How to Connect Through LinkedIn

Right at the outset of this article I just want to declare that I love LinkedIn. It took me a few years to fall in love with the service but when I did, I fell really hard. It wasn't always this way, but I got there eventually.

It all started about 4 years ago. I had been using the service for quite a few months. Had created a professional profile. Listened to a few gurus tell me how to write the profile and get it to the top of search results. I was feeling pretty good about it. I then went out and collected some connections and waited. I was confident that leads would roll in. I waited some more and decided it was yet again a lot of hype around a service that didn't really deliver much.

That was prior to actually taking some time and deciding who I wanted to connect with and what I wanted to achieve. I actually thought about developing a strategy. Of course I didn't actually put it into practice. Well, I am a small business owner with a lot of demands on my time. LinkedIn hadn't delivered anything much and I wasn't sure if my strategy would work.

I had an issue with some software and I wanted to find a specific set of software that would meet a few specific needs of my clients. I did a search online and discovered a product overseas. They didn't list the owner on the website so I decided to look for him on LinkedIn and yes I found him. I sent him a 2 line message and before I knew it, was in a Skype conference within 3 days with him, his CEO and Business Development Manager. That connection lasted for a few years and brought me some really good business as well as connections. There, I had it, it dawned on me just what you could achieve on LinkedIn once you had a strategy or a plan.

My next step was to develop a plan that would help me connect with my ideal clients. I know that we all think in business that everyone is our ideal client, especially if you deliver a generic service. As I was talking about the largest networking site in the world with close to 1 million new users a day I realised that I would have to be very specific about who I wanted to connect with on LinkedIn. I wanted to test the service and see if it was worthwhile spending time on this site. I then thought about my usual strategies when going networking in the real world. I actually did a costing of how much money I invested in being part of a regular weekly networking group. I worked out that membership, time, travel, meeting costs etc cost me $28,000 per year. In return, I had developed relationships with 20 people who sent me business referrals on a regular basis. For this particular year, I had received 75 referrals. Being a maths genius I worked out that each referral had cost me $373. I know that this doesn't mean much to you as you aren't aware of the value of each referral and how many actually converted to business. However, you can see from this exercise that face to face networking can be expensive not only in money but also in time.

LinkedIn offers you an opportunity to be part of the biggest networking event in the world. Imagine walking into a room that had millions of business people in it, all wanting to network. How do you make full use of your time? By being specific on who you want to network with. It was very important for my strategy to define who I wanted to network with.

I decided to trial a strategy where I connected with as many business owners as I could in my local area. I thought that a good strategy would be to exchange messages with these business owners and hope to get a follow up telephone call or Skype meeting with them so that we can develop the relationship. We would meet in an online world and get to know each others business. Explore possibilities and then if suitable meet face to face.

It turned out to be a good plan. When I started the project I had about 300 connections already and I set the goal of increasing this to 500 in 3 months. My maths kicked in again so I knew that I was looking at connecting with between 3 and 4 business owners per day. Trying for follow up meetings at 1 to 2 per week. Sounded like achievable goals to me at the time.

The first part of getting connections is searching for business owners located within my post code (or a certain radius). LinkedIn has a great search function and you can refine it under the advanced option. The search results gave me a list to work with. I then opened profiles on the list and found out what groups these contacts were members of. I joined the same group and connected with them through the group. Personalised the request and followed up each with a request to learn more about their business. Following this plan, I found that I was spending an hour or so each day on LinkedIn and with distractions, this was getting longer and longer. Yes, I was getting great results but how could I minimise my time even further? After all I am a small business owner with lots of demands on my time. Anyone who spends time on social media knows how addictive it is!

Enter my trusted Virtual Assistant. I provided her with the strategy, template messages, instructions on what message went to which connection (depending on their profile) and asked her to implement the strategy each day for me. She charged me $57 per week. I thought that this was a bargain as I didn't have to spend time on LinkedIn, I spent time once the meeting was arranged and in my diary. I had no costs for travel, meeting costs, membershp of networking groups, business cards or name badges. In fact this weekly fee was equivalent to attending one networking meeting a week. I didn't want to get ahead of myself until I saw the results.

The results were amazing, within 3 months I had 1248 connections who were small business owners in my local area. I was getting 10 telephone/Skype appointments each week which brought in more business than I had attracted in 12 months in my weekly networking meetings. Cost for each lead was $5.70. I had to pause the service because of the level of success, it was hard to keep up.

Key messages to take with you:

1) Build a strategy and plan

2) Create the content of the messages (test them out)

3) Hire a good Virtual Assistant who understands your business to implement the strategy.

Just think, if you get it right, you may never have to network face to face ever again.

If you are looking for a good virtual assistant who understands LinkedIn go to http://www.vasearch.com.au/ You will be able to search for the skill and contact the VA directly.

Alternatively, you can visit http://www.vaplacements.com/ and they will do a free recruit for you.

Liz Parker is the CEO of 121 Temps Pty Ltd and VA Placements. Her organisation not only helps people set up as virtual professionals but also offers clients a unique recruitment service to help them find the RIGHT virtual assistant.

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How to Grow Your Practice Through Partnerships and Collaboration With Others

When I first started in my business, I felt very much alone. I had this feeling of pulling all the weight by myself; I felt isolated in all of my efforts to grow my business.

As soon as I started collaborating with other people, I began feeling like nothing was impossible! I would come up with an idea, approach someone who could help me achieve this idea and we would soon a have a win-win-win partnership going. Why do I say win-win-win? Becausethe fundamental principle behind partnerships is enhancing what you offer to your clients. So the win is for your clinic, for your partner and for your patients.

As it turned out in my business I found some wonderful partners where I LEAST expected them! One of my collaborators was right under my nose for an entire year, until I finally realized what a great partner she would make.

Another partner was such an influential person in my business community, I felt too intimidated to even approach him! A year later, I found the "right key" to his door and now we continuously collaborate on various projects.

What I learned in working with my partners is that nothing is impossible! With the right idea, the right approach and the right timing, you can find yourself being partners with some of the biggest players in your profession!

So, if you think collaboration is not "important" - think again. Time and time again, I find that collaborating and partnering with others helps me grow my business faster and it is liberating and fun!

Today you will learn...

what collaboration isthe benefits of collaboration, and what happens if you don't collaboratehow to get started and create your ideal partnerships

What is collaboration?

Collaboration, when done right, makes everything easier. Everyone can collaborate. Collaborating is the "extra" in every extraordinary physical therapy practice. If you're like many other physical therapy clinic owners, you might find yourself overwhelmed and unable to grow in the business, or grow your business, without putting in more time and effort doing the same old things. Collaboration will allow you to multiply your efforts, save time and money, and uncover the resources and opportunities you need to become extraordinary.

The biggest most successful projects I've seen come to life are the direct result of two or more people coming together. Combining their unique talents and creating something extraordinary. Collaboration happens every day amongst professionals like you and I. Partnering and collaboration are simply this - bringing two or more people together for a common benefit or purpose.

Here are just a few examples of how collaboration works:

Physical therapy clinic + gym facility = a new program for baby boomersPhysical therapy clinic + cancer association = an incredible new service for breast cancer survivorsPhysical therapy clinic + sports team = an integrated approach to sport injuries

Collaboration and partnering liberate you from your time and resource constraints and are a way to share risks, costs, and resources.

Are you working harder than ever? Do you feel you have ever increasing obligations, commitments, and responsibilities? It is difficult doing it all, and doing it all yourself. I know how this feels.

Collaboration, when done right, makes everything easier.

Here's what can happen when you collaborate

Here's what's in it for you, if you develop the right partnerships, with the right people.

You can offer your customer a larger variety of products or services. This will allow you to spend less time and money developing new products or services to sell.Your marketing will increase. When you form partnerships with other businesses you both share marketing efforts and costs.Your business will have a larger number of skilled people working on the same project.You will gain competitive advantage by reaching a larger target audience. You will also increase your number of clients.You will add more credibility and visibility in your business, and gain trust in your potential new customers.You will expand your business more rapidly.You will improve your customer service, customer loyalty.In partnering you can have the opportunity to develop a stronger branding identity.

Through collaboration, you will uncover the resources and opportunities you need to grow your business. You will turn obstacles into opportunities and find opportunity in the most unlikely places.

What will happen if you don't collaborate?

your business may not grow at the rate you want because you will continually struggle with time and resource challenges;your innovation will be curbed because you won't be learning from others;you are not likely to stand out and be recognized in your client's minds.

Get started and form your ideal business partnerships

Physical therapy practice owners often ask me how they can form partnerships with others.

How can I form partnerships with others?

What do I have to offer other businesses?

Is it really that important to growing my business?

My answer to this last question is always an unequivocal "yes"! It is really that important to growing your business - with more ease and less struggle.

Collaboration is not only important to growing your practice, it is essential to growing your practice.

If you are ready to start to create your ideal partnerships now, start by answering these key questions and then take action!

Exercise

When you have identified a target group for your practice and your marketing initiatives, this exercise is much easier to do.

If you haven't already identified a target audience, then answer these questions for your clinic as it is today, and from the perspective that you want to grow it and get more clients.

The first step is to answer this question...

What do I want from a partnership?

Do you want...

Increased exposure?Recognition?New clients?A way to reach your new target audience?A way to expand the services you offer to your clients?Attract new prospects?Streamline your operations?Strengthen your brand?

Here are some ways and ideas for partnering to get what you want...

sponsorships,presence in each others' newsletter,interviews,hold a joint workshops, joint presentations at a conference,write an article,serve on a business advisory committee,join a mastermind group, form a mastermind group,promote your suppliers,get bonus gifts from key players in your industry,approach charities to become sponsors of your business,use an incentive plan for your key team members,ask your friends and family for help,request referrals,private label some of your materials, or appreciation gifts,partner with your clients to get referralspartner with your providers and team.create your own personal networking group or business development community.

The second step is to answer this question is...

What can I offer to a partnership?

Here are some thing know you can offer...

knowledge and expertise,a program, connections,special skills or talents,special resources,time and energy

Four action steps you can take right now to create your own

collaborative partnerships

Step 1:

Make a list of 5 businesses that target the same clients or patients as you do.

Step 2:

List 5 specific people you know in each of these businesses, or people you know who might know someone in these businesses.

Step 3:

Find out more about these businesses and what services they offer, by looking at their websites, and talking to others about them.

Try to figure out what may be something they would like that you have. Again, it could be: increased exposure, recognition, new clients, to retire from business?

Step 4:

Come up with a partnering idea that is an idea so beneficial to THEM, they won't be able to refuse! Be creative. Think about all of the ways you could bring value to each other.

Here are some potential ways to bring value to each other:

Pass referrals on to them for something specific - physicians are a good example of partnering that you promote in the reverse.Connect people to each other (people might be good partners for each other, or customers for each other, etc.)Give away some of your valuable materialsTeach them something that you have expertise inAcknowledge peopleGive a commitment for referrals.

Approaching your potential partners

Always approach your potential partners with how you can help them. Open your conversation with a question or an offer to help. For example, are you looking for more business? Who is your ideal customer?

Then generate win, win, win ideas that help you, them, and the potential customers.

Physical therapy practice owners who want a better work-life balance and a smooth running operation with high client numbers learn how to have all of this. Erika Trimble President of Prosperous Physical Therapy and Business Coach has created the first ever business training programs dedicated exclusively to practice owners. Visit us at http://www.prosperousphysicaltherapy.com/.

Prosperous Physical Therapy

Copyright @ 2012 by Erika Trimble All Rights Reserved

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