May 9, 2010 (Watch & Read): See what happens when some people join Linkedin and discover things you can do to get the most out of Linkedin.

You may have seen this video before,  it’s funny and highlights a common question… how do I make Linkedin payoff? Many local business owners and professionals join Linkedin and then aren’t sure exactly how to use it to support their business. Like most tools, it’s useful, but only if you understand how to use it, and take the time to use it. If you simply join Linkedin,  sit back and wait for business to come rolling in, you’ll probably be left scratching your head, wondering what all the fuss is about.

Here are 4 simple things you can do to turn Linkedin into a useful marketing tool (add your suggestions and tactics below)…

1. Managing Your Professional Contact List & Communications: One of the simplest and most obvious uses for LinkedIn is to use it to manage your professional (partners, business associates, etc.) contact list and communications. Linkedin makes it easy to build, manage and communicate with your professional network. Once connected with the professionals you know, you can quickly and easily send them email communications or post interesting content to their news feed, that they can then share. While this doesn’t sound very sexy or exciting it’s a key component of your marketing that you should embrace.  Studies show that value oriented, regular (frequency appropriate) communications with those you know lead to share of mind, referrals and ultimately more business.

2. Finding & Connecting with Ideal Business Partners: If you are a local service provider or sales rep one of the best ways to use Linkedin is to search and find some of your best potential business partners, reach out to them and ask if they might like to grab coffee. Are you a CPA then contact local financial planners, are you a general contractor then contact local architects. Use Linkedin’s directory to find and reach out to the professionals you want to meet. When you contact them tell them what you do, that you service the same market they do, that you sometimes have a need for a good professional in their field, and that you’d be interested in meeting for coffee to discuss referring them (and hopefully visa versa).

3. Using Groups: Groups on Linkedin present another way to increase your  exposure. Joining or starting a group on linked can be an effective way to build, access and communicate with a large / targeted list of professionals. However, as with your own personal network, joining or starting a group itself will do little if you don’t engage and communicate with that network regularly. When you join a group post a regular discussion topic in your area of expertise, find a useful resource or some other information of value you can share. Just make sure your discussion topics (posts) are relevant, of value to others and serve a purpose for you.

4. Useful Introductions: Have you ever had a prospective client that you were in talks with but hadn’t closed, or a target prospect that you weren’t sure how to get in front of. Linkedin can be a powerful tool to aid you in closing jobs or finding connections to aid you in reaching targeted new prospects. Linkedin allows you see if anyone in your network (or extended network) knows your prospective or target client. A positive endorsement or intro from someone who knows your prospective client can go a long way.  The next time you have a potential client, login to Linkedin, do a search for that person, see if you know anyone connected to them and if so contact that person, ask them how well they know the prospect and if they might be willing to provide a recommendation or intro. Many a job have been closed in such a manner.

These are just 4 of the more common and valuable uses for Linkedin. By no means is this a complete list, but it is a good starting point. If you have additional tactics and uses for Linkedin share them in our comments below. Community knowledge usually trumps the knowledge of one.

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