From SuccessStories

LinkedInSuccess Stories - MarcFreedman

There a myriad of ways to use LinkedIn. I have found LinkedIn to be greatly rewarding. Here are several that have helped me.

Reconnecting - Hello Hollywood?

One of the most basic uses of LinkedIn is to reconnect with people with whom you had lost touch years or even decades ago. This can be old neighbors, friends, classmates, coworkers, etc.

My best story in this area is reconnecting with my film school professor. I last heard from him 15 years ago. I happened to find him on LinkedIn and hooked up. He writes back to say he was thrilled to hear from me. He remembered me well when I wrote his business plan to start an independent film studio two decades ago. He told me about this little deal he's working on. It features a US hedge fund investing $100 million, a recapitalized Hollywood motion picture company affiliated with a major studio, his own boutique film company, a miniseries deal with HBO that a huge star wants to be in (must keep that secret), and a German bank kicking in production money for several movie and TV properties in exchange for foreign rights. Would I be interested in serving as COO?

OK, so maybe the deal hasn't happened ... yet. But if I hadn't reconnected with him on LinkedIn, I would not have found him or this opportunity.

Recruiting - for equity

Finding qualified candidates from a database isn't hard ... when you have a LinkedIn database of 10 million people. The challenge isn't finding them, but having enough Introductions to contact them.

But what if you want to attract people as volunteers or to work for equity? And what if the person you seek is an attorney, a species not known for easily giving up $300 per hour billing rates? I used LinkedIn Answers. That plus my own large network resulted in 20 interested attorneys directly or through referrals, and a successful partner.

Marketing - sales leads

LinkedIn is a great marketing tool that doesn't cost you anything (not counting your LinkedIn business account)! Use your own connections to find new contacts and group members. I've added over a thousand new members to my DallasBlue business group ... at no incremental cost.

Sales - executive introductions

LinkedIn is an incredible corporate lead database. I've contacted dozens of top executives for my software business about deals. These are people thousands of miles away, even on other continents, that I never would have been able to find and reach otherwise. Examples - a Senior Vice President at Disney and an ISP CEO in England.

Market Research & Business Development

I have a venture in the area of prepaid legal services. I used a combination of LinkedIn features - a posted LinkedIn question and Introductions to targeted and referred LinkedIn members - so that in a few days I knew all the major players, had feedback on them, and had personal introductions to their CEOs or business executives.

Consulting

LinkedIn makes it easy for others to find you. I've been awarded significant consulting business from several different people who I found on LinkedIn or who found me.

LinkedIn-specific Income

I used LinkedIn so much, I've created a business out of it at MyLinkClass (formerly LinkedIn University)@ http://MyLinkClass.com , as well as local LinkedIn Workshops. I offer LinkedIn and networking seminars and consulting that have resulted in thousands of US dollars of income.

Career

One of my LinkedIn connections is at a fund raising a billion dollars. He made me an offer as a senior partner at a high six figure salary with income in the seven figure range when the fully fully closes.

Friends - 421 responses!

I have a friend I'm trying to find a job for. I sent a LinkedIn update to my connections for help. I received 421 responses. That is not a typo.

Invaluable contacts

I've made friends with incredible networkers, venture capitalists, and others personally worth huge fortunes. Again there is no way I would have found them otherwise. The future value of those relationships is beyond value.

Travel

I've used LinkedIn to make new contacts while traveling. It's especially handy when you have a large network and use LinkedInContactManager to create a targeted list of people for immediate and direct contact.

I've now taken it to the next stage. Keith Ferrazzi's book "Never Eat Alone" is so 1990s. I don't just eat a few meals with contacts, I create an entire marketing campaign around it, including a contest and local networker promotions. See http://dallasblue.com/hawaii.htm . Local events and promotions can be a very effective way to accelerate exposure beyond just speaking at virtually no cost.

Charity

I created a program called LinkedIn4Kids that revolved around a CEO Auction and connecting my contacts. It resulted in raising over $2,000 for the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. And terminating my LinkedIn account. But that's a different story ;-) .

Foreign aid - "Help Save Axel"

I have a good friend and employee in Buenos Aires, Argentina whose family dog Axel was quite ill. The pooch needed special vitamins and didn't react well to the local formula. A superior version was available in the U.S. a click away at Amazon. I bought and re-shipped it to him, the shipping cost ironically outweighing the purchase price. Err, not so fast. I learn after the fact that thanks to the illegal drug trade, Argentine customs requires an Import license for any medical or food products. The vitamins didn't reach my friend and were likely dumped.

How could I save Axel? I didn't have a clue. .... But I figured there were others who did.

I turned to my LinkedIn network. I was connected to over 130 people who were in or had lived in Argentina. I contacted them. The response was overwhelming. One person had an ex-boss who was flying to Buenos Aires the next week! Others referred Argentine medical labs, pharmacies, web sites, and a relative who was a chemist to help.

Money - a fast $500

Your connections are a good place to turn to share recommended products and services, especially when they get a bargain and you get a referral fee. Revolution Money, a new PayPal-like money transfer service, had a very cool promotion. They paid $25 to new members just to create an account, plus $10 for referrals. Sign me up! I made $500, the maximum payout.

Love

I found the love of my life ... just kidding on this one! ... Although I did meet her on an online dating site.