LinkedIn For Lawyers – Beyond The Basics

I was at a deposition recently when the subject of LinkedIn arose in conversation. After seeing a post I had made on the site, another lawyer said he did not see the benefit of LinkedIn for lawyers. That gave me an opening to share with him why LinkedIn is a part of my marketing tool box. I am certain that this lawyer knew the basics of LinkedIn, as described in hundreds of articles and books. Perhaps you have read some of that material, which includes the following suggestions:

• Complete your profile, including information on your education and business
• Use key words in the “background” and “experience” sections to optimize the search results
• Make sure your “headline” describes what you do
• Customize your links to websites and blogs
• Build your network by making connections
• Regularly share updates
• Join different “groups” and participate in group discussions

Here are a few suggestions, beyond the basics, illustrating how LinkedIn has enhanced my professional networking.

In advance of a meeting or conference, I may have a list of attendees. It is helpful to search for these individuals on LinkedIn. I can learn about their background, the nature of their business, their hobbies, and personal interests. When I return to the office from such a meeting or conference, I can send them a personalized invitation to connect on LinkedIn.

Several years ago, our firm was planning an event in a particular city. Prior to the event, I performed a LinkedIn search on people in that city within a particular industry. What did I find? An individual with whom our firm had a business relationship many years before but with whom we had lost track as he had moved to a different company. I sent him an invitation to connect on LinkedIn, reminded him of our prior relationship, and invited him to our firm’s event. Following his attendance at the event, and other opportunities to reconnect, he is once again a client of our firm.

LinkedIn also provides me with the opportunity to follow individuals from job to job. When a person changes jobs, LinkedIn will notify me. I can then follow up again with “congratulations” on their new position. On more than one occasion, this approach has allowed me to maintain a business relationship when individuals move to a new company.

Finally, sometimes, I just go on there and look around. If I am interested in a particular company, I can check on its corporate profile and see the list of individuals connected to that company. I might cruise through the groups which are relevant to my practice area to see if there is someone there I might know or would like to know. Have fun with it.

LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to help develop and maintain professional relationships. Once you have established the basics, you are limited only by your imagination.