We all know the importance of networking in business, of making connections and most importantly of building relationships with those connections. LinkedIn is a great platform in which to do this as it provides instant access to a plethora of new and potential clients and customers.
Below I go in-depth into a great networking feature on Linked in – the relationship tab. No fluff, just straight-up what you need to know about this feature and how to get the most from it.
The relationship tab allows you to save and record information on contacts in your network that you are not yet connected to, including 2nd, 3rd and group connections. This allows you to plan your future potential prospects, so you can develop a strategy to try and connect with them. The best thing about this feature is that nobody can see the information you record. It is completely private, which makes it a great strategy for businesses and companies.
Using the Relationship Tab
If you want to save a connection or a contact, you need to click the light grey star which is located under their picture on the left hand side. After you click this, the star will turn dark grey and you will then be presented with the relationship interface. If you are connected to this person, you will see the date you connected to them on. If you are not connected, it will display the date you saved them as a contact. Once you have saved a connection, or your set of contacts under the relationship tab, then you can start profiting from your organized connections.
The Note Section: This is where you can add any information that might be relevant about the contact. This can be personal, or professional. It is a good way to keep track of who you have spoken to and who you haven’t and it is also a great way to track your existing customers and their purchases.
The Reminder Section: As you build your LinkedIn connections, you will find it harder and harder to follow up on old conversations. The reminder section allows you to set reminders for individual connections. You can set it to remind you in one day, one week or even one month, so you’ll never lose contact with your old clients. You can also set reoccurring reminders, to occur every few months. If you run a business then you will understand the importance of keeping in touch, and LinkedIn’s reminder feature is a great way to do this efficiently.
The How You Met Section: In this section, you can detail how you met the person, whether it was through a business event, at a social gathering or even through the internet. This allows you to add a personal touch to your conversations.
The Tag Section: The tag section is one of the most helpful sections in the relationship feature. Try and make sure that you tag both new and old connections. For example, are they an existing client or customer, are they a prospect, or are they a strategic alliance? A great way to start would be to create two folders. One with connections who are already existing customers, and one for hot prospects who you need to build a relationship with.
The Message Section: LinkedIn has made it easier than ever to keep track of your conversations. Whether you are focused on new clients or simply trying to maintain contact with your existing customers, the message tab is incredibly useful for both businesses and individuals.
Are you using LinkedIn to its full potential and to your advantage?
