LinkedIN: Are You Part of the 90%?

I recently read that 90% of individuals who signed up on Linkedin have no idea how to use the site!

Are you in that 90%?

If you'd like to learn more about this business networking site, please join me tonight, Mon Oct 5, at 8:00pm EDT (5:00pm PDT) on the Selling Circus Podcast for 'LinkedIn Basics & Beyond!'

I'm honored that the Yankee Auctioneer (Walt Kolenda aka Auction Wally) and his co-host, the Southern Belle (aka Phaedra aka @attheboutique) have invited me to be a guest on their show.

LinkedIn is best categorized as a business-oriented social networking site.

It has a different 'feel' than some of the other popular sites such as Facebook or Twitter. Many people set up a LinkedIn profile but quickly lose interest in the site because they don't know what to do next.

Tonight on the Selling Circus podcast we'll talk about how to get started on LinkedIn, how to create a powerful, optimized profile, the various features of the site and some strategies for success.

Linkedin also has a specific vocabulary. To give you a head start, here are a few of the terms you'll want to know:

Connection: A connection is the relationship between two LinkedIn members. A member who has accepted an invitation from you to connect is considered to be a 1st degree connection.

Contact: A contact is someone you know and can reach through a working email address.

Network: A network is defined as a group of LinkedIn users that can contact you through connections up to three degrees away. You are at the center of your network with the following degrees of connections:

• Direct connections make up the 1st degree of your network
• Connections to each of your direct connections make up your 2nd degree
• Connections to those in your 2nd degree make up your 3rd degree.

Invitation: An Invitation is sent by an existing LinkedIn user who wants to connect to another person who may (or may not) be a LinkedIn user. For two people to become connections, one must send an 'Invitation' and the other member must accept it.

Introduction: Introductions are LinkedIn messages that allow LinkedIn members to contact or to be contacted through shared or mutual connections.

Please join us for tonight's podcast at 8pm EDT as we discuss Linkedin: features, best practices and how-to's.