Tag Archives: 5 Tips to Grow Your Small Business

How to Use LinkedIn, According to Its Founder

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If you add every LinkedIn request you get, even the ones from complete strangers, then you are using the social network wrong, according to Reid Hoffman, the founder of the site. LinkedIn is the most popular social networking platform for professionals. CBS Corporate Business Solutions highly recommends owners of B2B small businesses to have a LinkedIn profile.

Hoffman’s advice about using the site comes from Keith Ferrazzi, the author of “Never Eat Alone.” Ferrazzi once met Hoffman, who gave him a golden piece of advice about using the site. As the anecdote goes, Hoffman encourages users to make “meaningful” connections on the site. Rather than add every friend request, as you would on Facebook, Hoffman suggests asking this question before accepting a connect request: Could this person introduce me? If the answer is no, then it’s best to ignore the request.

The point of having a LinkedIn profile is to make connections with mutual benefit. Mainly, it’s a great platform for initiating introductions with long-lasting business benefits. For B2B business, LinkedIn is a great place to find new clients.

Here are several other ways to make connections on LinkedIn:

Update Your Profile: Make sure your profile has a very professional and compelling headline. This is the most commonly read part of your LinkedIn profile. If it needs updating, then promptly do so.

Include a Picture: Do not leave the profile picture section blank. Also, do not upload brand logos or any other picture that is not a professional headshot of you. Most LinkedIn users look at the profile picture, so make sure you have a highly appealing one uploaded.

Use Keywords: It’s perfectly acceptable to use keywords relevant to your line of business on the profile, especially in the headline. However, the keywords must be inserted very naturally.

Upload Details of Your Resume: Upload professional details of your work experience that doesn’t fit in your resume on LinkedIn. Use the blank spaces to fill out job descriptions. A potential client interested in your business may look up your LinkedIn profile, therefore it’s important to stay as detailed as possible.

Want more advice on how to improve your company’s social media presence? Contact us at CBS-CBS.com.

5 Tips to Grow Your Small Business

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Corporate Business Solutions was formed by a group of business professionals who collectively have provided business analytical and consulting services to clients. Currently, the experts at Corporate Business Solutions use their expertise to help business owners create a path to success.

If you are looking to grow your business, here are general business tips that may be beneficial to you:

  1. Reduce and Redirect IT. Most businesses carry too much in their IT infrastructure. Often, IT costs can be reduces by up to 30% by investing in advancing technologies to work smarter. By embracing technology, small business owners can free up part of the budget for business growth.
  2. Offer Employees Freedom. Empowered employees are typically happier, loyal and motivated, which will help in your business growth. Today’s employers need to build environments to accommodate a healthy work-life balance. Telecommuting, work from home options and flexible hours are no longer ‘job perks’, they are now ‘expected’. Employees should be able to work and be managed effectively from anywhere as seamlessly as if they were in the office.
  3. Allow Collaborative Working. Enable employees, partners and vender’s across multiple locations to work together more effectively. Employees should be able to access, share and manage single versions of documents instantly from a single place, regardless of their location. Getting this right will transform the efficiency and creativity of your business and create even better partner, and customer working relationships.
  4. Support Customers. Consumers today often want information to solve their problems instantly. That’s why it’s important for businesses to engage with customers proactively across all available channels – from traditional phone and face-to-face discussion, to interactive websites, social networking and intelligent call handling. Businesses must be agile and sharp enough to deal with issues before the customer has a chance to even pick up the phone.
  5. Be Ready to Adapt. With the evolving trends in business, a small business owner must be able to swiftly adapt. This means listening to customers and be ready to participate in the new channels they are using.

To learn more about us and / or to schedule your complimentary appointment with the business consultants at Corporate Business Solutions, call us at 877-357-9366.