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Happy New Year to all of my loyal readers (hi Mom!).  Only 12 days into 2011, it’s becoming plain to me that, while many of us hit the crowded gym, save a few pennies here and there, or take a break from the “see-food” diet (see food, eat food), many in the mortgage and title industry have a different resolution.

Use more social media.  Namely, LinkedIn.

We’ve seen a few surges here before, and I’ve most certainly written about it.  But I’m now seeing some of the long-time holdouts open profiles.  I’m seeing the long-dormant start to ask or answer questions, or even join groups and start relevant discussions (some even non-promotional!).  And I’m seeing a lot more content-based stuff (links, blogs and the like) being driven out of a social media platform.  I daresay I’m seeing some strategy out there of which LinkedIn appears to be a component.

To this, I say “kudos!”  What’s not to love?  It’s an efficient, free, widespread and free way to reach prospects, recruits, potential employers, partners and customers—provided it’s used effectively.  It’s a free way to do limited competitive intelligence (although I do NOT condone unethical means of going about this), sense market trends and get a read on “conventional wisdom” for hot topics.  It’s a place to connect with the media, for those who are so inclined. It’s a branding vehicle (done correctly), a traffic driver, a listening mechanism and a source of opportunity.  Oh, and did I mention it’s basically free?

So to those of you new to Linked In, new to actually using LinkedIn, or thinking about joining LinkedIn, I offer up a few humble suggestions which have worked for me on this platform.

1. Bring value, not just promotion.          I’ve said this over and over again, but B2B social media is a place for professionals to share knowledge and network, not spray their specs.  A soft pitch is ok, but if your post brings no value to anyone but you, your company or your product, it will be ignored and possibly even discredit you for future postings in that forum.  It’s that simple.  LinkedIn is basically free, but you have to play the game.  Save the pitch for the collateral.
2. Share.  The central concept to social media is collaboration and sharing.  I know this is a soft concept.  I know, these aren’t words that easily flow from the lips of many in the industry.  But LinkedIn is a place to share knowledge.  Accepting that central tenet, how well do you think users accept other users who demand knowledge from them, but won’t share in return?  Exactly.  Keep your connections open.  If you don’t know a potential connection, don’t connect—especially if they’re looking to access your network, but aren’t willing to share their own.  Ask whether potential connections bring something to you, and be sure to bring something of value to them as well.
3. Not all “gurus” are created equal.     I tend to be leery of self-proclaimed social media gurus espousing “best practices” when it comes to social media. Are there real “gurus?”  Sure.  Are there “best practices?”  To a degree.  But bear in mind that social media is still a very new medium.  We’re in the beta phase of an exciting new world.  We’re still on the adoption threshold in this industry.  There are many new practices to be discovered, probably very soon, that will quickly outdate the “best practices” of today.  In many cases, “guru” is code for “out of work marketing consultant.”  The best BS-detector for this?  Common sense.  Is your potential guru/Jedi Master/evangelist/advisor too busy trying to baffle you with terminology and “cutting edge” stuff, or does he/she make good old fashioned business sense?  If you can’t connect the dots from what he/she is recommending to what you want for your business, ask more hard questions, then move on if you’re not satisfied.  There’s snake oil, and then there’s social media.  The difference is in how you use it. Speaking of which…  
4. Use it!  I’ve said this again and again, especially when approached by executives new to the forum.  It does nothing for you if you don’t use it.  If you plan to use it, then do so.  You won’t get any more from your membership if you log in once a year than you would from a new car you don’t drive.  Take 10 minutes every other day over coffee.  Check your smart phone while you’re in the airport.  Have a look on Sunday evening as you gear up for the week.  You don’t need to live there—just visit regularly and participate occasionally.  It’s no different than reviewing other dashboards you may have, checking in with customers or prospects, or having a weekly meeting.  Make time, and you’ll reap benefits.  Oh, and participate in groups, update your status and ask/answer questions.  After all, how effective is silent networking in person?

Once again, I say “welcome” to the folks coming to or returning to LinkedIn.  There’s so much to discuss in addition to this—have a plan, for example, if you’re using this to get the word out.  But as you can see, the possibilities are numerous, and the length of this post is already lengthy.  So jump in, get comfortable, and enjoy the benefits!