The Power in a Link

Book excerpt: Make your LinkedIn account work for you and your business LinkedIn is not just another social media tool. It's the world's largest professional online network, with over 120 million users in over two hundred countries. The Power in a Link shows you how to employ this remarkable yet misunderstood resource to execute networking strategies and processes for your business, secure deals, and use (not abuse) your existing relationships. Author David Gowel, the man the Boston Globe has called the "LinkedIn Jedi," delivers the understanding necessary to map networks, stimulate word of mouth, and leverage unparalleled business intelligence to close deals. Arguing that LinkedIn is not social media at all, but instead belongs in a category all of its own, the book cuts through the noise in the crowded social media world with practical applications and explains why all professionals should embrace it in order to achieve success faster through relationships. This book: Advises readers how to spur effective network growth by projecting the right message online Demonstrates how to build and enhance readers' online presence Shows readers how to seek targeted introductions to the connections that matter most Explains why LinkedIn has been misunderstood and therefore misused by many users as well as how to correct past LinkedIn mistakes Partly conceptual, partly autobiographical, and partly technical, The Power in a Link includes success stories from Gowel and other professionals that demonstrate the effectiveness of his techniques.