Page 18 - FOREST HILL Lifestyle Magazine Oct 2021

"LinkedIn is just not working for me!" Sound familiar?
In a world where time is of the essence, competition is at an all-time high, and LinkedIn offers an insta- network, it is easy to see images of profitable business endeavors swarming in your head.
The thought of engaging prospects is what takes over as you navigate the complex and abundant world of LinkedIn. You have fire in you as you hit that connect
Want to Lead on LinkedIn? Learn the Art of Social Reciprocity
SHELLY ELSLIGER President, Linked-Express CKCO-Chief Kind Club Officer
button with a generic sales pitch sent out to everyone and anyone, interested or not, because you are that good! However, business is not booming.
You see golden activity around you, such as articles, posts, information, debates, research, shares — tons of read-worthy content at your disposal. But you quickly overlook it as you spend your time searching for available email addresses. You add them quickly, selfishly, and without consent, to your mailing list, then end up with a swarm of "unsubscribed" emails in your inbox rather than those business inquiries you were anxiously waiting for.
There are real people behind every LinkedIn profile, each with a story to tell and share. Most people who thrive on LinkedIn are those who develop influential, authentic, and meaningful relationships. Those who focus their time and energy on winning over prospects and leading in numbers are not seeing the big picture and usually never wind up at the top of their professional online selling game. Simply put, many people have not mastered the art of social networking, which is grounded in understanding and mastering the art of social reciprocity on LinkedIn.
It may be time to slim down your numbers and focus on turning contacts into real, influential relationships. Strong and meaningful relationships are at the core of every modern LinkedIn business success story. While many are still focused on building up numbers, others
are building business via LinkedIn.These go-givers are no longer focusing on a transactional approach, but rather investing time and energy into mastering the art of social reciprocity. They are no longer consumed by the number of connections but rather the abundance delivered via real connections. They understand that it requires much more time and effort but the return on investment (ROI) is worth it.
ings positively change when you become an integral part of a LinkedIn circle of collaborative influencers rising to the top together. Here are a few ways you can start showing up as someone who is not only earning trust but being recognized as someone who is respectable, competent, and worthy of receiving a pass:
• Write diverse content directed at your ideal audience
• Tag people and give "shoutouts" to those who deserve it
• Actively engage with content: Like, comment, share, and respond to feedback
• Reach out to those you admire and explain why • Personalize all connection requests • Give recommendations and endorsements generously • Share information willingly and openly; giving the
recipe does not mean giving the ingredients • Introduce connections who could benefit from
knowing each other • Display a warm, welcoming, and giving personality • Pay attention, actively listen, and be empathetic to
what is happening in your LinkedIn community • Consistently show up • Be open to diverse opinions, but do not befriend
trolls. Stay positive.
And, finally, take things offline. Have a "LinkedIn latte" with professionals from LinkedIn any chance you get. It is a personal favorite of mine!
Original post: Forbes September 2019
18 FOREST HILL Lifestyle OCTOBER 2021