LinkedIn is a social media platform for professional networking. It allows users to create profiles, connect with contacts, search for potential clients and business partners, and collaborate on projects. Business professionals can use LinkedIn to establish their company's competence in an industry by developing their network and promoting their expertise. Private companies benefit from LinkedIn by creating a network of potential business contacts and resources, promoting their profiles, and positioning themselves as knowledgeable in their field through group participation and posting valuable content.

1. Digital 3.0 101:
for Private Business

2. What is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is your virtual introduction to
a network of professionals from around
the globe. And since a new member joins
approximately every second, it lends the
perfect opportunity to search for, make
introductions to, and collaborate with
potential clients and business associates.

3. Who uses LinkedIn?
Business professionals. LinkedIn promotes
business intelligence, business development, and
the creation of business relationships—especially
when your employees utilize this intelligent 3.0
tool to establish your company’s competence and
expertise within your industry.

4. What is LinkedIn?
To begin networking in LinkedIn,
go to LinkedIn.com and register.
Once signed up, you can create
a profile that summarizes your
professional expertise and various
accomplishments. Develop your
network by inviting contacts to join
LinkedIn and connect with you.
Eventually your network will develop
into a vast number of qualified and
like-minded professionals.

5. Get LinkedIn
• Manage your public and professional
profile like a resume
• Make self-introductions to potential
clients, service providers, and colleagues
• Collaborate on projects, research,
and share/network services
• Find and advertise business opportunities
via potential business partners
• Create groups with other like-
minded professionals and experts
• Job search and create sales leads
• Recruit the best talent for your company

6. Learn More
Learn more about using LinkedIn by
reading Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn.

7. Why LinkedIn for Business?
LinkedIn is marketed as “the social networking site for
business professionals”—that’s why executives from all
Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members. LinkedIn offers
many opportunities for private companies.

8. LinkedIn Business Benefits
Create your network of potential business contacts and resources by inviting
past employers, colleagues, clients, peers, and prospects.
Sign up for free! But as you fill out your profile, remember to put yourself in the
shoes of your clients. Will they search LinkedIn by your name? Or will they search
via service, e.g., such as “ECM provider”? Build up a list of those keywords and
search phrases and use them throughout your profile.
Promote your profile through email marketing by including your
LinkedIn URL in your email signature.
Join industry-related LinkedIn groups to add expertise to your profile and to
create conversation between you and other members of the group.
Post news (similar to status updates in Facebook) to position yourself as
knowledgeable in your field. However, post content that you sincerely feel is
valuable to other fellow group members. This will drive traffic to your profile and
then to your posted links (company Web site, blog, etc.).