Most professionals, regardless of industry, have a LinkedIn profile. If used correctly LinkedIn can help form connections but more importantly it can generate leads and business for you, your office, or your team. But how is LinkedIn different?

Channel Difference 

There are many ways to connect online but not all have the same focus. People go on Facebook to socialize and Instagram to share and find beautiful images. LinkedIn is where career-minded individuals connect for professional reasons. So what does that mean, and what are the next steps?
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Presentation

Your LinkedIn profile may be the first time someone encounters you so make sure you’ve completed your profile completely and in a way that benefits you. If you have a preferred professional photo, using the same photo throughout your platforms is a great way for others to start to form connections and recognize you. This is also a chance to give reasons to connect. Fill out your bio but don’t be stiff and boring. This is your chance to tell people what you do and where, who you help, and how you do it. Remember the channel difference for LinkedIn. 
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Starting Connections

As a start, connect with people who went to schools you attended, worked in fields you’re familiar with, people you’ve worked with, and companies you’d like to be connected with. In that same way this is what encourages people to connect with you in return, so keep that in mind when connecting as well as a guide for your own profile presentation.
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Branching Out

The step after this is to join groups and connect with new people. Make sure the groups make sense for you to join. Focus on professional groups, even if they’re not related to real estate. With a quick search, you’ll find dozens of groups for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and topics not focused on real estate but that are relevant to your own career goals. In these groups, you’ll not only learn from other people, you’ll make connections outside of the industry. It will help cement you as a real estate authority and start conversations with people who may be looking to buy or sell as well as look to you as a source of knowledge- just as you would to them.
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From Connections to Quality Leads

By consistently sharing valuable content and establishing your expertise, you’ll naturally start to attract leads. These leads might come in the form of direct messages, emails, or even invitations to meet for coffee or lunch. These points of contact can even come from those referring you who you’ve connected with through LinkedIn as a more reliable and trusted source. 

In fact, LinkedIn leads could even be higher quality. You can get a sense of how serious they might be and given the relationship building dynamic of LinkedIn, those reaching out are less likely to be casually inquiring about their real estate needs and instead doing so with the intent of taking action.
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Should You Ask for Endorsements?

Feel free to ask happy clients to leave feedback on your social media, especially on LinkedIn. It’s even more powerful if they found you on LinkedIn and are willing to share their experience from start to finish so that others can see what they think. Testimonials continue to be extremely powerful in an online world where most people will find you for the first time. With so many choices, instill confidence that you’re their best one. 
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Closing Thoughts

Spend a little time each week sharing, joining, and connecting. You don’t have to devote your life to LinkedIn to make it work, but you shouldn’t ignore it, either. Showcase what you can on LinkedIn, but not all things are meant to be handled on LinkedIn. 

Localizing your website as your central hub will boost its overall visibility and will allow you to showcase things that may not be directly possible through the constraints of LinkedIn, so don't be afraid to guide them there through your content on LinkedIn. The nature of  LinkedIn may change but your personal website will persist as something you have direct control over as a reliable source for those looking. 

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