Happy Valentine’s Day LinkedIn Gifts for Your Network

Boy I love my LinkedIn network, and I would send you all flowers and candy if I could! But what I can do is share with you some tips on how to show your network that you love them as much as I love you! It is the professional Valentine’s Day gift…

1. Endorse your connections on LinkedIn – Be sure to choose skills and expertise that you know your connection has and that you have experienced. Below is how to do this:
   1. To endorse a skill already listed on someone’s profile, scroll down to the Skills & Endorsement section of a connection’s profile.
   2.  Click the name of the skill, or the + symbol next to the skill.
2. Make a warm introductions to connections that can benefit from a knowing each other.  It can be in a LinkedIn message or in an email. Just copy them both with a small description of each.
   1. You can pull information right from their LinkedIn summary and explain why you think it would be a positive connection for the both of them.
   2. Copy them both in an email or LinkedIn message ie:
      1. Dear XXX and YYY, In the spirit of Valentine’s Day I wanted to make this connection for the two of  you. XXX does all this stuff and YYY does all that stuff, and I thought it made sense for the two of you to meet and explore ways you may be able to work together.  Just reply all to the message to connect.
      2. Or simply ask specific people who they are looking to meet and make target introductions that way.
3. Engage in comments on your networks’ posts, like or comment on their discussions and vote on their polls and share your thoughts in comments. Your network has spent a lot of time and energy in putting their content out, the fact that you spent the time to read it and participate is very much appreciated.
4. Recommend your connections on LinkedIn – there is not much more appreciated then a testimonial on LinkedIn, but again, make sure it sincere. This is a fantastic way to thank your vendors this season!
   1. Visit your connections profile
   2. Click the small arrow next to the send message and endorse button
   3. Click recommend and follow the steps
5. Share your networks’ content by tweeting and re-tweeting their posts and share it with your network on LinkedIn and Facebook.  As a blogger and business professional, I am always grateful when someone shares my information with their network. You can often find their twitter, Facebook and blog right on their LinkedIn profile or website.

Happy Valentine’s Day, may it be a great one!

For more LinkedIn tips and strategies check out SSL’s LinkedIn & Social Selling Book.