LinkedIn Executive Playbook: 12 Steps to Become a Social Leader
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The document outlines 12 essential steps for executives to become effective social leaders on platforms like LinkedIn, emphasizing the importance of transparency and engagement. It provides a guide for creating a professional profile, controlling privacy settings, demonstrating leadership, connecting with customers, gaining industry insights, and boosting sales through social media. By leveraging LinkedIn, executives can enhance their personal brand, facilitate communication, and capitalize on business opportunities.
LinkedIn Executive Playbook: 12 Steps to Become a Social Leader
- 1. 12 Steps to Become a Social Leader
- 2. I've come to learn there is a virtuous cycle to transparency and a very vicious cycle of obfuscation. – JEFF WEINER, CEO OF LINKEDIN “ 2 | Executive Playbook “
- 3. Executive Playbook | 3 7 MillionC-Level Executives, Presidents and VPs on LinkedIn TODAY’S TOP PERFORMING LEADERS ARE SOCIAL LEADERS. Around the world and across industries, top executives who were once convinced that social media wasn’t worth their time, now consider their participation in these networks as essential to their role. As a result, more and more top executives see the benefits of being open and transparent and take part in the social revolution.
- 4. Executive Playbook | 4 WHY WE CREATED A PLAYBOOK SPECIFICALLY FOR TOP EXECUTIVES. Our goal is to help you be a better leader by enabling deeper engagement with your customers, employees and peers – in the efficient, high-control and low-risk environment that you require. This dedicated user guide is based on our deep understanding of executives’ priorities & constraints, and outlines 12 key steps to empower leaders in their transition into professional social media. Your marketing team will be pleased to hear that you’re interested in leveraging your online presence. While this guide focuses on steps you can easily implement yourself, we recommend you coordinate closely with them to make the most of your participation in your company’s outreach.
- 5. GET STARTED. LINKEDIN MOBILE APP 5 | Executive Playbook
- 6. TABLE OF CONTENTSYOUR PATH TO SOCIAL LEADERSHIP. VISUAL GUIDE. TAKE PART AND TAKE CONTROL. Create an effective executive profile Control your privacy & confidentiality Efficiently connect with the people that matter 01 02 03 DEMONSTRATE YOUR LEADERSHIP. Show that your company is innovative – by having socially engaged leaders Offer an authentic, human face to your company Be a voice of your industry and build thought leadership 04 05 06 GAIN DISTINCTIVE INDUSTRY INSIGHTS. Stay on top of the leading ideas in your industry Hire the best, worldwide Keep tabs on the competition & potential acquisitions 10 11 12 ACCELERATE SALES. Connect with your top 100 customers Empower your team to leverage your network – at your discretion Be where your customers are & identify new leads 07 08 09 Executive Playbook | 6
- 7. 7 | Executive Playbook START LEAD STEP 01 STEP 02 STEP 03 Create an effective executive profile Control your privacy & confidentiality Efficiently connect with the people that matter TAKE PART AND TAKE CONTROL. Customize your LinkedIn experience to be aligned with your objectives and constraints as a top executive, right from the start. In this section, we present guidelines to set you up for success, while also managing the potential risks associated with any social media presence.
- 8. Take part & take control You at a glance Tell your story Bring your profile to life Headline By default the headline is your current position. However, you can customize it to demonstrate your expertise and vision for your role. Profile Picture Your picture is your virtual handshake. Pick a picture that is friendly and aligned with your role as a leader. Custom URL LinkedIn will assign you a random URL. A custom URL is easier to communicate and more professional. Add multimedia content to your profile. • Experience – List the key positions you had in the past and briefly explain your role. You can also detail your education background. • Summary – The summary is a personal note where you can share a bit more about the vision you have for your role or company. Executive Playbook | 8 STEP 01 * Check out the Visual Guide (p.23) to see how these pieces work together to create a complete profile. CREATE AN EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE PROFILE*. Your profile is a key component of your experience on LinkedIn. It’s your calling card when you reach out across your network, and it’s how potential contacts will locate you and understand your role. Having a complete profile is important to show you’re an active participant in the ecosystem. The tips we’re providing here are inspired and validated by the profiles of the most successful leaders on LinkedIn.
- 9. PUBLIC You have the choice to make your information as public or private as you want. PRIVATE Your connections can view your entire network Your connections can only view the people that you have in common Your Connections Everyone can see your activity feed If you turn on your activity broadcast, your connections will receive notifications when you update your profile Restrict who can see your activity feed: your network, your connections or only you If you turn off your activity broadcast, your network does not receive notifications Your Updates People you recently visited can see your name & tagline Be a LinkedIn Anonymous User: select your level of anonymity Your Visit Activity Take part & take control 9 | Executive Playbook STEP 02 CONTROL YOUR PRIVACY & CONFIDENTIALITY. Managing privacy on LinkedIn isn’t a matter of limiting your information, it’s a matter of deciding what you’d like to present to those inside your network versus those outside your network. You can easily control the privacy of your network and activities to align with both your constraints & comfort level.
- 10. Avoid spam from people you don’t know Enable email address request so that only people you know personally can connect Invite people to connect & replace business cards A LinkedIn profile has more than just the contact information of a business card. Inviting people to connect is a great way to follow up on an in-person meeting. Checking people’s profile prior to meeting is becoming a commodity. Knowing about their experience, background, connections and activity will allow you to save time and make the most of your meeting. Know a person’s background before you meet Take part & take control Executive Playbook | 10 STEP 03 EFFICIENTLY CONNECT WITH THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER. With more than 400+ million members throughout the world, LinkedIn is both the largest and most advanced business network in the world. It isn’t intended to replace face to face interactions, instead, it optimizes your ability to: • Keep your network fresh and active • Strengthen your global connections • Know more about people you’ve met or are about to meet
- 11. 11 | Executive Playbook DEMONSTRATE YOUR LEADERSHIP. Your participation in social media in general, and in LinkedIn in particular, will be welcomed by your customers and employees. As a leader, you’re demonstrating your interest in being connected, staying current and making your mark where the new comers to your industry will be. START LEAD STEP 04 STEP 05 STEP 06 Show that your company is innovative by having a socially engaged C-suite Offer an authentic, human face to your company Be a voice of your industry and build thought leadership
- 12. * The Social CEO: Executives Tell All, Weber Shandwick, 2013 ** WeRSM, 2015 Demonstrate your leadership Share the good news Engage your board on the bigger picture Executive Playbook | 12 STEP 04 SHOW THAT YOUR COMPANY HAS SOCIALLY ENGAGED LEADERS. 80% of employees say they would rather work for a social CEO, and 2 out of 3 customers say that their perception of the CEO impacts their perception of the company*. Through LinkedIn, the top executives have a clear opportunity to bring a sense of proximity and connection to their company’s professional and consumer ecosystem at a low cost and with low time commitment. Once you’ve decided to join or grow your presence on LinkedIn, coordinate with your communication department to share the news inside the company, and invite your employees to connect or follow you. Leads developed through employee social marketing convert more frequently than other leads**. 7X
- 13. Demonstrate your leadership Make your profile personal Share your Company’s page update Leverage LinkedIn as a communication platform Your profile is an opportunity to express yourself as an individual. Don’t hesitate to use the first person and share personal insights. Increase the visibility of your company’s communications by sharing company updates with your network. Coordinate with your Public Relations team to leverage your LinkedIn presence for official announcements, promotions or even crisis management. 13 | Executive Playbook STEP 05 OFFER AN AUTHENTIC, HUMAN FACE TO YOUR COMPANY. In the social media era, we’re more and more curious about the people behind a brand or a company. Top executives on LinkedIn leverage the opportunity of a personal & direct channel of communication between themselves and the rest of the world, including journalists, stakeholders and customers.
- 14. Post & share updates Publish content • Share recommended articles, personal insights, corporate presentations, and relevant industry news to demonstrate your thought leadership. • Sync your Twitter account to post on both platforms simultaneously. • You can leverage LinkedIn’s Publishing Platform to share inspiring long-form posts to your network and beyond: your posts become searchable, can be distributed through Pulse, and permanently live as an extension of your professional reputation on your profile. • LinkedIn Influencers are chosen and invited by LinkedIn to post insights about management, leadership, disruption, and more. Influencers with millions of followers include Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, and Guy Kawasaki. Demonstrate your leadership Executive Playbook | 14 STEP 06 BE A VOICE OF YOUR INDUSTRY AND BUILD THOUGHT LEADERSHIP. With nearly 2M unique publishers actively sharing content, users connect daily to review their newsfeeds and read about leaders and companies they follow. These tips will help you to easily share business insights with your network and efficiently position yourself as an industry leader.
- 15. 15 | Executive Playbook ACCELERATE SALES. Through its 400M+ members, 7.2M+ companies and 2M+ group conversations, LinkedIn provides unprecedented means to accelerate your company’s sales cycle. As a key executive, you have the means and reach to dramatically increase the value of LinkedIn for demand generation, deal closing and relationship management. START LEAD STEP 07 STEP 08 STEP 09 Connect with the C-level of your top 100 customers Empower your team to leverage your network – at your discretion Participate where your current and future customers gather
- 16. Accelerate sales Find your top tier customers • LinkedIn allows you to easily find your customers by searching by name, company, or position. • LinkedIn will also suggest people you may know based on your network, as well as people in your contact book if you allow this access. • Easily connect in just one click. Follow your customers’ activity in real-time • If you are connected with your customers, their public activity will appear in your newsfeed. • Don’t forget to follow your customers’ Company Pages. • Opt in to receive daily or weekly email notifications of updates, articles and more Executive Playbook | 16 STEP 07 CONNECT WITH YOUR TOP 100 CUSTOMERS Business is about people, but nurturing relationships takes time. LinkedIn allows you to efficiently: • Establish resilient and direct channels of communication • Remain top of mind for your customers and provide them necessary attention • Cement enduring relationships • Keep tabs on your contacts’ movements, interests and needs – in real-time
- 17. Accelerate sales Harness the reach of your network • LinkedIn Sales Solutions allow teams to establish and grow relationships with prospects and customers at every stage of relationship development, in a climate that’s focused, informed and trusted. • If your sales team is using LinkedIn Sales Solutions, they can use Team Link to leverage your executive presence and connect with prospects in an extended network. Unleash your sales team • In coordination with your Director of Sales, define & communicate the rules regarding the introduction process for strategic prospects • Encourage your sales teams to use the resources they have available, including your network. 17 | Executive Playbook STEP 08 EMPOWER YOUR TEAM TO LEVERAGE YOUR NETWORK – AT YOUR DISCRETION. Relationships accelerate business – but if your relationships are hidden, they’re of no value to the team around you. Through LinkedIn you can shorten your team’s path to key decision makers, while maintaining control of their access.
- 18. Accelerate sales Interact with customers Listen to conversations & debate • LinkedIn also allows you to listen to potential customers. • Joining and following group discussions in precise domains or verticals is an excellent way to gain customer insights about needs, consumption habits, motivations & fears. • Like in real life, in-person interactions with your customers are the best way to create brand advocates. By posting discussions on your LinkedIn profile or Company Page, you engage your customers in a unique way. • For example, Richard Branson tries to personally respond to a few customer questions a day. He even asked his followers for advice on names for Virgin banking divisions. Executive Playbook | 18 STEP 09 BE WHERE YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE & IDENTIFY NEW LEADS. People do business with companies and individuals they “know, like and trust.” LinkedIn expands your presence, approachability and reputation by improving your ability to: • Build brand awareness • Engage with your customers, partners, and suppliers • Activate your customers and allies as brand ambassadors
- 19. 19 | Executive Playbook GAIN DISTINCTIVE INDUSTRY INSIGHTS. Every week, more than 2 billion member updates from over 200 countries are uploaded to LinkedIn. From scoping competition in new markets to identifying and attracting key experts to your company, LinkedIn has become an essential business intelligence platform. START LEAD STEP 10 STEP 11 STEP 12 Stay on top of the leading ideas in your industry Hire the best, worldwide Keep tabs on the competition & potential acquisitions
- 20. Gain distinctive industry insights See what your network is up to at a glance People See what your network is up to: updates, posts, new connections, work anniversaries, new titles, etc. Companies Follow companies to receive their latest posts & announcements. Groups Join groups and view updates from discussions aligned with your personal and business goals. Executive Playbook | 20 STEP 10 STAY ON TOP OF THE LEADING IDEAS IN YOUR INDUSTRY. Staying abreast of industry news is key to building upon your expertise and expanding the respect your peers and reports have for you. LinkedIn allows you to easily track industry news, extract customer insights and understand the shifting competitive landscape – all in one place.
- 21. Gain distinctive industry insights Find experts, anywhere in the world Leverage your network to source top talent • With a presence in over 200 countries*, LinkedIn has the largest professional network. Through the advanced search you can find people with specific expertise from across the globe, at no cost. • Just like in real life, your network is your best asset to find the right talents. As a top manager you can speed up the recruiting process by re-posting strategic job opportunities your HR team shared. 21 | Executive Playbook 12M+ Canada 124M+ USA 23M+ Brazil 4M+ South Africa 100M+ Europe 34M+ India 16M+ Southeast Asia 7M+ Australia STEP 11 HIRE THE BEST, WORLDWIDE. Visibility, personal connections & referrals are key success factors when it comes to hiring – especially the best. In addition to the suite of services that it offers for HR & Recruiting departments, LinkedIn is empowering executives to better identify and attract top talent.
- 22. Gain distinctive industry insights Follow your competitors’ activity • View Company Pages to see the latest news, updates, and services as well as current and past employees. Spot the next generation of competitors • The up-and-comers of your industry are making the most of social media, and LinkedIn in particular, to connect with their ecosystem. • Use LinkedIn Pulse and join relevant groups to discover and keep track of the new comers to your industry. Identify who in your network can tell you more • When researching a company, you can see work history overlap. Use your connections to find out more information. Executive Playbook | 22 STEP 12 KEEP TABS ON THE COMPETITION AND POTENTIAL ACQUISITIONS. LinkedIn enables you to track your competition’s latest movements in real-time. With technology accelerating the cycle of market disruption, it’s important to have an eye on both incumbents and upstarts in your industry. LinkedIn plays a critical role in the new venture lifecycle – frequently deployed before the first business card is printed – and will often be the first place that new challengers appear on your radar.
- 23. VISUAL GUIDE An example of how to build a compelling profile
- 24. VISUAL GUIDE Followers The number of people that chose to receive updates when the user shares content. Summary A snapshot of the member’s professional journey, goals, and specialties. The summary is a more personal overview of your career. Profile Summary An overview of the member’s professional experience, including the member’s current position and location as well as previous experience and education. Posts Original content users contribute to LinkedIn. This content is shared with the member’s connections and followers. Custom Header Image Visually enhance your profile to reflect your unique professional brand. Executive Playbook | 24
- 25. Multimedia Content Content that can be uploaded to demonstrate expertise and thought- leadership. The content can be in the form of presentations, graphics, or videos. Experience The online resume portion of the user’s profile. It chronicles the user’s experience with specific details of each position and any work samples the user chooses to share Experience Description A summary of the member’s experience at a specific company. It should be be precise and includes key words. 25 | Executive Playbook VISUAL GUIDE
- 26. Volunteer Experience A list of causes the user cares about as well as any organizations the member supports or is involved in. Skills & Endorsements A list of the top skills the member’s connections have endorsed them for Recommendations The written statements of recommendation the member received from a connection or gave to a connection. Executive Playbook | 26 VISUAL GUIDE
- 27. Following Activity A list of the influencers, news, companies, and schools the member follows. Connections The list of 1st degree connections shared with another member. Groups The list of groups the member has joined. 27 | Executive Playbook VISUAL GUIDE
- 28. VISUAL GUIDE Recent Activity Recent Activity is a history of the member’s shared and posted articles, as well as his/her comments and contributions. Profile Drop-Down Menu Click here to connect, follow, share the profile or view the member’s activity. Executive Playbook | 28
- 29. 29 | Executive Playbook ABOUT LINKEDIN Today, LinkedIn members number more than 400+ million professionals. That’s over one-half of the 600 million professionals on the planet, representing the largest group anywhere of influential, affluent and educated people. For more information, visit marketing.linkedin.com Learn about LinkedIn Marketing Solutions business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions Stay on the cutting edge with our blog business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/blog Follow us on LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/linkedin-marketing-solutions Follow us on Twitter @LinkedinMKTG
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