loose the benefit of a blog.

Have a terrific day and go Blog!

Natalie Morris
www.morrismc.com