Maximizing LinkedIn for Sales and Social Media Marketing

LinkedIn is a great tool if you want to attract new clients. The book Maximizing LinkedIn for Sales and Social Media Marketing helps you to improve your actions on LinkedIn.

This is the second book by Neal Schaffer about LinkedIn. His first book Windmill Networking: Understanding, Leveraging & Maximizing LinkedIn (aff) is more for when you are just starting on LinkedIn. The subtitel of this book is “An Unofficial, Step-by-Step Guide to Creating & Implementing Your LinkedIn Brand”

Maximizing LinkedIn Neal SchafferHis new book Maximizing LinkedIn for Sales and Social Media Marketing. Is for when you have a profile on LinkedIn and are already active. “An Unofficial, Practical Guide to Selling & Developing B2B Business on LinkedIn”

This book was sent to me for free in the monthly Social Media Book Club (#smcbooks)

Case Studies

Schaffer has some great case studies in each chapter of the book. Interesting examples of managers and business owners that have great results using LinkedIn actively to get new business.

Of course it was really cool to see my cousin’s husband in one of the case studies. He started a group in LinkedIn for Philips. Hans Notenboom started the Innovations in Health group that has now more that 45.000 members and is of the five largest groups health-related.

Maximizing LinkedIn a Video review

Number of contacts

Other tips that I found really interesting were some remarks on the number of contacts. I meet with people and talk about LinkedIn. Often they have about 200 contacts. Most of the time the person says that he only connects with people on LinkedIn when they have shaken hands.

To me this is weird and similar to, going to a network event and only talk with people that you already know.

Schaffer says that a good number of contacts is that you multiply your age times 10-20 contacts at the minimum.

Schaffer also says that the 2nd degree of contacts are more important than your 1st degree of contacts. The chance that you will find new business at 2nd degree contacts is higher than with the 1st degree because they already know you.

LinkedIn Groups and Answers

The book has some great tips on how to improve your profile on LinkedIn taking SEO in account. You will find tips on how to setup your business profile, add products and promote the business page on your website.

The most engaging sections on LinkedIn are groups and answers. That is where you should spend most of your time. Start your own group or join a group where you can find your target audience. Your potential clients.

Make your self visible. Do research on LinkedIn and engage with the decision makers in your industry.

I love the book and have used a number of tips improving my company profile and I have started actively again in answering questions and participating in groups and connect with people I have met earlier.

Who is it for

When your target audience is Managers, business owners, when you work in B2B, LinkedIn is the social network site you want to spend a lot of time.

The people in the case studies often spend 2-3 hours per day on LinkedIn. In return a majority of their business comes from LinkedIn.

By Erno Hannink

Sparring and accountability partner for entrepreneurs who create sustainable positive impact. Explores decision-making. Shares his insights on this in, articles, books (Dutch), podcast, newsletters, and tools. Has a life mission to reduce social and ecological inequality. Father of two children, husband of M., runs, referee for the national soccer league, and uses stoicism for calm. Lives in the Netherlands. Speaks Dutch, English, and German.