Have you tried using LinkedIn? And by using I mean really use the platform to it’s potential and not just having a profile out there? LinkedIn like every other social media platform has it’s own share of lovers and haters, it would be wrong if I say all who are working B2B love LinkedIn, shocked? Don’t be, they used it wrong and now blame it on LinkedIn.

Not understanding the platform

This is no breaking news that LinkedIn isn’t Facebook, twitter, Instagram or for that mater any other platform; yet there are many who fail to understand it as a platform.

In the world of social selling two things are non-negotiable, first of which is understanding your audience and second the medium. And the later is where most of us mess it up. LinkedIn is not for sharing what you had for breakfast (unless you are a health coach) or where you partied last night, and that cat video you love.

LinkedIn means business and so does the people their (well most of them).

Its only for B2B

Another popular mistake is when people consider it a social selling platform only for Job Hunters, B2B or corporates. Gosh, first it is not a social selling platform it is a business networking platform and the best we have on plant as on date. Second, it is not ONLY for B2B, job hunters or the big corporates, it is for all of us. The freelancers, the money coach, content writers, marketing professionals, lawyers, doctors, real estate agents and who not.

So kick those in the ass who tell you LinkedIn is not for you, it is for one and all. The trick lies in figuring the entry level out.

Confusing profile with presence

This one, we all are guilty of this one, me too, some more than others.

Signing up on LinkedIn and dumping it with the info you have on your resume and leaving it in hope of a magic to happen that will help you achieve you LinkedIn goals, sorry pals it does not work that way, and we know that.

Pitch Pitch Pitch and Pitch

The most annoying and disastrous one is to use it as a pitching and cold calling platform. Wake up sleepy head its 2017 and cold calling and door to door sales have been dead for long, and for good. Please stop putting efforts in reviving the long dead; it won’t do any good to anyone.

LinkedIn is not a place where you start selling as soon as someone opens the door aka accepts your invitation. Gosh even door to door sales men realised this faster that building a conversation and connection is what will drive more sales, and not screaming buy me buy me buy me.

Having a profile that stinks

Yes even profiles stinks, how? I will tell you… no wait lets do it this way. Have you come across profiles that are nothing but a piece of rotten information? I am sure you have, it’s just a matter of identifying it. Which you will by the end of the next paragraph.

Do the profiles with no profile pictures, or for that matter old and un professional profile pictures excite you? How about those who have nothing valuable on their profile, nothing that tells you who they are, what they do, what are their business interest, how likely are you to accept connection request from those?

Networking it wrong

One of the most unaddressed problem and / or mistake people commit on LinkedIn is building their network in an ad hoc way. Adding anyone and everyone that comes across their network, we unconsciously create a network with low net worth.

Tough adding people to network don’t cost money but it cost time, which is just the same. A strategic approach of adding people that will add value to your LinkedIn goals and thus business is crucial.

How many of these mistakes are you guilty of committing? Networking it wrong is where I have burnt my time, and a lot of it. What about you? Tell me in the comments section below, and if there is anything else that you think should make it to the list, bring it on.