Use LinkedIn well and avoid mistakes

Thanks to MBF member David Wilson for sharing this article with us:

http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/9-mistakes-youre-making-on-linkedin.html

It talks about the errors you can make in using LinkedIn but the key pieces of advice are true whatever type of networking you do, online or meeting people face to face:

• make it a continual activity – don’t just turn to it when you are looking for connections or leads and hope that people will immediately help you or that you will strike it lucky.  Building worthwhile relationships takes time and effort
• you need to give and give thoughtfully – recommendations, time and effort.  Don’t expect like-for-like returns; they would only be shallow and probably meaningless.  You will build your reputation by being helpful and make it more likely that others will be willing to help you (the “Pay It Forward” principle)

The article contains many more tips and is well worth reading.

If you are interested in using the power of LinkedIn to develop your professional network, then there are two further resources available here

• Mastering LinkedIn, a document containing lots of tips by HubSpot passed on to us by MBF member Jeanette Hore of Chester Valuation Company 
  
• the notes from the July 2012 MBFmeeting, Notes on Promoting your Business July 2012

Happy networking and please let us know of any other tips or useful resources you come across