How well are you leveraging the power of LinkedIn? Are you just accepting “invitations to connect” or sending out invitations with that impersonal default message? Take a look at this exchange I recently had…see a missed opportunity here? (Click here if you cannot see the image.)

Me? I see a HUGE missed opportunity here…and I’m not picking on Michael, because there are plenty of people that — innocently — just haven’t taken a moment to think about the broader networking opportunities that LinkedIn can create.

Here’s what I see:

1. He used the default message to connect. Why? Why not take an extra second and give some context to your invitation? Let the person know why you’re connecting or remind them of how you know each other if it has been awhile since you chatted (in person or online). It takes 2 seconds to personalize the message. I think it’s very worth the time.
2. I opened a door of communication. I took the time to look at his work on his web site and was actually very impressed. I responded accordingly, and tried to politely ask and obtain some of the basic information I just described above since his invitation didn’t give me anything to go on. Then I opened the door to have a conversation. So how did he respond?
3. He answered my question and closed the open door…which is perfectly fine…that’s his prerogative, of course. But this, to me, is the opposite of what LinkedIn positions you to do from a networking standpoint. Needless to say, I didn’t accept the invitation because he didn’t give me a reason to do so.

How well are you leveraging the professional networking potential of LinkedIn?

Are you moving your online relationships offline? Are you creating or responding to opportunities to have further conversations? Why not? I always tell professionals that there is typically good SEO value to being on LinkedIn because if someone googles your name, your LinkedIn listing is likely to rank highly in the search engine results…in which case you want your LinkedIn profile to be buttoned up. But don’t you want your LinkedIn correspondence to work just as hard for you? Whether sending or receiving invitations, think of them as opportunities to make a good impression, just like you would at a traditional (offline) networking event.

Just something to think about the next time you log in to LinkedIn…

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No time for social media? Not interested? Overwhelmed? Think it’s a fad? Too busy? Prefer not to be “friended”? Nothin’ to tweet?

I’ve heard it all.

And I’m not here to convince you otherwise unless you ask me to…so feel free to sidestep social media if you’d like, but there’s a 3-step strategy that anyone who has a name, social security number, personal or professional interest, and a resume should know.

These are 3 simple steps that will keep you in step with “the latest technology,” even if you want to sidestep social media.

I always bring these three things up when I speak to a group about anything that’s going on online, and the pens/pencils always come out. (Oh, who am I kidding? No one uses pencils anymore.) These are pearls of Web 2.0 wisdom folks, three easy essentials that will cover you on the basics until you accept the power of social technology into your hearts and minds (and businesses).

1. MONITOR: Set up Google Alerts. This is so easy; I almost didn’t include it but for the fact that it always surprises me how many people haven’t done it. If you want to be alerted ANYTIME your name (or your family members’ names or any other keywords that are important to your personal security or professional development) is published online, anywhere in the world, set up an “alert” using Google’s FREE Google Alerts tool and you’ll get an email notification. THE QUESTION: I have been asked, “Why would I want to know when my name is published?” THE ANSWER: My response is always the same, why wouldn’t you? Always a good idea to do regular vanity searches by googling yourself so you can see what other people would see if they googled you, but even better to set up an automated system to alert you and keep you informed and aware of your digital trail. (And these days, we ALL have a digital trail.) While you’re at it, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have some kind of identity fraud protection on your SSN. It would cost less per month than what you might spend at Starbucks and delivers peace of mind without the caffeine.
2. MANAGE: Set up an RSS feed reader. I’ve talked about this before. I even put together a handy “how to set up an RSS feed reader” step-by-step guide that you can download for free. Gratis. That’s how much this means to me. It’s my little gift to you. THE QUESTION: How do you get the information that interests you most? THE ANSWER: You do an online search. Everything is about SEARCH these days. THE NEXT QUESTION: Are you controlling the flow of information in your life or are you overwhelmed by noise, a slave to pages and pages of search results? THE REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION: Do you only seek information when you need it, or have you set up an RSS feed reader so the information you desire most comes to you AUTOMATICALLY and is thus available to you to peruse or share at your convenience? THE DRIVE-MY-POINT-HOME QUESTION: In the Web 2.0 world of information overload, are you a victim of the volume or in control of your content consumption? THE EASY ANSWER TO ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS: Manage the content, kids — set up an RSS feed reader and live a happier online existence.
3. MAINTAIN: Set up your LinkedIn profile. Got a phone? Got email? How about a job or a desire to have a job? THE QUESTION: How can you have all of that and not have a LinkedIn profile set up in the year 2009? THE ANSWER: Sorry, but you’re going to have to tell me the answer because I cannot come up with one! I’m not saying LinkedIn will revolutionize your life, but gee-whiz, it sure can serve to make your life easier. (Yes, I still say “gee-whiz.”) There are lots of ways to use LinkedIn. Use it as an online, access-from-anywhere Rolodex of contacts; use it as an online resume you can refer people to quickly and simply; and use it to throw your hat in the virtual ring because people who you liked once upon a time and lost track of might love to send some business your way. You don’t have to post status updates if you don’t want to in this space. (Though it is recommended.) You don’t have to post photos of your kids. You don’t have to connect with anyone with whom you don’t wish to connect. You don’t have to post what you ate for lunch on anyone’s “wall.” You don’t have to tweet anything. But you do have to be there and properly maintain your presence and your profile. It’s your online “web cred” and, all things considered, it’s pretty low maintenance. Seriously, not being there is like going to a meeting without a business card. You can sidestep Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed, YouTube, etc., but I can’t figure out why one would opt out of LinkedIn if you’re in business. IF someone looks for you there for professional purposes and you’re not there, you miss the chance to make or enhance an impression. Being there is one more way to make it easier for business contacts to reach you if they haven’t seen you in a while or refer you to people within their networks in a few simple clicks. How is this a bad idea? I don’t see LinkedIn as being about social media as much as I see it as being about good business. Furthermore, should you ever find yourself in a position of needing to change jobs, LinkedIn ensures your network is quite literally at your fingertips. The big question here is: what impression do you think it leaves on prospects if you’re not on LinkedIn?

These are technology basics that EVERYONE in these curious times should consider, IMHO.

You can snub the social media mania for a while longer, if you’d like. As it was with the telephone and email, new communication tools are scary to some folks, and I’m down with that. But I swear by my Technology 3-Step.

Monitor, Manage, Maintain. It’s the very least you can do — for you.

Every day you get dressed and consult a mirror before stepping out into the business world. But what about how you look online? Are you looking your very best, virtually speaking? Here’s a few fashionable ways to dress up your business profile style.

Email

Now, many may consider email “casual wear” as far as the look of it goes. But every email (and most of us zip through dozens every day) is an opportunity to make a statement.
•    Check Your Signature: Do you have all relevant contact info presented in an attractive format? If not, there are surely a few folks around the cubicle who are handy with a mouse. Add some color. Make your name bold. Every email leaves an impression; why not make it your electronic best?
•    HTML or Text: Most email clients can handle html code adeptly, so please don’t let yourself be seen in plain text. (It’s so ‘80’s.)
•    Accessorize: Go crazy, if your corporate culture allows, and add an image to your signature. Nothing unseemly. Ideally it’s your company logo, which, hopefully, was professionally done. If so, by all means, work it!

LinkedIn

This is solid online business networking. Don’t show up to the event with the wrong profile picture. C-level executives rub elbows in this space and people will be expecting to see professionalism. It’s like putting your resume on a runway…lots of eyes looking at your business outfit (literally) and a few curious folks watching to see if you’ll trip.
•    Portrait: One word: retouch. I’m not saying you don’t look good au naturale, I’m just saying, if you haven’t had your portrait taken professionally, at least find a Photoshopper to point and click you toward absolute perfection.
•    Resume: One more word: proofread. Seriously. A typo in an email is one thing. No excuse for it here. Have someone else look your profile over to check grammar and spelling on everything you input. No matter how far up the ladder you are, grammatical errors on your resume don’t fly and they could cost you a really good sale.
•    Groups: Two words: join some. This is where you can really show your stripes and meet some new people. Do a search for groups related to your industry. Peruse the weekly email digest. Contribute and converse. The big plus here is that you can do it all without having to wear a nametag on your suit. A note of caution however, when you decide which group logos to make visible at the bottom of your profile, consider that you are showcasing your professional associations and affiliations. Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised what some people put on.

Twitter

Imagine every business dinner you’ve ever been to…got it? Okay, now imagine them all happening at the same time. Welcome to twitter. Step lively.
•    Profile Picture: It’s okay to go casual, but remember, if you’re representing a business you want to look buttoned up, whether you’re on the deck of your fishing boat or at the megapixel mercy of your webcam. Choose wisely.
•    Bio: Be interesting. This is akin to “speed networking,” so whatever you have to say about yourself, say it succinctly and memorably. Don’t want to pressure you here, but for many, the bio decides the follow/unfollow fate of your relationship with other tweeters. Be original. Be yourself. Be smart. Be your absolute best in 160 characters or less. (And if you’re not tweeting for a business, you still should consider your “personal brand” and tweet accordingly.)
•    Site Link: Who doesn’t love a link? Twitter is a fabulous traffic generator. Drive your tweeps to your blog or your business web site…the point is, drive them somewhere. Show them the rest of your professional wardrobe.
•    Colors: I know this is subjective. But some colors have absolutely no business being on a twitter page. If it hurts your eyes in real life, imagine how it looks on the monitor in all its 1280 x 1024 glory. Sunglasses, please.
•    Background: Customize, customize, customize. Toss that old twitter template for a custom design (that you can acquire at any of the online twitter background design websites, (if you don’t have an ad agency or design firm already on retainer, that is). It’s inexpensive and the visual impression you make can go a long, long way. Even if you choose not to have a twitter profile page designed, make sure the image you use sets you apart from the masses. This is one instance where it pays to stand out in the crowd.

There you have it. A few simple tips for looking as good online as you do off…and for people like me, maybe even better!

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So, get this: the number of unique visitors to twitter jumped from 8 million in the month of February to 14 million in the month of March (Source: compete.com). If I were standing in front of you, I’d repeat that for emphasis with wide eyes, a series of explosive hand gyrations and a giant grin, blinding you with my recently whitened teeth.

While I’ve heard a bit of grumbling from long-time twitter users (using since 2007!), worried that twitter would be ruined (somehow made less useful and/or less cool) now that it’s being investigated and embraced by the mainstream, I am ECSTATIC! (I’d also love a break from the trend I’m seeing in blog posts about why you’re unfollowing people…our apologies for creating so much “noise.”)

Only in mainstream understanding and adoption will ANY type of social media gain more versatility and usability for businesses.

Think about it in terms of the introduction of email, whose mainstream and mass adoption led to exciting (and ongoing) opportunities to advance communication, productivity and content sharing on both professional and personal levels. That said, utilization by the masses always comes with a few extras we’d all prefer to do without, such as SPAM, get-rich-quick schemes and abusive/annoying marketing tactics (hence the grumbling by the early adopters)…but you have to take the good with the bad, no? That’s just how life is. Accept it. And if you feel like getting your zen on, embrace it.

I want to extend a WARM WELCOME to the masses.

Welcome to twitter. Welcome to LinkedIn. Welcome to facebook. Welcome to youtube, ning, flickr and digg. Welcome to Web 2.0. Thank you for coming. Because YOU are here, we (the collective “we”) will be able to advance the power of these platforms.

YOU are driving “traditional” businesses to shift in their seats, sit up, take notice and evolve. Thank you!

This communication evolution will…scratch that…IS creating an abundance of personal and professional opportunities for us all. Each social platform offers something unique; so come one, come all and ask for help whenever you need it. Don’t “get” something? Google it. Everything you ever wanted to know is at your fingertips, the trick is in finding the platforms and tools to navigate through all of the excitement to find what you are looking for. Don’t look for social media “experts” busy building up their egos…look for businesspeople who can help you help yourself.

The cost of entry here begins with your time.

If you’re a small business owner, you should be doing cartwheels right now (right after you make sure your LinkedIn profile is 100% complete). Spend a few minutes asking someone who is using online social tools a few questions. Educate yourself, grow your business.

In January of this year, Peter Kim asked social media thought leaders to help move us all toward tactical solutions for social businesses. So while the masses are amassing online, I want to tip my hat to all of the businesses that are busy about developing their internal social media policies, plans and guidelines to expand their methods of external outreach. I’m thrilled to be working with clients and companies who are focused on finding ways to overcome some of the actual and perceived barriers that other businesses are using as excuses to keep their heads in the social sand.

“I don’t have time for it” is simply shortsighted; successful businesses find ways to overcome barriers, of time and tactics, period.

If you want to learn more about some practical solutions for engaging in social business, Amber Naslund is doing an amazing job right now on her blog, Altitude Branding, providing blueprints for moving forward. Another practical person to tune into is Kyle Lacy, whose blogging offers post after post of socially creative insights.

Me? I’m seeing the virtual rubber hitting the road all over the place and I know EXACTLY who we have to thank for it.

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