This week we’re welcoming our Guest Blogger, Rhonda Hurwitz, who has been working with us on our own Social Media tune-up (see bio below).

Linked in can be an important part of your social networking strategy. Here’s a checklist to help you “find and be found.”

Make Sure Your Profile is complete
Put your best foot forward.  Take these simple steps in order to stand out on Linked in:

• Fully complete your career and education history.
• Write a compelling professional headline, and add a memorable personal or business summary; add searchable keywords to each, to make yourself easy to find.
• Include a professional photo; complete your profile with at least 3 recommendations–the more the better.
• Customize your Linked in URL with your real name, so your profile comes up easily in Google searches.
• Add up to 3 links to your profile (e.g., company website, blog, facebook, etc.), plus your twitter profile. You an use video, slide shares, portfolios, etc. to tell people more about you or your brand.
• Upload your address book, and begin connecting with people. Continue to add new connections to grow your network.  Personalize invitations to connect for greater impact.

Now That You’re on Linked in, What’s the Best Way to Use it?
Just by being proactive in Linked in groups, a colleague of mine recently added two new clients, and this is not unusual.

Check back tomorrow, and we’ll explore the many ways Linked in can be used to create new opportunities for you and your business.

Biography:
Rhonda Hurwitz is a marketing professional with more than twenty years experience working in B2B and B2C environments. She founded HelpMeRhonda! Marketing Solutions to help business owners identify strategic opportunities and achieve their goals through a variety of means, including social media marketing.

Rhonda can be found online @helpmerhonda11 on twitter, blogging at http://shemeansbusiness.wordpress.com, and of course, on Linked in!