Social media from scratch, Part 3: LinkedIn

2. Relevant groups. Try to join as many relevant groups as possible (ideally 15-30). Search for groups related to your physical location or industry or those that appeal to your current clients (who you will be connected to after you import your contacts). Once you are accepted, you can search the members of each group for people you would like to connect with. (Remember: When you do send them an invitation to connect, personalize it and make your case for why you should be connected.)

Following these simple guidelines will help you build up your networks. Just remember it's the quality, not just the quantity, of people in your audience that makes the difference.

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• How to leverage LinkedIn
• Social media from scratch, Part 2: Twitter
• What to do if your networking contacts don't reciprocate

Amy McIlwain is a professional speaker on social media and President of Financial Social Media, an online marketing firm specializing in the financial industry. She can be reached through her website www.financialsocialmedia.com and on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.