Networking on LinkedIn: How to Build a Powerful Network Using LinkedIn

Are you active on LinkedIn?

Want to use it to connect with potential partners and prospects?

To discover how to network on LinkedIn, I interview Stephanie Sammons.
More About This Show
The Social Media Marketing podcast is an on-demand talk radio show from Social Media Examiner. It's designed to help busy marketers and business owners discover what works with social media marketing.

In this episode I interview Stephanie Sammons, a social media strategist who specializes in LinkedIn. She's written extensively for Social Media Examiner about LinkedIn. She's also author of the new book, Linked to Influence.

Stephanie will explore how to build a network and prospect using LinkedIn.

You'll discover how to curate and share content on LinkedIn.

Share your feedback, read the show notes and get the links mentioned in this episode below.
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Here are some of the things you'll discover in this show:
Networking on LinkedIn
Stephanie's background

Stephanie spent 15 years as a wealth manager at big financial firms. After the financial meltdown in 2008-2009, she ended up taking a package and starting over. Stephanie decided to launch her own business. Initially, she stayed within the financial industry, but then went into the digital marketing space, doing web development and design.

For the last five years or so, Stephanie has been writing and speaking about LinkedIn. When she couldn't find a comprehensive resource on LinkedIn, she decided to write one. There were books about your LinkedIn profile and about how to network on LinkedIn, but she wanted one that covered all the bases.

Stephanie's book, Linked to Influence, provides a framework for building your own personal brand on LinkedIn, and includes networking and other opportunities as well.

Listen to the show to hear why Stephanie says LinkedIn saved her life.

Why people use LinkedIn

There are almost 400 million members on LinkedIn, 30% are from the United States and 70% are international. Over 60% of LinkedIn members make more than $75,000 a year and 40% of LinkedIn members make $100,000 or more. The users are affluent, well-educated and come to LinkedIn to really connect with others. They want to find or share information, news and knowledge, but also want to build a network, connect with others and make things happen for their businesses.

Stephanie likes how LinkedIn does content aggregation. LinkedIn's Pulse app curates news, based on your network. The smarter your network, the more relevant the content and information you see on Pulse. It includes articles from major media outlets, as well as stories from people you're connected to who are publishing content on LinkedIn's platform.

The interface on the Pulse app is fantastic, Stephanie says. You can zip through it, save articles, share them and comment.

Listen to the show to learn most people's perception of LinkedIn.

Benefits of a good network

Stephanie refers to cultivating the right LinkedIn community as building a smart network. The smarter your network, the more relevant people and opportunities you attract. Have a valid reason for bringing someone into your network.

A smart network has market opportunities unique to you. Everyone's situation is different, Stephanie explains. Look at people in your home and work locations, current and previous industries, your organizations and associations, referral sources, potential business partners, suppliers in your industry, journalists and more.

Take a 360-degree view of the people you know and decide who are the most important. Connect with high-quality people and get to know them better.

Listen to the show to discover the myth of a large network.

How to build your network

Stephanie is very strategic about who is in her network. She does not connect with every journalist or every person she meets at an event. However, she says,