LinkedIn presents a wealth of untapped potential for small non-profits and home-based businesses. It’s the most respected social networking site with over 25 millions professionals from 150 industries. Their tagline says it all: “Relationships Matter“.
Here’s how to leverage LinkedIn to grow revenue and/or donations:
Visibility
Make sure that you, management and/or board members create a LinkedIn profile. All of their professional connections will instantly have visibility into your non-profit. Additionally, any relationship you start with these folks will start with a good first impression of your non-profit - because their friend sits on your board.
List Prior Lives
If your profile only lists your current position, you severely limit the power of LinkedIn. When folks include past employers in their profile, LinkedIn automatically alerts you of past colleagues. Including your complete professional history will enable you and your board to network with a greater reach. Former co-workers (with whom you had a positive relationship) will now know about your cause!
LinkedIn Email Signature
Board members and other supporters don’t have the bandwidth to talk up your non-profit during work hours. Embedding a signature is an easy way to have LinkedIn “do the talking” for them.
Improve your Google Rankings
Because LinkedIn profiles rank very high on Google, exposure for your non-profit goes along for the ride. However, to maximize this potential, select “Full View” in your profile settings. Also, customize your public profile’s URL to be your actual name - then put this link on your website and use this link when you comment on blogs.
Leveraging “My Website”
LinkedIn profiles allow you to list blogs or websites. Edit the “My Website” section and include your non-profit (multiple websites can be listed so make sure your board members list yours). Make sure that the page link you use is relevant to LinkedIn users (create a LinkedIn welcome page on your site with tips on effectively using LinkedIn?). In addition to your url, include a quick sentence about your small business or non-profit. Using “My Website” and writing a short blurb further catapults your Google rankings. Again, set your profile to “Full View”.
Research Potential Donors and/or Partners
Do an advanced search by company name and uncheck the “Current Companies Only” box. You’ll be able to see former executives from that company and how they’re connected to you or your board. These former executives (with nothing to loose by being honest) will give you the real scoop about the potential donor or partner. They’ll also give you insight into the decision making process - and who really makes them!
Answer Questions
LinkedIn Answers lets you seek advice from your network. Answers to these questions are highly valued because they answered by people you know (and therefore trust). After you and your board have created profiles, search for questions related to an area that you’re an expert in. If you’re an accountant, but your non-profit has nothing to do with accounting, don’t worry - creating value for others reflects positively on your non-profit, regardless of the topic area you addressed.
Provide substantive and valuable answers to these questions. Over time, this will garner the respect of other LinkedIn members - which will cascade down to your non-profit. People will begin to seek you out for advice and that’s when you can bring your non-profit’s cause into the mix. John McGee at The Family Relations Foundation in Georgia adds: “Ask questions as well as answer them. Asking questions bring people to you for reasons not always related to the mission of the organization or because of their interest in the specialty of the organization.”
Note: If you need personalized help with LinkedIn and other sites, check out my Social Media Assessment Service!
Two other great articles on using LinkedIn:
8 LinkedIn Tips For A More Productive 2008
Who’s telling you the truth about your online personal marketing
If you liked this, you should read these:
The Six “Sees” of Video for Non-Profits
Non-Profit Blog Rule #1: Wear Dirty Pajamas
The NPO Elevator Pitch
The “Rules of The Road” For Non-Profit Social Media
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Make sure you also start a group on LinkedIn. It empowers supporters and provides another opt-in marketing channel.