Are you on LinkedIn yet? Did you know more than 30 million businesses and over 690 million people use LinkedIn to connect and create community in more ways than one? It's the main social network used for talent, whether for employment and/or entrepreneurship.

LinkedIn has helped me get countless jobs and consultancies both as a full-time employee and as a side-hustler. Once I became a full-time entrepreneur, it has continued to help me connect directly to people and businesses in wellness, business and travel.

Whether you are looking for your next opportunity and/or growing your business, LinkedIn makes it easier than ever to connect with key decision makers in any industry. LinkedIn is an important part in any strategy for business development and growth.

For years, LinkedIn was the only social network I kept updated until 2014. In 2015-2016, I began to recognize its power for entrepreneurship as well.

With any online business, setting up your LinkedIn profile, page, and strategy will help you grow your presence and business. It's a great platform to help you stand out in your areas of expertise.

How to Use LinkedIn for Your Business will help you with your Profile, Page, and Strategy.

Photo by Photos by Brock Atlanta

Start Your LinkedIn Account

If you don't have a LinkedIn Account yet, start one. Perhaps, you haven't updated it in a while.

It's time to my friend.

Let me simplify it for you.

Start / Update Your Profile
Include Key Items in Your Name
Write Your Tag Line
Maximize Your Profile
Outline Your Strategy

Before you know it, you will be using LinkedIn for Your Business.

Your Profile on LinkedIn

Your name, and key areas of interest is the first thing people see. This is where you want to add any accomplishments, certifications, and expertise. For example, I list my MBA and CPA. However, in March of 2020, I modified the name to include Online & Live Speaker and Creator.

I encourage you to look at others in your area of expertise, as well as popular searches on LinkedIn.

The second immediate point of interest includes the lines right below your name.

You can see how mine include "Obsessed with Wellness & Transformation, Digital & Influencer Marketing, & Events for Entrepreneurs & Brands". This all aligns to areas of expertise and features in the profile.

Consider what you want people to reach out to you for. Make sure you include that in the name and tag line. LinkedIn allows you to change your link in settings. For example, I changed mine last year to "KatrinaLifestyleTransformation". This is another way you may set apart how you serve others.

About

Over the years, LinkedIn has evolved to bridge the gap for employees, entrepreneurs and business owners.

The About section is a great place to showcase your work, experience, and impacts in industries.

I recommend you include links you want people to visit as well.

Features on LinkedIn

Not too long ago, LinkedIn added a Features section right below the About Section. Here is where you may share examples of your work, blogs, shows, media and case studies / testimonials.

What I have learned over the years is you want to help people see what it would be like to work with you, and the level of quality in your work.

Include some features and highlights similarly to how you would on your own media page. Make it a point to be active sharing posts, engaging in comments, and sending messages weekly. You never know who is watching. Always think value, value, value, serve, serve, serve.

Speaking of Your Features, add in a way to connect with you from your profile!

I use HoneyBook, an incredible platform and tool for creatives, entrepreneurs, and businesses. They include questionnaires, contact forms, contracts, proposals, workflows and integrations.

I recently added a Contact Form from HoneyBook directly on my Features on LinkedIn. So can you! It allows you to serve others right away at any time of day without them having to message you.

One of my HoneyBook contact forms.

Pretty cool, right?

Once someone completes the form, we get notified on HoneyBook and via e-mail via the workflow.

Additional Sections on LinkedIn

Last, but not least are your sections for Experience, Education, Licenses, Skills, and Recommendations. These are all ways to grow your LinkedIn Profile.

I operate under give more than you receive including in recommendations.

I recommend you do the same. Find reasons and people to be grateful for.

I say I am God and community made.

We cover the 411 more in depth in our CREATEIT summit and monthly mastermind as well.

Your Strategy on LinkedIn

Once you have your profile and page all set up, you may be curious how to use LinkedIn for your business beyond what I have shared so far!

Here is a Strategy on LinkedIn you may follow:

1 Start with themes & features on Profile

2 Connected with people in wellness, marketing, business & travel

3 Comment on posts and submissions creating community

4 Outsourced to my Virtual Assistants on Okay Relax to get Fortune 500 & Travel Bureau Contacts

5 Connecting with Contacts on Freebies of Value e.g. Blog, Show, etc & ways we serve

Some people may accept your connection, respond to your message, request the next step e.g. call, and/or request your services. Others may connect later as they observe your connections and activity on LinkedIn. You can see how everything is aligned, and offers value at every step.

So, now that you have all the pieces together, what's next for you on LinkedIn?