Book Review: I'm On LinkedIn — Now What???
As I’ve written before, I “get” LinkedIn, but I don’t see how it can help my business.
I’ve had a few people tell me LinkedIn is a contact management system, but I use ACT!. LinkedIn does not give me the ability to keep track of prospects’ and customers’ histories (plus spouse and kid names, birthdays, home address and phone numbers, etc.), so it’s not a place where I would keep track of contacts.
Other people have said it’s a social networking site, but I prefer face-to-face events where I can chat with people and catch up on their lives.
So, it was with relief that I found Jason Alba’s book, I’m On LinkedIn — Now What??? 
Like me, Jason found LinkedIn just was not working for him. As he states in the intro:
I knew that if I could figure out what all the buzz was about, and learn how professionals were using LinkedIn to improve their businesses and careers, I could benefit. But at first I just didn’t understand what I needed to do.
Jason then proceeds to explain exactly what LinkedIn is — and what it is not. To wit, LinkedIn is a networking tool, but it is not a social networking site like Facebook or a contact manager. (It’s also not a “time hog,” to use Jason’s words.)
LinkedIn is ideal for becoming known within other people’s networks — something I intuitively knew but couldn’t articulate.
That’s because some people prefer to ask their networks for recommendations — which is how crisis management expert Jonathan Bernstein heard about me. He posed a question to his LinkedIn network and someone recommended me.
How you can get more out of LinkedIn
A few of the things I learned from this book include the typical things, such as how to write a better profile and why recommendations are important.
However, the main thing I learned — and which I had no clue even existed — is that LinkedIn members have the ability to post and answer questions. Click on the “Answers” tab and you’ll find dozens of topics ranging from health and medical to marketing and PR.
And, this is where the lightbulb went on. Michelle Vranizan Rafter, Contributing Editor for Workforce Management and a business and technology reporter, posted the following question: “What’s your favorite blog for writers?”
Twenty three people responded to her post — and that’s how this blog got listed on Michelle’s WordCount blog in her post, “Best Blogs for Writers.”
Bottom line: if you have no clue why you should be on LinkedIn, or if you want to get more out of your LinkedIn experience, read Jason Alba’s book. The first thing I did after I read it? Made my profile “public.”
February 17th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Thanks for the mention Dianna. I’ve also written a couple posts on my WordCount blog about how writers can use LinkedIn. As you’ve pointed out, it’s a great tool for collecting information. But it’s equally good at keeping tabs of contacts, and finding story sources. In fact, I haven’t bothered signing up for ProfNet because I’ve had better luck using LinkedIn, to query my network, or post a question in the Answer section looking for possible sources. When I do pose questions, I always identify myself as a reporter.
How Writers Can Use LinkedIn, Part I
http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/how-writers-can-use-linkedin/
How Writers Can Use LinkedIn, Part II
http://michellerafter.wordpress.com/2007/12/14/how-writers-can-use-linkedin-part-ii/
Michelle Rafter
February 17th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Michelle,
Using LinkedIn as a source for experts is a great idea! I use ProfNet but have spent hours going through my database looking for people who might know other people. Thanks for the tip!
February 18th, 2008 at 3:25 am
I am on LinkedIn to. And I find it very useful looking for people I know and whom I’d like to reconnect with. This is a great post.Lots of valuable insights. Thanks for sharing it!
February 18th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Dianna-
Not only make your profile public but, don’t forget to edit those links for good link/ keyword text.
Rob
February 18th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Rob, to which links are you referring?
February 18th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Thanks for the insights, Diana!
I am one of the people who has received a couple dozen invites to join LinkedIn; now I have a 20+ person network and had no idea what to do with it…your comments and the pointer to Michelle’s book are very helpful. I’m ready to double my network and put it to use!
February 26th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Diana, thanks for the very cool review – for me, it’s a great read to start off my morning!
I appreciate the other comments here, with excellent resources and thoughts. I never thought that LI would replace ProfNet… wow, that is really a powerful thought.
With regard to Rob’s comment, about your links, I believe he’s talking about the “websites” listed on your profile. Instead of having it read “My Website” or “My Blog” or “My Company” or something like that, you can choose “Other” and then put in a more appropriate title.
Jason Alba
CEO – JibberJobber.com
Author – I’m on LinkedIn — Now What???
Co-author – I’m on Facebook — Now What???
February 26th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Ooooh Jason! I didn’t know you could customize the profile links. Thank you!! And thanks for stopping by!
February 26th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Sure thing Dianna, it’s one of my top three easy tips for improving a profile.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I updated them — so thank you.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
[...] Using LinkedIn for Business Correctly, about some tips he picked up from Jason Alba, (author of I’m on LinkedIn, Now What???) on how to use LinkedIn more [...]