Presented by, Peter A. Williams, CFA SOAR Conference 2018 “What Do You Need to Know About LinkedIn?” March 8, 2018 Presented by, Peter A. Williams, CFA

I. To Succeed on LinkedIn, Use LinkedIn as both a “Social Network” and as a “World Class Database” How Many here are on LinkedIn? Raise your hand if you have greater than 100 connections?, 200?, 300?, 400?, 500? I’ve been a heavy user since – I use it to: Prepare for meetings Research people, companies, and topics Figure out a way to contact/connect with someone I’ve identified Build relationships ***Most importantly – people are using it to find me and to learn about me

LinkedIn Search Example searches – Boolean operators **Save Search** LinkedIn Search: “Manager” AND (Purchasing OR Procurement OR “Supply Chain” OR Buyer) 1st and 2nd level connections Aviation & Aerospace, Airlines/Aviation, Defense & Space **Save Search** Show “Create Search Alert” Follow Up – check their profile: to see who in your network can introduce you Look for conversation starters – e.g. similar interests, previous employers, schools, LinkedIn groups, community service interests LOOK AT PEOPLE ALSO VIEWED LIST Send a direct message if in a common group Send customized invite to connect

LinkedIn Search Example searches – Search an Individual Connection’s Contacts Select Individual Profile – select “See Connections” link 1st and 2nd level connections Owner OR President OR CEO OR Founder Industry: Information technology John Yates profile

LinkedIn Search University Search Especially valuable for keyword research Mercer University

II. LinkedIn’s Search Secret ***This is also the universe of people that can find you by searching LinkedIn***

LinkedIn Search BASIC PRINCIPLE: YOUR SEARCH RESULTS WILL INCLUDE ONLY MEMBERS WHO ARE 1ST-LEVEL, 2ND-LEVEL, AND 3RD-LEVEL CONNECTIONS OF YOURS (YOUR “LINKEDIN NETWORK”) AND MEMBERS WHO BELONG TO GROUPS YOU DO INTRODUCE PRINCIPLE OF LINKEDIN SEARCH: YOUR SEARCH RESULTS WILL INCLUDE YOUR 1ST-LEVEL, 2ND-LEVEL, AND 3RD- LEVEL CONNECTIONS (YOUR “LINKEDIN NETWORK”) ***Only those people will find you in LinkedIn search

LinkedIn THE STARTING POINT FOR SUCCESS USING LINKEDIN IS TO: BUILD YOUR PROFILE; AND BUILD YOUR NETWORK Self-Explanatory The name of the game is getting people to your profile, then motivating/inducing them to take the next step and reach out to you personally to take the relationship off-line FIND PEOPLE: BE FOUND SO: THE FORMULA FOR LINKEDIN SUCCESS IS (1) BUILD YOUR PROFILE; (2) BUILD YOUR NETWORK

III. How to get the key areas of your profile right

Your Profile – It’s No Time to Blend! The name of the game is getting people to your profile, then motivating/inducing them to take the next step and reach out to you personally to take the relationship off-line LINKEDIN WANTS YOU TO HAVE: A FULL/COMPLETE PROFILE A STRONG PROFILE AN ACTIVE PROFILE

Your Profile Most Important Sections Picture Headline Summary Current Job Description Recommendations and Skills/Endorsements Percent Complete YOUR PICTURE – LinkedIn reports that profiles with pictures are 14x more likely to get viewed

Your Profile Professional Headline, or “Branding” Headline

Your Profile Professional Headline, or “Branding” Headline Key: Where it appears Every time your profile is viewed When you share an update or long-form post (LinkedIn Pulse), When your profile appears in search results Does your headline encourage people in your target market to want to read more about you? Does it include important keywords? 120 characters including spaces Headline should be what you do, what you want to do, or what you want to be known for The default is your job title This headline is Descriptive/functional and very straightforward Another effective approach is the keyword approach

Your Profile Professional Headline, or “Branding” Headline Headline should be what you do, what you want to do, or what you want to be known for I took a simple keyword approach Spoiler Alert: LinkedIn search loves the word “expert”

Your Profile Summary YOU MUST USE THIS SPACE! IT IS “PRIME REAL ESTATE” IN LINKEDIN SEARCH Include what you hope to be found for – 2000 characters incl. spaces Be personal; 1st person is recommended; don’t duplicate job descriptions Akin to an elevator pitch; describe your perfect customer Include a call to action LinkedIn says profiles with Summaries get 10x the views of those without This is where you connect what’s at the top of the profile with the rest of it What drives you? What’s your specific skill set? What are you great at? What are you most passionate about? What do your former bosses say about you? What do your professors say about you? What do you feel passionate about even if it doesn’t seem relevant to business?

Your Profile Popular Approach NOTE – SCROLL BACK TO SHOW - Look at my profile for MOBILE ISSUE example Good spacing; very logical layout Organized Shows passion Written in first-person Specialties NOTE – BE AWARE OF THE MOBILE APP ISSUE *****GO LIVE: Andrew Murison, Karthik Rajan

Your Profile Summary Worksheet What drives you? What’s your specific skill set? What are you great at? Can you list an adjective describing what you do?; another addressing how you do it? Another pertaining to why you do it? Can you describe your perfect customer? What would your former bosses say about you? What do you feel passionate about – even if it doesn’t seem relevant to your business? How are you or your company unique? What’s your call to action? What do you want a viewer of your profile to do next? What accomplishments are you most proud of? How do they connect to the future/your business? LinkedIn says profiles with Summaries get 10x the views of those without This is where you connect what’s at the top of the profile with the rest of it What drives you? What’s your specific skill set? What are you great at? What are you most passionate about? What do your former bosses say about you? What do your professors say about you? What do you feel passionate about even if it doesn’t seem relevant to business?

Your Profile Job Descriptions Your current job description and job title carry the most weight in LinkedIn searches Emphasize accomplishments, not duties Keyword, keyword, keyword Note: search preference for keywords included in job title field Current job description and job title carry the most weight in LinkedIn searches Go back to search for “valuation expert” search results – show the modifications people have made to their titles

Your Profile Skills and Recommendations Info only below – covered on next pages Provides “social proof” People want to know what other people say about you

Your Profile Info only below – covered on next pages Provides “social proof” People want to know what other people say about you

Your Profile Demonstrate the skills section in my profile Now only 3 are shown; can click for more Recommend limit to 10 or so of your best; can re-order these as well Highly searchable – LinkedIn has RECENTLY said so!!! You can go in and edit/re-order these

Your Profile No longer associated with a specific job in the new UI; need now to scroll all the way down ***HOWEVER – may only be given by 1st-level connections Explain Recommendations and the value thereof Highly valued by LinkedIn; also keywords are very searchable Request them from people you want them from You can suggest keywords you’d like used You can moderate these before allowing them to be posted ***Go Live - Quickly show how to request; how to offer

Your Profile Percent Complete – the higher the better **If your profile is incomplete – you look like someone who doesn’t finish things** ***STAY LIVE Important to LinkedIn algorithm – they’re telling you this IF IT’S INCOMPLETE – YOU LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T FINISH THINGS

Don’t Forget Claim your “vanity” URL – LinkedIn automatically creates author URLs http://www.linkedin.com/in/PeterWilliamsCFA https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/PeterWilliamsCFA ***Your LinkedIn profile is a website and is indexed by Google ***DEMO LIVE HOW TO: Edit your profile – click Customize your public profile Put this address: on your business card in your email signature In your Company press releases In your Twitter profile Etc, etc, etc Demonstrate some google searches: “Peter Williams acquisitions” “Peter Williams SBDC” ***FINISH YOUR PROFILE – otherwise you look like someone who doesn’t finish your homework

IV. How to Build a Valuable LinkedIn Network Since basic member search gives results including up to 3rd level connections plus group members, the GOAL is to expand your network Having a larger network gives the following advantages: You’ll appear more in search results You’ll usually rank higher You’ll have more shared connections & thus have easier access to the right people Your status updates and Pulse posts are more likely to receive views, shares, likes, and comments

Your LinkedIn Network Expand Your Network of 1st level connections When you meet someone, ask if they’re on LinkedIn/offer to connect!!

Write customized invitation

Your LinkedIn Network Expand Your Network of 1st level connections Use your email lists (Click “My Network”) Review suggestions from LinkedIn – “People You May Know” (select “My Network”) Join relevant groups and invite selected group members to connect LinkedIn has made this real easy in the new UI – click “My Network”

Your LinkedIn Network Join Maximum # of Groups Allowed by LinkedIn (now 100) *** Note: Can privately message other group members on LinkedIn for free – Response Rate Very High *** Explain limitations on messaging: LinkedIn now limits messaging to 15/month; must be a group member for 4 days 4-day waiting period

LinkedIn “300” Workout To Get Started…. 100 connections or new connections 100% complete profile 100 groups

V. Make Your Profile an Information Hub for Your Target Market

LinkedIn Activity Updates/Shares Long-Form Posts – LinkedIn Pulse

Wrapping Up Do you have actionable ideas about how to improve your profile and your professional brand? And how to use LinkedIn to stand out? Can you efficiently locate business prospects using LinkedIn? Are you ready to take it to the next level with engagement? Now what? ”

Let’s Connect on LinkedIn – I’d Enjoy the Opportunity THANK YOU!! Let’s Connect on LinkedIn – I’d Enjoy the Opportunity