LinkedIn is an incredibly popular networking social media platform, there are now over 400 million users on LinkedIn from over 200 countries. It has grown tremendously and is the premier social networking platform for sales professionals. It’s estimated that sales professionals spend about 6 hours a week on LinkedIn. You can find just about any fortune 500 company on LinkedIn. The question is, with all the noise and competition on LinkedIn, how do you make positive, helpful connections?
What Is Social Capital?
As a business person, you are probably familiar with the concept of “capital.” Human capital is the sum total which consists of people's knowledge, talents, and motivation. Financial capital is, of course, your financial resources, such as cash and lines of credit. The idea of social capital is that of relationships, communication, and good-will. While it may seem fluffy to some, there are many instances in business, in which someone is more likely to help you out because they know your character than because they see your spreadsheet.
Are You a Go-Getter or a Go-Giver?
People who are called go-getters are often lauded due to their drive and hard work. While drive and hard work are remarkable traits, they are fairly common in very self-centered individuals who are more interested in personal gain, than healthy, long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. Being a “go-giver” as described by Bob Berg in his excellent book. The idea is that by giving to others you will eventually see it pay off, as other people who are givers will be attracted to you.
It’s “Social” Media
The idea of social media is to be social. While LinkedIn isn’t the best place for vacation photos or political commentary, it still requires you to be social. The important thing is to learn what being social means on LinkedIn, as opposed to other social sites, or even in person. On LinkedIn, you can be both a go-giver and social by doing a few simple things. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Give testimonials and recommendations based on real experiences
- Share ideas freely, both your ideas and the ideas of others (giving proper credit)
- Start or help cultivate a LinkedIn group for people with specific needs or interests
- Like and share things that your connections will care about
- Be free with your expertise
Anytime you use LinkedIn, ask yourself, am I giving more or asking more? As long as you keep giving more than you are looking to receive, you will see your social capital grow and grow.
By building social capital you can begin building your future profits a little at a time. Just as a financial investment doesn’t pay off for some time, relationship investments are a long term investment If you would like to learn more about LinkedIn, social networking, or selling in a digital age, you need to visit our site and download our 25 LinkedIn Tips. You can also learn more about how to apply these principles from Sandler Training Solutions by contacting Sandler Salefish today.
