Learn how to optimize your personal and company LinkedIn profiles, use search tools for prospecting and job seeking, maximize SEO by leveraging your ability to be found on LinkedIn

1. SEK&Co LinkedIn Training
Information and training provided by Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC is intended for reference only. As the information is designed solely to provide guidance to the participants, it is not intended to be a
substitute for someone seeking personalized professional advice based on specific factual situations.
Although Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC has made every reasonable effort to ensure that the information provided is accurate, Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC and its Members, managers and
staff make no warranties, expressed or implied, on the information provided. The participant accepts the information as is and assumes all responsibility for the use of such information

2. Useful LinkedIn Statistics
• Over 259 M users on LinkedIn worldwide
• Over 2.875 M “C” level executives
• Over 9.9 M business owners
• Over 5.3 M VP level executives
• > 30M students & recent college grads
• 70% of people follow links posted by
friends & family

3. Why LinkedIn can be great to
promote your business
•
All your connections have an opportunity to follow
your business. Do they?
•
If they follow the link to your company, will they find
something compelling?
•
They’ll form an opinion. Will it be positive?
•
Is there a reason you wouldn’t want to take
advantage of this opportunity?

4. Why LinkedIn can be great to
promote your business
•
Company Pages provide a forum for talking about
your firm’s products & services
•
This is a great vehicle where prospects can learn
about your products and services
•
More importantly – they can also learn what your
CUSTOMERS say about your products & services
•
LinkedIn jobs appear in search results & on Twitter
•
LinkedIn is its own search engine for finding jobs
and companies

5. Why LinkedIn can be great to
promote your business
•
It’s free – why not HELP your prospects, leads and
potential employees find you?
•
LinkedIn updates on your company page reach all
followers – whether informational or promotional
•
Updates can also involve calls to action
•
Services/Products and include calls to action
•
Services/Products can include client
recommendations & video testimonials

6. Why LinkedIn can be great to
promote YOU
Ivan Misner, founder of BNI,
espouses the “givers gain”
philosophy.

7. Why LinkedIn can be great to
promote YOU
I’ve often found myself acting as “host”
in a networking event or Chamber
mixer – introducing people who
haven’t had an opportunity to meet on
their own. You can do this online....

8. Why LinkedIn can be great to
promote YOU
• You expand your network by connecting
with people
• Don’t be shy about connecting with old
friends, college classmates, or former
co-workers
• Join affinity groups
• Make interactions personal

9. Add a Profile Photo
• If you don’t have a profile photo, add one
• If you don’t like the one you have, update
it
• Make sure it’s professional
• Remember, you are leaving digital
footprints
• Rule of thumb for posts…

10. Complete Your Profile
• Your profile shows a percentage of
completion
– Make sure it’s 100%
• This could take a while
• 60 minute split over several sessions should do it
• Think of this as your billboard on the web
• Certifications & accomplishments

11. Connect with Affinity Groups
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MACPA
PICPA
® Certified ProAdvisors®
QuickBooks
You’ll get useful posts
You can also make useful posts

12. Connect with Your Co-workers
• Synergies
• Leveraging personal networks
• Multiplication: 200 * 150 = 30,000
– Intra-company N/W >= 30K people
– Who do you know…
– Prospects for Joel, Kristi, Steve L?

13. Follow Your Company Page
• We will begin regular (weekly) post this
month
• Get your clients to follow our page
• More followers = > visibility for SEK

14. Connect with Your Clients (& Prospects)
• Great way of keeping them informed
• Tax, BV, TPA, regular updates keep them
engaged
• Easy channel to communicate tips, tricks &
FAQs

15. Follow Your Clients’ Company Pages
• Learn more about them
• Research them before you engage them

16. Connect with Former Colleagues
• They could be future clients
• Keep them informed about what we’re
doing

17. Target & Wish List Accounts
•
•
•
•
Learn more about them
Follow the page
Gain insight on firm management
Connect with folks to whom they’re
connected

18. Connect with Friends & Family
• Who has a greater interest in your
success?
• Their networks could yield valuable
connections or referrals

19. Connect with College Classmates
• They could help you connect with client or
prospects
• You don’t know who they’ve connected
with since your college days

20. Use LinkedIn for Research
•
•
•
•
Competitors
Prospects
Industry segments, niches
Who your clients are connected to
– Referral opportunities

21. Ask for Endorsements
• You should begin cultivating
endorsements from clients
• The value of advertising is being eroded by
endorsement in the social media sphere
• Formal endorsements versus endorsing
particular skills