I want to thank Seth Strader, CEO of Custody HQ, a firm that provides legal services for custody cases for this audio testimonial about my marketing services. It’s great working with you.

If you’d like to ignite your marketing, check out www.onlinemarketingexpress.com
Contact me at 888 650-9714 or write me at
leon @ altmancommunications.com

Twitter and Facebook have been getting most of the press. And they are certainly  worthwhile … but many people find that the social media site that brings them the most productive traffic is …. Linkedin.

Now mind you I’m not talking about job-seeking, even though that is one of its primary objectives.

In fact, studies show that small-business owners are more likely to use LinkedIn than employees working for a corporation. And tests show that links from Linkedin yield better results than links from other social media. In a recent contest involving 2,350 business related links from 12 marketing and social media sites, 55% came from Linkedin, 13% came from Facebook, while Twitter referred 11%.

So how do you make money using Linkedin? In fact, it is tricky. Out and out selling will get you either banned or ignored. There is a more sophisticated way to monetize Linkedin (and it doesn’t depend on your network. It can be done even if you have a small number of network contacts).

To find out all about, check out my Free, Step by Step Webinar: How to Cross the Bridge from Linkedin to Web Profits at http://www.yourlaptopbusiness.com/free-linkedin-webinar.html

While social media has helped many professionals attract  clients, it can be tricky for financial advisors. This is especially true for those in large firms. Not only do you have compliance issues, but generally you don’t have direct  access to your website.

But the fact is, driving people from a  social media network to a website is the way to attract new clients and customers. You won’t attract them  in significant numbers by  just interacting on a social media site.

Using social media to attract clients works best for independent FAs, especially those  who have some degree of access to their websites, and those marketing financial products.

The social media site that works best for financial marketing is Linkedin. From a compliance standpoint, there are more controls, stricter privacy regulations and, frankly, a wealthier audience on Linkedin.

For a step by step plan on attracting clients and customers using  Linkedin, check out this   free webinar….

How to Cross the Bridge from Linkedin to Web Profits: http://www.yourlaptopbusiness.com/free-webinars.html

Linkedin provides a powerful feature to allow individuals with business-minded questions to voice these questions on a public venue for experts to answer. This venue is called Linkedin answers, and it could be the ticket to building your reputation as an expert on the number one professional networking site. Offering advice and displaying your expertise on Linkedin Answers can help you land a job or find clients for your services.

So  how do you go about using Linkedin Answers?

1. Click “Answers” at the top bar of the Linkedin Answers page. It is the tab furthest to the right.

2. On the right side you can browse questions by category. So if you want to position yourself as a marketing expert, pursue questions with a marketing and sales theme around them.

3. You will then see a list of questions from your chosen category. Browse through these questions, and select a question you wish to answer.

4. You can also use “Advanced Search” to find questions that are even more focused on a particular topic. It lets you search for both the keyword and the category your potential questions fit into. You can then have more control in finding the kind of questions you want to answer.

Remember that Linkedin Answers expects a degree of professionalism and accuracy in your answers. Anecdotal experiences may be useful for you, but will often be insufficient in proving the soundness of your answer. This means that you need to give your answer evidence to verify the accuracy of your answers.

You also have to keep in mind that Linkedin Answers works on a keyword basis. Just as you can use Advanced Search to look for questions via keywords, so too can other Linkedin users use Advanced Search to look for answers to their questions via keywords. So if you are answering a question about labor disputes, make sure that important words from the question itself are found in your answer.  

Last but definitely not the least, you can use Linkedin Answers to direct traffic to your blog or website, especially if the answers you gave are in some way related to what you have previously discussed in your blog. Keep in mind, however, that the objective of putting any link into your answer is to add some references to the information you have just provided. Blatantly promoting your blog on Linkedin can and will result in you getting banned from the network. Subtly introduce your website as a reference and make sure to indicate that it has something to do with the answer you have provided.

Use Linkedin Answers correctly, and you will steadily find yourself becoming more and more prominent in the network. As your reputation grows, potential clients, employers and media will find you and seek you out as an expert on your topic.

If you want to take advantage of Linkedin and boost your web profits, don’t miss this free webinar – “How to Cross the Bridge from Linkedin to Web Profits.” To register, click >> http://www.yourlaptopbusiness.com/free-linkedin-webinar.html

Linkedin is a powerful tool that allows professionals and businesses alike to connect with each other. But to get the most out of the benefits Linkedin offers you must write a profile that attracts your target audience. A properly crafted profile will help build your credibility on the site and give a very positive first impression to those who scan your profile. Here are a few tips on how to write a Linkedin profile to that lets you shine.

Keyword-rich headline

Make sure the primary keywords you want to be associated with are in your professional headline. For the sake of illustration, let’s say you are a marketing consultant. If you want people to find you for consulting jobs, then you need to put up ‘marketing consultant’ as part of your headline.

Linkedin profile searches work by scanning the headlines of each and every profile for keyword entries, much like how Google or Yahoo! finds websites based on the keywords you enter into the site. This is why your headline’s contents are vital to your profile’s visibility and prominence in Linkedin.

A professional-looking photo

Unlike Facebook or MySpace, Linkedin is a social network of professionals.  You are looking for people to hire you for a job or to use your services, so leave off the funny hats and party mug shots and put up a professional looking photo.

Use your name in the url

By default Linkedin assigns a long, incomprehensible url to your profile. But you can easily edit this and and use your own name in the url if it is available. This will heighten your visibility in the network and make it easier for people to find you.

Write your summary  with your target audience in mind

The summary is a brief but vital part of your profile that encapsulates your entire professional career into a few short paragraphs.Remember to write the summary of your Linkedin profile in a way that would interest prospective clients or employers.

Do not simply put yourself on a pedestal and shower yourself with praise. Determine the needs of your clients or employers, and provide professional solutions that make you stand out from the rest of the competition. Do not forget to add in your  keywords in your summary as well, as this will increase the chances you will come up on a search list.

Be accurate and specific in your work history

Nothing says ‘professional worth’ better than an accurate and specific list of accomplishments that you have achieved. List these accomplishments as explicitly as you can, but stick only to the details relevant to your professional growth.  People often get too general or go off on tangents in their work history.

If you can quantify the value you added to a company you will stand above the competition. Did you increase sales by 27%? Then say so.  Did you contribute to new business? If so, try to be as detailed as possible. How much was the new business worth to your company?

Stories can also work well – as long as they are part of a case history and illustrate the value you added to a project.

When your profile is keyword-rich, your target audience will be able to find you. If you follow that up by being specific about your accomplishments and the value you added to a company or a project, then your profile will shine a lot brighter than your competitors.
If you want to take advantage of Linkedin and boost your web profits, don’t miss this free webinar – “How to Cross the Bridge from Linkedin to Web Profits.” To register, click >> http://www.yourlaptopbusiness.com/free-linkedin-webinar.html