In 2022, LinkedIn will be 13 years old, which means that it will be an absolute must-have for your business development and networking needs if you want to stay competitive. If you’re using the platform now, there’s no doubt that you’ll be using it even more in the future. While you might use it to keep up with old friends or to get recommendations from professionals you don’t know personally, most people are on LinkedIn so they can network with other professionals and find job opportunities.
About the author
Cassandra Peterson is an expert in social media, technology, and business. With over 20 years of experience under her belt, Cassandra has been featured on news shows such as CNN and ABC as well as on radio programs nationwide. She’s written several best-selling books on social media and technology—and she’s speaking at hundreds of conferences worldwide.
What are your end goals?
Although it’s impossible to know exactly what your business will look like ten years from now, it’s crucial that you have a broad-strokes sense of what your business will look like five years from now. If you can see it all on paper—you’ll likely be able to execute it.
What business should you start?
Many people start a business because they want to be their own boss, or they are looking for financial freedom. But, starting a business can be risky. You may fail, and you could lose everything. The best way to minimize those risks is by making sure you’re doing something that other people will pay money for and won’t have alternatives available—something so unique that your competition can’t replicate it.
Who should you meet?
These networking sites are designed to help you connect with people based on shared connections, interests and skills. You can also use them to meet new people by sending out a request via e-mail. If someone is interested, they’ll accept your invitation and you’re good to go.
Who is your competitor?
Every business is by definition a competition—competition for our time and money. If you want to get ahead, you need to know who your competitors are, whether they’re local or international (or both). Once you know who your competitors are, do some research on their social media strategies and approach.
Where do you belong?
Knowing where you fit into your industry can be helpful, because it allows you to position yourself accordingly. Maybe you’re an expert or influencer, or maybe you have a network of valuable connections. Regardless, understanding your role and value within an industry can help you understand how and why others approach it differently. While being a jack of all trades is certainly impressive, being a master of one seems to be much more rewarding (and effective).
Why don’t other people have this information on their profile?
The truth is, people don’t have a complete profile because it’s just not easy. There are a lot of moving parts and it can be hard to find information when you need it. People don’t get around to adding all of their experience or doing more than one skills section.
How can you attract more clients/customers/followers etc.?
Attracting new prospects/clients/customers is crucial to growing your business. It doesn’t matter if you have a great product, service or brand — if nobody knows about it, how can you grow? Here are some strategies for attracting new leads and customers on LinkedIn.
Conclusion
The future of social media is changing rapidly. By its very nature, it will never stay still. But as we’ve seen in our discussion of key trends and how they apply to your strategy on LinkedIn, there are a number of things you can do right now that will help you shape your own vision of social media success.
