Do you want to: identify and connect with new customers; build a stronger, ongoing relationship with existing customers; find new and talented employees; and, raise awareness about your company? If so, learning how to use LinkedIn can help you become a Social CEO and accomplish many of these goals. Many Baby Boomer CEOs may be hesitant to use social media. You may not fully understand the business benefits and therefore don't view it as a useful tool. However, learning to use LinkedIn and other social media platforms is not unlike the hundreds of other skills you have learned to grow your business. The adoption of new tools, technology and practices always begins slowly as we progressively replace the old with the new, discover new efficiencies and leverage smarter applications. According to a recent Digital Marketing Report, LinkedIn now has 350 million users worldwide and more than 100 million in the U.S. Plus, LinkedIn adds 2 users every second, and it is the business social network used most by 50-64 year old professionals nationwide. With its growth, it is quickly becoming one of the most useful tools for business communication and marketing. LinkedIn users most commonly: research companies to learn more about their products and services, network to find new customers and new jobs, share valuable industry information and discuss the latest issues that could impact their business. How do you use LinkedIn to become a social CEO? If you are ready to leverage LinkedIn as your launch pad for building your social media presence but aren't sure how to get started, have no fear. Here are 10 basic steps you can take to become a social CEO:
If you would like to see an example of a top-notch LinkedIn profile, check out other CEO profiles on LinkedIn. For example, Amy Power has a powerful and engaging LinkedIn profile. Power is the president and CEO of The Power Group, a public relations agency located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. She has a strong, brief headline accompanied by a professional headshot. In the 120-character description section, Power uses language that captivates and engages, while including several keywords that are relevant to her industry. LinkedIn is a great tool for professional networking and developing business opportunities. It has the power to connect you directly with employees, current customers, potential customers, industry leaders and others who can impact your company's performance and ultimately enhance its value. You can use LinkedIn as an easy, direct way to begin your journey as a social CEO., If your company operates more in the B2B realm, or you want direct, easy, and more interactive access to your employees, customers and others, consider Facebook and Twitter as complementary forums. We will provide some useful tips on how to use those in our next column.
The business world has changed over the past few decades. One of the biggest changes has been the popularity of the Internet and the use of the Internet by the business world. Most businesses routinely use websites, twitter accounts, and social media to communicate with customers and prospects on a regular basis. These same companies conduct a large percentage of their daily business operations on the Internet and via “the cloud” for human resources, customer service, enterprise resource planning (ERP), analytics, and sales. Social MediaWhile other social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest receive a lot of fanfare, LinkedIn is the social media platform that is primarily a business resource. The reasons for utilizing LinkedIn vary among business professionals, but professional networking, lead generation, sales activity, and B2B marketing are primary reasons why people use LinkedIn. If you are an executive interested in using LinkedIn or currently use LinkedIn, there are a variety of things that you should understand. For upper management business professionals, especially CEOs, great care must be taken with the use of LinkedIn for professional networking and LinkedIn marketing. The reason is because the rules for CEOs are different than other business professionals. People expect a certain polished presence from CEOs, so image is very important. Therefore, CEOs’ LinkedIn accounts must be constructed very carefully. LinkedIn For CEOs – Things To Avoid
LinkedIn For CEOs – Things To Do
If you are a CEO or have aspirations for an upper management position, you should take a moment to review your LinkedIn account. Make sure that you are using LinkedIn in a manner that highlights your personal brand and does not affect you or your company negatively. The tips listed above are just a few things that should be considered while reviewing your LinkedIn profile. A polished LinkedIn account can be an efficient tool to make that key business connection or shortening a future sales cycle.
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