Stephen LynchLinkedIn is the premier social networking site for “business leaders”, with more than 40 million users worldwide. Currently, the average user is 41 years old, well educated, earns a 6 figure income, and more than 50% of users claim to be key decision makers in their company. 
 
If this sounds like your target market - then we recommend you get active on LinkedIn in order to connect with, and build trust-based relationships with these business leaders. 
 
Key benefits of LinkedIn:

• LinkedIn replaces the traditional paper resume – it’s your online record of who you are and what you’ve done in life
• Increasingly, people will Google your name prior to doing business with you – your LinkedIn profile is where you can market yourself online in a positive and compelling manner
• You can describe exactly what makes you (and your company) unique. Think of it as another marketing tool.
• Testimonials about your work (called “recommendations”) are linked to your profile, and the author’s identity and credentials can be easily verified by others
• Recommendations you receive from your customers - provide prospective new customers with real reasons to trust you and do business with you
• You can link your profile to your company website / your blog / your twitter account / your email signature - wherever you want people to know more about you
• If you are planning to do business with someone new, you can research their profile, or the entire staff of a particular company prior to meeting with them
• LinkedIn helps you keep in touch with the people in your network – to understand what they are working on right now – and how you may be able to help them. Remember the golden rule of networking whether face to face or online is “Givers Get”.

In summary, with LinkedIn you can create and build a “trust based asset” – a positive profile about you (and your company) that is just one mouse click away for your next customer. 
 
If you are not sure where to begin, the following links will help you get the most out of LinkedIn: 
 
Starting out with LinkedIn 
 
How to get started with LinkedIn 
 
Make your LinkedIn profile work for you 
 
If you are already on LinkedIn, and you are a business leader with a passion for learning about and discussing the latest business trends – or if you have a business question you would like to ask us - please click on this link to apply to join our RESULTS.com Group on LinkedIn. 
 
Stephen Lynch
Chief Operating Officer
RESULTS.com