By using Apprenticeforums services you agree to our Cookies Use and Data Transfer outside the EU.
We and our partners operate globally and use cookies, including for analytics, personalisation, ads and Newsletters.

  • Join our UK Small business Forum

    Helping business owners with every day advice, tips and discussions with likeminded business owners. Become apart of a community surrounded by level headed business folk from around the UK


    Join us!

Linked In - Any use?

  • Thread starter Scottish Business Owner
  • Start date
Scottish Business Owner

Scottish Business Owner

New Member
I've been on Linked In for a while but i've never really grasped much how it works. Is the whole point of it to look at who people know that know you? The idea being that you then ask the person you know to make an introduction? (Is this sounding right :eek:)

If I've grasped that right then i'd like to know if anyone on here is on it. Would be nice to extend the network :p
 
nothing does

nothing does

New Member
As you know I'm on it. I don't know if it of any use at all. I have a few connections but that's about it. I don't think I'll ever get work from it but at the time I thought it might help raise the profile of my company...and what the hell it's free. I suppose it may help with the search engines, but like you I really haven't grasped how it works. Not much help I'm afraid.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
M

michael@theiba.co.uk

New Member
Have a look at Ecademy - I have found it to be very useful in building up a network of contacts and also had a few client referrals directly from the site.
 

Brian

New Member
I'm on both Linked In and Ecademy and I have to say they haven't really provided much of a return. Ecademy is quite overwhelming to begin with, Linked In is probably much easier to grasp. I think it really needs someone to show you how to harness them properly before you can start to make them work for you.

Ecademy seems to be more of a US thing and I really wonder if many even UK based people are having much success with it. I could however be completely wrong!

Brian IFA
 
Scottish Business Owner

Scottish Business Owner

New Member
Hi Brian,

Ecademy is actually originated from UK although I agree it has a very American perspective to it. I've been playing about with Ecademy again over the past few days having been put off it once before.

I have to stay I still struggle to figure out how to leverage it the best way. It seems as if you just have to cold email people and try to make "connections" or invite people you know to join up. I'll give it a bit more time just like Linked In to see what's possible. I'm hoping that for Scottish Business Forums it could work quite well.

Here's hoping :)
 
Power Lunch Club

Power Lunch Club

New Member
It would be worth asking those who are blackstar on Ecademy (
 
Idea15

Idea15

New Member
I was invited to Ecademy and was not impressed. As said, it is very US oriented, and for this side of the pond the bulk of the active membership was down south. I was asked to take a survey about my customer experience there but it was all about my income, interests, and where I wanted to spend my money, which just proved to me that it's a moneyspinner for its owners and not much else.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have to agree with Heather on this having had a very similar experience with the added irritation of very regular 'invitations' to review and sign up to various 'self improvement' "programs" [sic] guaranteed to make me millions overnight etc...

Linkedin..... It's proved very vaguely ...well not even useful; more just 'nice' to know where old contacts are and who known who etc.... Can't say its revolutionised my working life...
 
Tim Barlow

Tim Barlow

New Member
I have found it quite useful for reminding me to get in touch with people I haven't spoken to in a long time. Whilst we haven't had any work through it, i do know people who have. The common thread seems to be being very niche and having recommendations.

We have had competitors attempt to poach team members through it, although I am sure they would find other ways of getting to us anyway.

Any recruitment company not actively using it to find candidates needs their head examining!
 
Power Lunch Club

Power Lunch Club

New Member
I think most people realise that the chances of making money from these platforms is very small, but what they really are, are methods and tools to allow you to put your and your business out there...they are just tools.

Networking itself has never been about getting business initially, it has always been about building good quality relationships. After all, as the we all know, people like to buy from people they know....whether the product/service is any better doesn't enter into it.

I get a lot out of them, because I see people from business I would like to know and then I either ask for an introduction from someone I already know or invite them out for a coffee and chat....( a) I love coffee and b) people love to chat about themselves and their busineses too).

So I think it comes down to how you use them. The Black Star members pay
 
Neil

Neil

New Member
I use both LinkedIn and ecadamy. The way I look at it is it is the difference between having a pile of business cards sitting on your desk in the office or have an active network on line. With both these networks you can look at your contacts networks and find other people or be introduced to them.

A lot of my work is in joint ventures and collaborations so I am always looking for people with specialised skills. As they say in marketing "The money is in the list" so the more people you know the more chance you have of finding people who want to pay you money for what ever service you have to offer.
 
M

Mark Lister

New Member
I'm a member of Linkedin who hasn't got his head around it yet. I do know there's the testimonial aspect of it, and it strikes me this is where the potential usefulness may be. If ten contacts of mine post a positive testimonial about me, the people they know might be more inclined to hire me.

I've seen this subject come up a few times on coaching forums. My impression is that it's another string to the bow alongside other sorts of virtual and real life networking rather than a replacement for them.

Ecademy seems a little odder. There may be people that get a serious ROI with the premium level memberships, but personally I find it hard to believe that most would. I was invited to join recently by someone I've never heard of, and that prompted me to try to find out more about it. I came across quite a lot of slagging it off.


Mark
 
Gordon N

Gordon N

New Member
Why don't we grow our LinkedIn connections and see where it takes us, a bit of a social experiment if you like. I already have a couple of you on my network but I am keen to grow it a bit more...

Here is my profile on LinkedIn

Regards,

Gordon
 
M

Mark Lister

New Member
Nice idea Gordon!

Since my last post I've decided to get on the case with my membership and start up my network.

It strikes me that there's a few ways it could prove useful:
• you can get people to endorse / recommend you, and this is part of what people see when they check out your profile. Can't hurt.

• there are various groups you can join - these are now easily searchable. For example, I've been looking for groups for freelancers, to spread the word about a coaching program I'm developing.

• there are facilities for posting questions and answering them - a great opportunity for getting known, establishing yourself as someone who has expertise in a particular field, and being helpful all at once.

It's only been a couple of weeks since I really started to use it, so it's too early to say how useful it'll be. However I think it looks promising. I think what's important is keeping an open mind as to how best to make it work for me, and look out for opportunities.

I'm thinking of it as an additional part of my web presence which I'll be joining up with the other bits. Perhaps we could make a Scottish Business Forums group on LinkedIn, to spread awareness of SBF!

Mark
 
Scottish Business Owner

Scottish Business Owner

New Member
It's a great idea Gordon! I've set up an SBF group which is now pending approval so fingers crossed. I am still to be convinced by it and Ecademy as well but willing to give them a chance. I'll be looking for you all to join the group as well :p
 
Gordon N

Gordon N

New Member
It's a great idea Gordon! I've set up an SBF group which is now pending approval so fingers crossed. I am still to be convinced by it and Ecademy as well but willing to give them a chance. I'll be looking for you all to join the group as well :p

Excellent, let us all know when it has been approved!

On a side point for LinkedIn, as far as I can tell in order to setup new contacts you either have to use up your introductions allocation or know the persons email address. So although I posted my profile link in a previous post I don't think it will be much use without my email address!? So if anyone wants to add me as a contact, ping me a PM in here and I will let you know my email address, or send me your email address.

Regards,

Gordon
 
Last edited by a moderator:
M

Mark Lister

New Member
Good point Gordon.

Same here - PM me if you'd like to connect on LinkedIn!

Cheers

Mark
 
Gordon N

Gordon N

New Member
I'm going to steal 's thunder now.... :)

The SBF LinkedIn group is now active, I found it this morning!

Get joining folks...

Gordon
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Scottish Business Owner

Scottish Business Owner

New Member
Thanks for beaqting me to that Gordon :p YES! the group is finally alive and I have posted a link below for anyone that wants to join :)

LinkedIn: Welcome
 
N

NealeGilhooley

New Member
As you know I'm on it. I don't know if it of any use at all. I have a few connections but that's about it. I don't think I'll ever get work from it but at the time I thought it might help raise the profile of my company...and what the hell it's free. I suppose it may help with the search engines, but like you I really haven't grasped how it works. Not much help I'm afraid.

I went on it today to try and find an old contact, and it worked. I have also found a supplier on it but only by asking another contact for a referral and it jut so happened that we were all LinkedIn members, it did make contact a wee bit easier. If nothing else you do get a weblink to your own website which must have some value. Will I win any work from it? Who knows but as you pointed out it is free so why not.

Regards
Neale
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Top