Leveraging linkedIn indivdual pages.

AuthorHershberger, Tara
PositionSOCIAL MEDIA

MORGAN STANLEY allows all of its 17,000 financial advisers access to LinkedIn after a trial revealed that 40 percent of users gained new clients.

In previous columns (ABA Bank Marketing, June 2012 and June 2013), we wrote about how financial institutions can maximize LinkedIn through Company Pages. In this column, we offer five essential tips to leverage LinkedIn Individual Pages as a business development tool.

Complete your profile Would you send an unfinished resume to a potential employer? Not likely! LinkedIn is an extension of your business card. It's where people go to research and validate you as a professional. Tell your story, including current and past positions with descriptions, share your successes via awards, certifications and even summary successes (without using specific client names, of course). Think of your Summary Statement as your 2-minute elevator pitch, which allows people to learn about you in a snapshot.

Build your connections

The power of LinkedIn resides in its ability to help people find and connect with others. You can search for specific names, companies and schools, or use LinkedIn's connection engine called "People You May Know."

Send a personalized message when you connect, an imperative for business development. Beware of the email import service, which strips you of that ability to build a good first impression.

Engage with others

Demonstrate your personality (and expertise) via Linkedin. Just as you wouldn't go into a party and not say a word, you need to have a voice and be an active participant. You also wouldn't keep talking without pausing to give the other participants a turn. There needs to be a balance between sending and receiving messages. Share updates via your profile, which can be new content (text only, with a photo or URL link), content from your connections, articles from influencers you follow, or share updates from your company. Ideally, use a mix of content types. Contact people with direct messages, which can be thought of as LinkedIn email.

Know your Settings

Wouldn't...

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