Alternative ways to Use Linkdein

Rising social networking star Linkedin is irrevocably associated with employee-recruiting and job-seeking but is that all it is limited to? As netizens continue to stretch the use of applications to suit their own needs, new and innovative uses present themselves.

Public Relations

The usefulness of PR as a tool for businesses need not be belabored. However many business owners have difficulty in bolstering their PR, and in view of the fact that we are now in the Relationship Era of marketing, PR plays a key role in developing good relationships with consumers and other businesses.

How can we use Linkedin for this? Users can go to profiles of others and write a sincere accounting of their experience with them, (whether it is a consumer writing a testimonial for a company, or a company writing an endorsement for a contractor or other company’s staff), this effectively creates a good repute, and instill confidence.

Although it seems passive (having to wait for someone to come and write an endorsement on your profile page), on the contrary

The passive approach of waiting for one to, out of the kindness of their heart, to come to your page (un-coaxed) and writing an inspiring endorsement is unrealistic; unless you are a celebrity or Apple, whereby individuals come in droves to voice their love and appreciation.

The active and proper approach would be for one to take the lead himself, and out of the kindness of his own heart, write sincere and factual endorsements on all the people he had interacted with in his business. The recipients would then in turn, in the spirit of gratitude write one for you. It is not known what exact percentage would reciprocate but it is well worth pursing.

What to do

1. Make a list of all business contacts (contractors, associates) and connect with them on Linkedin
2. Write them all sincere, factual endorsements
3. Send personal messages to those of whom you have had very long and stable relationship with, and ask them directly if they would be so kind as to write a ‘review’ of your company on your Linkedin page. Do not ask them to write you a testimonial or an endorsement, (even though it is the same in the end).