We have often talked about making the most of your content, but what about leveraging your LinkedIn connections?

Too often, it doesn’t occur to LinkedIn users to reach out to their connections. To this type of user, LinkedIn is simply a resume on steroids. They put some time into their profile and then figure they’re all set.

It is essential to remember that LinkedIn is a social site with the dynamic nature that implies. When we effectively engage with our connections, we can make LinkedIn work for us.

 

How Many Connections Do I Need to Have?

  • The ideal number of connections will vary greatly among LinkedIn users. For those who are job seekers, it’s advisable to have at least a few hundred. Some even say having 500 or more is advisable.
  • The more connections you have, the more shared contacts you might have with a hiring authority and/or with employees where you want to work.
  • One of the best ways to land a job is through people who already work there. LinkedIn is a great way to connect with them. Shared connections could walk your resume over to HR or make an email introduction to key people at the company. Or they could connect you through a three-way call or a coffee meeting.
  • Business owners may not need to have quite as many connections as job seekers. Yet, the more connections they have, the higher the chance that one of them could refer a client.

 

 Engage with Connections by Mentioning Them

  • When you create a post on LinkedIn, consider mentioning one of your connections. The process of mentioning someone is the same as tagging a Facebook friend in an update. When you mention someone, LinkedIn notifies them via the bell icon.
  • To do it, type the @ sign and the person’s name – no space after the @ sign. When you see a box with their photo, name, and headline, click on it.
  • Wondering how to decide whom to mention and when? Has someone invited you to speak at an event? Did you recently see (or meet) someone at an event? Perhaps you worked on a project with them or you volunteer for the same organization. Maybe an article you’re sharing touches on their area of expertise. There are lots of ways to let your connections know you’re thinking of them.
  • Another approach is to go to the Activities section of their profile and look for a post they’ve shared. It can be one they wrote or one they’ve simply liked or commented on. Share that post to your LinkedIn connections and mention the person in your own comments.
  • When a LinkedIn connection comments on one of your posts, or mentions you in one of theirs, be sure to respond to that comment with their name to make sure they see it. This can be as quick as a thank you.

 

A Few Other Ways to Engage with Your Connections

  • Endorse them for one or more skills. (Please be sure it’s something you know they are good at.)
  • Write a recommendation for them. These tie directly to a position they have included in their experience section. So, if you have worked together, this is a great opportunity to acknowledge them.
  • Call or email the people who frequently comment on or share your posts. Or take them out for coffee or lunch to nurture your relationship.
  • Make a point of introducing your connections to people who can be resources for them. After all, if you want people to do that for you, it’s always best to lead by example.

 

How About You?

How have you been leveraging your LinkedIn connections? What are your thoughts on the number of connections to have?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 45 and up, to become more effective using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

She works with business owners, business development professionals, business consultants, job seekers, and more – ranging from entrepreneurs to people in large corporations. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.