In a course I’m taking called “Social Midas” with Mari Smith and Guy Kawasaki , one of Mari’s quotes keeps running through my mind: “Content Is King, But Engagement Is Queen”.  And, she adds, “the Queen runs the house”.

Engagement in the various Social Media platforms is so important if you want to develop good connections and, even more, relationships. When we engage with someone there are certain things to keep in mind.  When using Social Media, you cannot spend too much time on any one platform.  

There are so many, that you’re best advised to focus on no more than two, although you have to keep up your presence on each one so you won’t get lost in the shuffle.  When I say “keep up”, I mean you must be “engaging” on a consistent basis.  Here are some tips how.

FACEBOOK

Go to Facebook twice a day and post something that is of interest to your readers.  One trick I use is that when writing a blog about something, I will find an article pertinent to it and post it on my Facebook Page.  This gives more value to my blog and at the same time takes it one step further.

Scan through Facebook and when you find something of interest, “like” it and comment on it.  When commenting on something, give the author a little praise for the effort they put into delivering value (assuming they did).  You can also ask a question in your comment.  This will help engage people to join that conversation and keep in going.

Example:  The other day I had a question about a Facebook problem.  I immediately jumped over to my friend and mentor Kimberly Castleberry’s page “Just-Ask-Kim”. She gave me the answer to my problem by a post she wrote about that EXACT issue.  In turn, I shared on my status update that “I had trouble with FB and Kim gave me this link to solve it.”  That was shared so many times and people started to ENGAGE in the subject.  I received “Yes me too” on the comment section.  So the shares and comments went like wildfire.

So what did this do for me?  I received tons of attention and friend requests because I used Facebook to get the word out that there was an “answer to a problem” that other people might have encountered.

TWITTER

I know many of us have automated twitter programs we use to send scheduled tweets. I don’t.   

I visit my Twitter via Bottlenose to read my tweets, so all my friends-streams are in one place that is most usable and convenient for me.  I go there three times a day, scan out tweets, and maybe retweet something good, and reply when it is appropriate.  Once a day I go the extra mile and click the link to a blog or article and leave a comment.  I’ll then tweet back how I enjoyed it.  

I always try to engage with the author of a good tweet.  

GOOGLE+  

Google+ is a great platform to be on because we want to make nice-nice with Google, right?  

This one can suck me in so I need to be careful, time-wise.  

I’ll search updates from people I am interested in, comment, plus them and maybe go to their link and comment if it is of true value to me and to my readers.  I can ENGAGE on that site quickly because it is all about the pictures.  Do a quick scan and plus some interesting people.

LINKEDIN

I call LinkedIn my “Secret Weapon”.

I’ve been using it a long time and have a good amount of success with it. So many people believe it is just for job searching, but it is not.  

I’ve written my strategies down in a previous post called “LinkedIn – My Secret Weapon”. Feel free to check that out, but in the meanwhile, if you are using this platform… Start with joining a group in your niche.  

Focus on just one group until you get the hang of it.  

There are so many people hungry for good information that you can contribute to.  Start ENGAGING  with some folks that have put up some useful information.  Do the same as you would do on Facebook.  

Comment that you enjoyed the article and give them some credibility.  Leaving a good comment always is a great way to start knowing people.  You will be notified via email when someone comments in your group and you can visit them if it perks your attention.  

Also, your blog feed is up and running on LinkedIn.  So people will take notice of your activity.

KLOUT

More and more people are on Klout, so I had to jump in, too.  

I visit it only a few times a week, and “K” people I know.  

But I am there, so people I know “K” me back, too. I only really ENGAGE on that platform in that way.   I personally am not too keen about Klout, but I like the perks (ha ha).

PINTEREST

I was going my merry way on Pinterest having fun.  

It is a creative platform that I visited to re-pin, comment or to “like” people’s boards.  I enjoyed leaving comments on certain things I was interested in to validate the person pinning.  

But it was not until I took Kimberly Castleberry’s course about how to use Pinterest properly that I had the “Aha!” experience.  

I’ve learned so many Do’s and Don’ts about it that I am currently re-doing my boards.  Based on stats I have a new perspective.  Also, I’ve learned so much that I can’t write it all here.

If YOU want to know more, it is on My Facebook Page – in the “Pinterest for Business” status.

ENGAGEMENT on Pinterest is easy once you know how to do it correctly.  But be sure to make it your business to learn it right.

YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CIRCLES

These are just a few examples of the Social Media platforms.  Get involved and learn how to ENGAGE in these circles.  If you are on any Social Media site, of course you want to put out your own information and links.  That is all well and good, as long as you do it sparingly and avoid spamming.  But remember, your priority is to ENGAGE with others.  

ENGAGEMENT will take time.  So I would suggest to take two of your favorite sites and spend more time on them.  Give the others a quick scan, but fit them into your schedule at least once a week so you and your brand won’t be forgotten on them.  

It is always important to give excellent content, but ENGAGING will build better relationships and bring more people to you because they notice you are interested in what they have to say.  People like to know you are paying attention, and people are… after all is said and done… the true substance of Social Media.  

CALL TO ACTION:  Are you Engaging in a systematic way?  Are you present on the most important Social Media platforms?  Are you balancing your content-sharing and engagement levels? 

I would like to know what your favorite platform is, and also if you are having trouble spending too much time on them.

Blessings,
Donna

We all get the feeling sometimes that there is so much to do being a Solopreneur, that you just want to throw your hands up in the air and give up. Before you do, here are a list of coping mechanisms and techniques that can help you. The following is what I find effective when I am feeling Overwhelmed.

One technique I like to use is DISTRACTION.

You can calm your emotions by getting involved and engaged in a totally off-task activity:

Stop what you are doing and shut down the computer.

Take a walk
Chop some veggies and cook them
Do some cleaning in your office or home
Go out and have a meal you normally don’t have

This will help distract you from thinking negatively. I find the more mundane the action, the better it is. Try chopping veggies, washing dishes or walking the dog.

Another technique that has helped me re-group in the past is CONTRIBUTION.

You can CONTRIBUTE to some thing to help people less fortunate than you.

Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Do a random act of kindness for someone

You get the idea.

TAKE A MENTAL BREAK

Take a little break and focus on your breathing.
Imagine yourself in a bubble that protects you from all anxiety and distress.
Look at the situation and imagine it is on the back burner of the stove. You know it’s there, but it is on simmer and you can take care of it later

Work with OPPOSITE EMOTIONS

If you are bombarded and feel anxious, helpless, hopeless or any of the negative feelings you may have, turn things around by:

Playing inspiring, upbeat music that makes you feel good… instead of ruminating or playing sad music.
Watch a comedy or a movie on TV

Turn those negative emotions into positive ones.

THE SENSE OF TOUCH CAN ALSO DIVERT YOUR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS OR EMOTIONS.

You can derail negative thinking with TOUCH.

When your emotions are intense, do something else intense such as:

Holding an ice cube in your hand
Taking a hot shower
Getting in the hot tub (if available)

Sensations will forge new subconscious patterns, or neuro-links in your mind, .

Control overwhelm with your THOUGHTS

You are thinking distressful thoughts that overwhelm you.

So stop them with these methods:

Count to 10
Focus your mind on the colors around you for a few minutes
Think intently about something that has made you happy in the past

When you practice these skills until you master them, they will help you turn things around.

Don’t give up your goals just because you are overwhelmed. Carry on your plans to get things accomplished.

Even if you took just one of the actions above and implemented it when you are feeling distressed or overwhelmed, It will work.
You will find that you can re-group and get back into action.

CHOOSE ONE SKILL, do it and master it. That’s all it takes.

It can be a five minute re-roup or it might take longer than that.

I am writing this because I feel it is so important to keep balanced in order for you to be successful in your goals and/or daily tasks.

I always think about the fact that 97% of people fail in their business. Those are the people who give up because they are overwhelmed or their business did not meet their expectations within the time frame they anticipated. It does take time for your business to prosper. It never happens overnight.

You will frequently be challenged with emotions that make you want to throw in the towel. Don’t! If you have a passion to succeed, this is the time to use it.

I have been visiting many blogs and have noticed that I don’t know what the heck is going on at first sight. I felt I needed to share my experience on Personal Branding.

WHAT’S YOUR PERSONAL BRAND?

When I meet a person on my blog or any of the social platforms and want to get to know them, I look first for their picture. Then I want to know within a few seconds what they are about. This is called personal branding.
Our attention span, when connecting with new people, is only a few seconds. If your blog is not set up correctly, you are going to lose visitors as quick as a click if they cannot immediately decipher your personal brand. So here are some do’s and don’ts that I’ve found that can help you.

Have a blog that is YOU.

Do Have a Picture of YOU on your blog. Your picture gives you an incredibly powerful means for making your very first impression. This is who you. This is the very first foundation of trust. A real person! So prominently display a real good, clear photo of yourself. People say that it should be a professional one, but if not, make it the best shot it can be. I did mine just on my web cam. Not perfect, but it gives people a chance to instantly “meet” me.

Don’t leave a blank where your picture must be. This immediately gives the impression that you are hiding. It can also give the impression that you are a company, too big to care about your readers. These impressions may be far from the truth, but they are indelible impressions you will leave your visitors with if you refuse to “show up” at the “front door” when they come knocking on your blog.

Do have a few words about the purpose of your blog in your title and headline tags. This will tell the visitor what you have to offer, what you stand for. Make sure those words are congruent with the purpose, mission and intent of your blog. Your blog must reflect your personal brand.

Don’t use your industry’s blog and then put yourself under it. You will just be telling people that you are your company first, and the personal YOU only as an afterthought. I have noticed this a lot and even with some seasoned bloggers. They use a company blog and waste all their good efforts to throw back business to that company, totally missing out on a great opportunity to become THE go-to person in the organization.

Your blog is your central hub where all social sites lead.

So be the star – not some pencil pusher filling out sign-up forms for “the company”. It also looks too spammy. Like the only reason you want folks on your blog is so you can get them to buy your stuff, or join your business opportunity.

Do reflect on what makes you Unique. What makes you stand out in the crowd that populates your niche? We all have gifts we can share. This may take time to define and to portray, but it is worth far more than all the pop-ups you can muster. II suggest you carefully and completely write down on paper just who you are. If you don’t know, how can your visitors? List all the unique qualities you have. Eventually you have a concise picture of what qualities you have that make you unique. Portray these qualities so you can stand out in your crowd.

Don’t use catch phrases like everyone else in your niche. Example: If you are into the Law of Attraction (very catchy phrase these days) change the words up a bit. Come up with your own words that describe the Law of Attraction. It will work the same, but you will have the edge over the minions of folks calling themselves LOA coaches.

Do write about what you know and what you believe in.

Don’t pretend you know something when your really don’t.

An example here is that I know social media, but I’m all thumbs when it comes to things that are technical. If I were to write about a Word Press “plug in” I use on my blog, I wouldn’t be conveying a message that is in my heart and is my true passion. If I used a plug-in that I thought was absolutely the bees knees, and I truly wanted to share it with my readers, I might solicit a guest post on the topic from the person who taught me about it in the first place.

Don’t assume that simply by having a blog and social media presence that you are engaged in Personal Branding. There is so much more to it. And don’t assume people know what your Personal Brand is. Make sure you work hard to portray it to them at all times. That is the challenge of delivery your personal brand to your market, every single day.

So What’s Your Brand?  I would like to hear your comments and input on this topic.

Blessings,

Donna

Your blog is the central hub of your internet presence and brand. As such, you need to spend quality time delivering quality information in your posts. But what is the best way to leverage your blog content?

Most of us write a blog, then send it out to all our social sites at the same time. Not the worst thing in the world to do, and it’s a method many of us have been taught. But using this syndication method does not necessarily maximize the leverage you should be getting from your blog content.

Let me give you an idea of how you could syndicate a bit differently to get more mileage out of your blogging efforts.

For argument sake I made this list starting on Monday, don’t take it verbatim, but whatever day you usually publish a blog post, start there.

Monday: Write your blog Post

Tuesday: Tweet your post

Wednesday: Put your post up on your Face Book Page

Thursday: Kick out your post to one or two of your other social sites.

Friday: Upload your post to Linked In.

Saturday: Tweet your post with a different title

Sunday: Take one of your more interesting comments and make it the subject of your Facebook status. You could say something like “In my last post, John Doe said bla bla bla about the subject I wrote about. What do you think about John’s opinion? I really would like to know. If you’d like to read more, click on my post and read my reply to John.”

I find that when we write our posts and syndicate them in all our social streams at the same time, our efforts look like spam or hype… a desperate attempt to get everybody to pay attention to what we just did. That might be convenient to do, but scheduling our syndication, and stretching it out over a period of time will tend to keep our content alive and fresh across all of our social sites.

In the long run, it will gain you more recognition and a sustained conversation. In other words, you will better leverage your blog content.

Here is your call to action:  Think about how you are going to leverage your blog and make your own system using these modalities.

Blessings,

Donna

When it comes to “Tribes” there is a certain power being in one.

According to Wikipedia, a “tribe” is a “clan-based social structure”.
It became popularized as an loin community structure by Seth Godin.  In his book “Tribes,” Godin explains that “A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. ….[and he further describes how] the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost and time.  All those blogs and social networking sites are helping existing tribes to get bigger.”

I have participated in several tribes over the past few years. 

I connect with other bloggers and share content and feedback (“syndicate”) with them.  Tribe members share the same mindset of exchanging ideas and helping one another by commenting, and promoting each other’s blogs by virtue of social bookmarking and sharing.

What I love most about tribes is that not only do they help rank my site on Google, but they offer me a forum for learning from other people.  While we share a general effort to cross-syndicate, we have varying strengths and focus, and we represent a wide variety of niches, or special areas of interest.  

The best thing about my tribal involvement has been meeting so many awesome, devoted people.  We often become friends in addition to masterminding together, critiquing each others work, and even collaborating in Joint Ventures.

The very reason I chose “donnamerrilltribe.com” as my blog title, is that I have crafted it as a sort of mini-tribe for all my readers.  

There is a lot of power in that title for several reasons.  First, I use my name, which is important for branding.  But more important, I join it to the concept of “tribe” as an invitation for readers to join me and my online journey.

In fact, I consider anyone who follows my blog or any of my social sites to be part of my team…part of my tribe.  We meet and connect.  The very word… “tribe”… I feel, brings us all together.

We are all team players out here.  

I welcome you to jump into action and consider yourself part of my community.  I love to help people and encourage them to stay on point with their passions and goals, and to never compromise them or surrender their zeal.

If you have any questions about joining a Tribe, I can recommend some of the ones I belong to.  Just ask me in the comment box.

Let me know what you think, It is really important to me.

Blessings,
Donna

I am a social media butterfly.  I love doing what I do.  One of my most important daily activities is syndicating other people.

As a blogger for a few years, I find that there are certain ethics when it comes to Syndication.  You want your blog to be active.  You can–and should– set up all your on-page SEO’s and off-page back-linking.  But the heart and should of blogging is Syndication.

When someone comes to your blog and comments, there must be acknowledgment and reciprocity.

1. Reply to each and every comment.  This acknowledges your readers’ efforts and interest.

2. Now go to your readers’ blogs, if they have links to them.

3. Read their latest post and get to know them a bit, and learn from what they’ve written.

4. Reply to their post, as they did to yours.  If they have “comment lug”, simply click on it to back-link to  your latest post.

5. Go to their Facebook and “friend” them, but don’t forget the ethics here.  Don’t simply push the “friend” button, but explain why you want to add them as a friend with a sincere, personal message.

6. Tweet or Retweet their blog post.

7. Whatever social sites they have linked to their blog, syndicate via those social share buttons.

8. Google+ them, BUT write to your followers why you are doing this. i.e. “I found this interesting blog post on _____ and thought you may find this interesting.”  Make your Google+ interesting so others will read it.

9. PINTEREST is all the rage.  You can take your syndicating a step further and find that person on Pinterest.  Once there, you can  “follow” them, or like, comment or “repin” one of their pins.

Sound like too much work?

Not if you make this a part of your daily method of operation.  Notice, I said “daily”.  It’s far better for both you and those you follow if you were to syndicate, say 3 blogs a day, Monday through Friday… rather than syndicate 15 bogs on Monday.  That’s because search engines see a consistency to your online presence.  That consistency will improve your online status with Google and the other search engines.  In turn, it will vastly improve the quality of your syndication for those you syndicate, than if you just blast out a bunch here and there, now and then.

Once you set time for this, you will find that your own blog will start to rock and roll.  People will flow in via Twitter, Facebook and other social and social bookmarking sites.  Most will reciprocate because they appreciate what you have done for them.

Does this really work?

Yes, all my followers come from social media platforms.  I never spent a penny on advertising, and I have a ton of followers.  When you go-give, it comes back ten fold.

I was in a “Listening” group today, applying the principals of the Art of Listening.  We paired in twos.  Partners had to share statements that they found helpful in stressful situations.  

When I am stressed I use a breathing technique.  I count from 1 to 10 without any distraction in my mind.  Sounds easy?

Well….you try doing it.  Inhale and just concentrate on the number one, exhale and see that number “1″  go away.  Inhale number “2″ , exhale and see that number go away.  Do it from 1 to 10.  Now, if ANYTHING comes to mind other than the number, you have to go back and start at  “1″ again.
The object of the technique is to distract you from a negative moment. Also to clear your mind.

So I write it down and tell my partner what I did.  She, has to respond to me “I hear that you are saying that your breathing and number technique works to calm you down.” 

That is what we call “validation”

Then it was my partner’s turn to share her method of stress-reduction.  I validated her comment.  

Sounds pointless? 

NO!  Validation is effective because you can only validate a person by active listening.  This is one of many techniques I am working on to sharpen my skills in active listening.

When people talk we tend to have ideas running through our heads.  If we ignore those ideas and validate what the person is saying, we are being active listeners.  Active listeners get more out of the conversation.  Alternately, we might be thinking of our response rather than listening intently.  But in so doing, we are focused on judging, not listening.  Does our partner really need us to judge, or to listen?

Validation is more important to a person because they are confirmed that you have heard what they have said.

Now what does this have to do with Social Marketing, Internet Marketing or Network Marketing?   EVERYTHING.

After the exercise, all I could think of are the blog comments I routinely write.  I read the blog and sometimes make the mistake of not validating what the blogger had written about.  My mind runs and connects with my own experiences, and rather than focus on the blogger’s point of view, I anticipate my response as I read.

I wrote a previous article about the importance of blog commenting.

I have taken this opportunity to re-asses how I craft my comments.  I have caught myself thinking about my response, rather than reading intensely.  I would then write my comment about me, and my relationship to what was written in the post.

STOP!  READ!  LISTEN!!!

Now, I am more aware when I am reading a post.  I am more conscious of the fact that I must validate what that person has written first, and then maybe add my own two cents.

Comments on a blog are so important because others do read comments.  This is the fuel that blogging is powered by.  It is how I have personally attained so many followers and subscribers, and how you might, too.  Readers liked what I said, and sought me out via Google+, Facebook, or other social media sites.

CALL TO ACTION:  When you comment on a blog post, are you “listening” to what that person has written?  Do you validate the information they have given you?

Think about it and let me know your thoughts.

Be Blessed,
Donna Merrill

I love Social Media.  Because of that, I follow the top Social Media Gurus.  My Favorite is Mari Smith, because she has taken Social Media to a whole new level.  That’s why I was so excited when I heard about the Mari Smith and Guy Kawasaki March 28th Event next week.

The event is actually a FREE webinar that Mari will be co-hosting with Guy Kawasaki, the social media and marketing genius.. 

They are calling it “The 7 Hottest Trends In Social Media”.

And if you didn’t know,  Guy Kawasaki is one of the original marketer of Macintosh and Apple.  More recently, he is founder of Alltop.com and is a social media giant.

Mari Smith’s motto is “Relationships first, business second.”  Her passion revolves around relationships and building new ones. She has strategically utilized her social platforms on Facebook and Twitter, along with a wide variety of other platforms.  Because this is EXACTLY my motto, I can tell you I have learned so much by following Mari.

Forbes Magazine cites Mari Smith as one of the top 10 social media experts in “Who are the Top 10 Influencers in Social Media?” She is a highly sought and renowned speaker and teacher in Social Media strategies.

I have been following Mari Smith for a long time now because she has been at the forefront of the Social Media explosion, pioneering the social inroads that Facebook, especially, has made into the once static and mundane world of internet information and marketing.

I believe Social Media is the best platform one can develop in the web 2.0 world of dialogue and interaction.  So today, when I heard about this upcoming Free Webinar that Mari Smith has put together, I was totally excited to write this blog post and let everyone know about it.

I happen to know that Mari Smith has been working on this special Free Webinar for a long time, but the official word has just come out.  I wanted my readers to be at the top of this wave.  I urge you to REGISTER NOW, because there is definitely a limited number of seats for this one.  Then “SAVE THE DATE” for “The 7 Hottest Trends In Social Media,”  the Mari Smith and Guy Kawasaki March 28th Event.  I’m not missing this one – neither should you!

One more time, Get your spot …  got mine! Register now for the Mari Smith and Guy Kawasaki March 28th Event.

For many years, I have been doing psychic readings.  I built up an awesome professional practice as a psychic consultant in Nyack, New York.  “Mind over Matter”, as my practice was called, caught on so fast that it became a 7 day a week undertaking. 

“A psychic”, you say?

Now, don’t poo poo it so fast!  You can check out the page on this blog that explains exactly what I do.  I’m not the kind of psychic that will read your palm for $5 and lead you into buying a marble for $100 to get rid of your black aura.  I run an ethical, no-nonsense practice that actually helps people achieve their goals.

In the last few years my practice has evolved somewhat.   I got interested in internet marketing, both for myself and my clients.

The economy was falling apart and an increasing number of my clients were getting laid off or living in fear of getting laid off.  When I discovered that there was a way to make money on the internet either full or part time, I got pretty excited. I found I could reach out to more people, and develop better consulting methodologies online.

I also wanted to develop something for clients to use as a back door income, either full or part time.  I started teaching what I learned.  Even if my clients stuck to their careers, they could now be exposed to an opportunity to build some extra income.  This was important to me because I could feel big changes brewing for the economy.

That said, the top subject always on the minds of my clients remains… Love.

I find that their love lives and relationships is an overwhelming concern. 

They could be in any walk of life… housewives, business folks, detectives, therapists… I’ve even got a couple forensic psychiatrists that I consult with.  Even among marketers who come to me for coaching,

I worked with one online marketer, for example, whose spouse doesn’t want her blogging.  He insists she’s wasting her time.  

Conflict in the home is actually a pretty common concern among online marketers.  Professional goals are one thing, but Love and Relationships weigh the heaviest on us.  And that, in turn, has a major effect on our ability to achieve our professional goals!

Another scenario is the marketer who spends so much time working and doesn’t have any time for Dating! 

Where do they go?  What do they do?  This also can be a distraction to their business.  I like to offer ways to assist them so that they can be at peace, find a partner, and have their lives a little more settled.  That achieved, they can then re-focus on their business.

When Love and Relationships rock your boat. What do you do?  

Is it taking too much time out of your day?
Are you discouraged?
Do you want to throw in the towel to keep your relationship together?
Do you know how to balance your relationship?
Are you bummed out because you cannot find a date?
Have the people that you are dating think that you are nuts for being an online entrepreneur?

Feel free to comment below or ask me a question.  Also Let me know what YOU need to know.

Blessings,
Donna

LinkedIn is my secret weapon

I used to call LinkedIn my “Secret Weapon” for my business.  I am glad to see more and more people using it regularly.

I find that the platform on LinkedIn is more business-like compared to Facebook.  To me, Facebook is becoming more and more crowded and I only use it for my groups.  There used to be a time when I could communicate with others using Facebook, but now it is crowded with so many pictorial inspirations that it drives me nuts.  Not only that, but there are too many “opportunities” being posted.

That being said, good old LinkedIn is STILL my favorite platform in social media.
You need to use it correctly and you will find so many followers and friends it will knock your socks off!  

Here are some tips I found useful to make your LinkedIn experience effective.

Your Profile:  

Make sure to clarify what you have done and what you want people to see what you are doing currently.

You want to show your passion and interests.  Be honest here!

There is a space underneath your name with room for only a few words. So think about that as your “keywords” that best describe YOU and what you do.  Make sure this is relevant to your business.

A picture is worth a thousand words.  You Must have a picture of yourself in order for people to take you seriously.

Your contact information -  Make sure you have the best way to contact you. You can put all the information here, but say you are using your Skype name and you never turn on your Skype, that can lead to problems.  Leave your preferred contact first!

NEXT: YOU WANT TO BUILD YOUR NETWORK

Start connecting with people you know.  People that might be in your niche or those whom you follow.  Be careful who you invite. You don’t want to go down your email list and import them all, you may get people you don’t want.  

When someone tries to connect with you, ALWAYS check them out first to see if you want them in your network.  If they are all about sales, RUN!  You want people that are writing quality content.  

You can then connect with them on their blogs by making a comment, or Facebook by inviting them, and that goes for all your other social sites.

AFTER MAKING CONNECTIONS WHAT DO YOU DO?

Get on to their network and read what they are doing, go to their blogs and answer their polls.  Start socializing as you would in any social network.

Recommendations:  There is a place on LinkedIn to recommend someone.   DO NOT recommend people you really don’t know  Take this seriously.  Try to do one recommendation a week.  You might be surprised that most people will reciprocate in an honest way.

JOIN GROUPS

There are so many interesting groups on LinkedIn, you will want to join them.  Narrow it down to groups in your niche and special interests.

When you go to groups, answer a few discussions.  Let the group get to know you before you put your message out there.  It is etiquette to do so and you will see how many good people you will connect with.  

Scan your groups because it can get a little spammy out there, especially if you are a Network Marketer.  

I found that I received so much information from the groups I am in.  The more I made connections, the better we syndicated each other.

So that’s my take on how I use LinkedIn. 

Please tell me your thoughts and add to this discussion.  What is your experience?  Are there more tips you have to share?  Please comment.  You can also connect with me on my LinkedIn at: 

http://www.linkedin.com/in/donnamerrilltribe