Messy office table with notepad, computer, reading glasses and coffee cup. View from above with copy space

You can save time with your business development activities by using social media such as LinkedIN for networking. Let’s look at what needs to go into your daily routine on LinkedIn to use it as a great business development tool.

The daily LinkedIn routine I will describe will allow you to ditch at least one networking event a month, possibly more – and if you only ditch one face-to-face networking event a month will save you between 2-5 hours every month.

LinkedIn did some research which found out that the optimum amount of time on LinkedIn per day is 9 minutes (yes, I know there is a certain amount of conflicting interests here, but let’s go with it).

Here is your ideal daily LinkedIn routine (which assumes you have already got a decent LinkedIn profile)

  1. set your clock – as you only want to use 9 minutes of your time (setting a timer can ensure you don’t go over your 9 minutes)
  2. Have a look at who has viewed your profile and send a message/connect with anyone who is interesting
  3. If you have time left, then add a status update, i.e. share an interesting bit of content for your target market or some good news story about you or your firm (new client won, etc)
  4. If you have time left, look down your LinkedIn wall and comment/like some of the updates by important people in your network
  5. If you still have time left, go into one of your LinkedIn groups and leave one comment on one discussion
  6. Job done!

Your effectiveness in using this routine on LinkedIn, will be significantly improved, if you:

1) Commit to your niche – particularly in your LinkedIn Summary and LinkedIn professional headline

2) Have a well thought out and well written LinkedIn profile, which highlights your credibility in your chosen niche (for a checklist of what should go in your LinkedIn profile, see here)

3) Have carefully researched the groups that you participate in – i.e. they are engaged communities with a large proportion of your target market in the group

Take a step forwards to working on your own career development and sign up to my weekly tips here and you’ll find out what you need to be working on in your career development (and how to make the time for your career development) to progress your career in your firm.

Related Post

  • To Say Yes or No? How to be seen as a good firm citizen without burning out

    To Say Yes or No? How to be seen as a good firm citizen without burning out

    Picture this: You’re on the partnership track. Your partners want to see you being a good firm citizen – getting involved in office initiatives, social mobility programs, pro bono work, workplace culture activities. So you say yes. You say yes again. And again. But now you’re stretched thin. Your utilisation is suffering. You’re working longer…

    CONTINUE READING > >

  • 5 mistakes great candidates make on the way to partnership

    5 mistakes great candidates make on the way to partnership

    You’ve spent years building your career. Strong financials, great client relationships, partners telling you you’re on track. You’re in touching distance of partnership – maybe 3 months away, maybe 15 months away. This should be the exciting final stretch. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: this is exactly when some of the best candidates accidentally derail themselves….

    CONTINUE READING > >