LinkedIn: Back to Basics – How to build your Connections

How do I build my Connections?

Within LinkedIn there are 1^st degree, 2^nd degree and 3^rd degree connections:

• Your 1st degree connections are people you know and they are the centre of your network.
• Each person connected to your direct connection makes a 2nd degree connection and
• Those linked to your 2nd degree, make up your 3rd degree connections

Having set up you LinkedIn profile you will be able to invite contacts to connect with you through:

• Using webmail import; where you will see all the people you know who are already on LinkedIn. You can then select who you wish to invite to join your trusted network.
• Uploading a contacts file from Outlook, Palm, ACT!, or Mac Address
• Viewing the list of your colleagues and classmates that are already on LinkedIn.
• LinkedIn won’t let you connect with a 2^nd degree contact – you will need to rely on an introduction by a mutual connection.

For each of the above steps – there are “help” or “more info” buttons that will help walk you through the process.

How do I expand my network and start making other contacts?

Now that you are set up with a complete profile and have made connections with your “real-life” contacts, you are ready to start optimising the LinkedIn network.  How?   The best places to start are Answers and Groups

Answers

You can post a question on Answers for some expert advice or help to and tap into the experts you’re connected to and the entire LinkedIn network. With a professional community of over 135 million, this is the perfect place for those tough questions.  There is a limit of 10 questions a month for the basic account.

You can also use this section of the website to answer questions that other people have asked.  This will allow you to establish yourself as an expert if your field and may encourage more people to connect with you.

Groups

Groups is a great feature to get you ‘LinkedIn’ with professionals within similar industry to you where you can share news, updates, ideas, conversations, polls etc.

You can also request to join groups that are likely to consist of your audience where you can provide useful information and start relevant topics to help with any of their questions.

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