Linkedin Outlook Tool for Expanding Your Networking
Here’s the most exciting networking tool to help in your job search and build your Linkedin network. When you use this tool, you combine your Outlook program with your Linkedin Program. You can have your Outlook program running behind your Linkedin program; or your Linkedin program can run behind your Outlook program. You can switch back and forth between programs. In a moment I will show you how to activate this Linkedin feature. First let me show how you can use it to build your Linkedin network quickly.
Emails You Receive in Outlook
Once your download this free tool, for every email you receive from a person via Outlook, there will be a Linkedin symbol in the right hand corner of the email. When you click on this, it tells you this person is a member of Linkedin, their headline and the number of their contacts. From this brief information you can decide if they would be helpful to your job search.
If they are on Linkedin, you can Keep In Contact with them or Invite them to join your network. If you click on the Invite, a screen appears with all the information and choices to send them a personalized invitation to join your network. You decide on the words you want to use or create a template to use on an ongoing basis. ( Use the Job Search message you created in the last post) Once you complete the form, you hit send and you are right back at your Outlook program.
The beauty of this tool is that you don’t have to leave Outlook to send an invitation. And it only takes a few minutes. It’s even faster if you use your own template invitation to send the person an invitation.
Another feature of this tool is that if the email you receive contains other names in any part of the address, the CC or Blind Copy, these names are shown in a separate box. You can click on them and find out if they are on Linkedin. One email I received had four additional names displayed when I clicked the Linkedin symbol. I sent out five invitations in the space of five minutes, one to each person.
The Power of the Outlook Tool
Stop for a moment and think about the power of this tool. First there is the speed and convenience of sending out invitations. Then, in any given day, I may receive dozens of emails from other professionals in my field. They are advertising materials to sell, newsletter, etc. I can click on any of these emails and invite the person to be on my network. When they receive the invite, it is very easy for them to click and say “Yes” to become a member of my network. And you can do all of this without every leaving your Outlook program. How cool is this?
Now I can invite the top people in my field as members of my network without all the work involved in personally contacting these people. When others see these experts on my network, now my credibility soars.
To be continued, your comments are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
