There are many ways you can use LinkedIn to grow your membership organization.

These organizations can range from service clubs, like Rotary or Kiwanis, to professional associations to community organizations, like Toastmasters.

Recently, I helped Nancy Winston (pictured above), a Toastmaster for over 40 years and a retired educator, to start using LinkedIn. Quoting from the Toastmasters International website:

“Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that builds confidence and teaches public speaking skills through a worldwide network of clubs that meet online and in person. In a supportive community or corporate environment, members prepare and deliver speeches, respond to impromptu questions, and give and receive constructive feedback.”

Nancy actively promotes her Toastmaster involvement on Facebook, but it wasn’t until this fall that she decided to have a presence on LinkedIn. She realized this site provided additional opportunities to network with other Toastmasters and promote membership in the organization.

 

Include Your Involvement in the Organization in Your LinkedIn Profile

Nancy and I found many ways in which she could reference her Toastmasters experience in her profile.

Nancy is a member of clubs in District 26, which serves people and clubs in Colorado, Wyoming, and western Nebraska. In 2002-2003, she was the District Governor for the district and oversaw a team of nearly 50 volunteers. We wanted to showcase the District Governor position as well as other ways in which she has been and continues to be of service in Toastmasters.

Click here to see Nancy’s profile on LinkedIn.

• Use a photo associated with your organization for the cover photo. Nancy selected one taken of her and some other members at the recent Toastmasters annual convention.
• Reference the organization in your profile headline. Since Nancy is retired and doesn’t need to reference her line of work, she chose to use “Avid Toastmaster | Former District Leader.”
• You can reference organizations you belong to in the About section – such as professional, business, and community groups and organizations.
• The Organizations and Volunteering sections are also great places to highlight your involvement with an organization, as Nancy did in her profile.
• List your volunteer leadership roles as positions in the Experience section. Doing so gives more visibility to the organization. For example, Nancy listed her role as District 26 Toastmasters Governor in her Experience section. She also added her current role as Vice President of Education for one of her Toastmasters clubs.
• Include projects you’ve done with the organization in the Projects section. Be sure to reference other organization members who were involved with these projects. Nancy used this section to describe her experience of starting a Toastmasters club.

 

Share Posts on LinkedIn About Your Activity with the Organization

• Post about upcoming meetings and events of the organization.
• Reference past meetings and events and what you gained from attending them.
• Tag the organizers and guest speakers for these meetings and events to honor them.
• Celebrate the successes of the members of your organization.

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those 55 and older, to be more effective using social media, with a special focus on LinkedIn and Facebook. She works with business owners, business development professionals, job seekers, consultants, and more. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.