Any coatings professional would do well to consider the potential of LinkedIn to secure a spot in the marketplace of an unpredictable future. The critical word here is “potential” because LinkedIn seems to conceal plenty of it. The all-business-social-network hasn’t caught on fire yet but I think it will, and that’s my point. You need not feel left behind because you haven’t joined LinkedIn; and you shouldn’t feel guilty if you’ve signed up but haven’t been back in awhile. I predict that both skeptics and slackers will eventually find value in LinkedIn. Here, in a snapshot I’ve acquired from OnlineMBA, are a bundle of reasons why you’re likely to be hearing a lot more about LinkedIn in the coming year. Join the gang now; claim some of your own cyber real estate by building your network before the thing really takes off. It’ll only cost you time, and any investment you make now can be built upon later at any time.
“If the social media world were a high school, Facebook would be the star quarterback rocketing to a career in the NFL and LinkedIn would be the studious introvert getting into the Ivy League. While LinkedIn may be less notoriously revolutionary than its social media counterpart, the professional networking site plays a major role in the growing industry, especially today [May 19, 2011], when it became the first major social network to trade publicly.”
—Allison Fass, for INC.com
[Source: OnlineMBA.com]
Why LinkedIn works
LinkedIn is an Internet-based, business-social network, particularly suited for B2B. The Internet, of course, is the great equalizer. It guarantees a voice for everyone. So a small business like yours has the same stage and opportunities as any large Fortune 500 company. By the same token you can seek out and connect with just about anyone on the planet (as long as they have joined LinkedIn). It’s a democracy that works. Think of it like a pro club, a huge one. The club offers a convenient connection to every member and they support you with proprietary software that is constantly evolving and being improved. Short of being opportunistic, there aren’t many rules and few expectations to worry about. Every move you make is for the sake of [your own] business and everybody’s doing the same thing. Here’s to creating a LinkedIn presence that’s gangbuster. Aren’t you glad they waited for you?
INSIGHT:
LinkedIn is a sleeping giant poised for a future we cannot predict. Its recent IPO means there’s much more interest at stake to find ways to make LinkedIn grow. In order to keep up with business (and BizDev networking) in an increasingly cyber-based world, we all need to keep up with LinkedIn.
I welcome your comments, questions or more discussion.