Anyone here using LinkedIn? I am on it and have about 350 connections and want a more active approach to using it and would be interested in starting a thread for those who do use it successfully and what your tactics are.

One thing I've been doing is once a connection is made I receive an email that says I am connected with so and so and their email address. I then send a quick email to te thanking them for adding me. Some respond back some don't. My assumption is that since 90% of my connections are event planners they are too busy. I think a monthly "check in email" is going to help a lot, but I worry of spamming.

Josh

I'm always fascinated by other magicians that want to join your Linkedin page. My page, as Josh says, is for business and my contacts. I don't see having dozens of other magicians on your page being helpful, especially when a new contact visits it to see who you are connected to.

There are also various ways that bring you to the attention of your Linkedin contacts, check out what Linkedin offers and suggests for this. You can also start to generate a "snail mail" mailing list, and a telephone contact list from your contacts.

Magician friends I steer to my FB page.

Blair

The only magician friend I have is Nash, whom I believe is a member here. Pretty much all te others are event planners.

LOL yup magicmaninsd, we are connected in linkedin.

I haven't used Linkedin for work yet, but recently I was told it can be a very powerful tool.
If there's a corportate planner you've been meaning to reach out to, you can check if you guys have any mutual connection. Who knows, if you politely ask your mutual connection to make an introduction, you might finally have the person's attention.

Best thing about it is -- this is free!

Ya I like that it's free. I'm trying a new thing with not spending any money on advertising and use LinkedIn and seo, blogging, and just trying to keep my advertising dollars down.

I'm surprised no one else has chimed in. LinkedIn gives thousands of event planner an opportunity to raise their hand and connect with you as a performer. What are some ways we can make this into money? I suppose networking tactics like staying in touch, asking questions, using the groups.

Josh

LinkedIn is a great resource for connecting with professionals, asking questions and sharing information.
There are a variety of groups that you can join...including several on entertainment and business.

If you are looking for corporate connections, LinkedIn is a useful tool.

I often use it to promote articles, ideas, and even integrate past presentations into my profile.
Since I perform part-time, my LinkedIn profile is tailored to my management job...but the concepts are the same for any business professional.

I have received job offers from LinkedIn and made a lot of good connections. Joining LinkedIn won't suddenly create an influx of magic shows....but it will open up opportunities to create relationships with people. In the groups, you have discussions which can lead to offline opportunities .

Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube are the main sites to focus on for social connections.....give LinkedIn a try!

I agree. I have not used LinkedIn for my Magic biz yet, but it HAS been very useful in my full-time life. I also think that Twitter, if used properly, can be very valuable. We just have to be careful not to send out tweets that nobody cares about...like we are visiting Aunt Martha, or off sick today, etc. I would use it to make new show announcements, offer specials, etc.

Same with Facebook. I ignore all the updates that tell me someone is cooking dinner, etc. Who cares? I have also learned the hard way to avoid political discussion, especially around hot-button issues like abortion, etc. Good way to turn off 50% of your market.

Mike -

Before Eric Paul passed away, he was sharing his opinions on the use of Facebook. He said that as a rule of thumb, 1 in 5 posts should be promoting your business. I've also seen other marketers teach this.

The reason for this, is if you talk about your business in every post, you come across with too many marketing messages too often, which turns off people. (I also think it sends a message that perhaps you can't balance your business with personal stuff in your life). Keep in mind that they were talking about Facebook, which is very social.

There is more than one person on Facebook, who talks about his shows or magic products in every post. It gets to be really annoying, and you eventually want to hide that person from your feed.

In get the impression that LinkedIn is different, and so I can't comment on the amount of business vs. personal shares at that site.

But for Facebook, I personally wouldn't make every post about show announcements, special offers, etc.

- Donald

Here is what I've been doing lately with social media and what I want to do more of is making videos of short, quick tricks and performances and sending it out on YouTube then linkedin and all the others. My thought behind it is that people want to see cool videos and in the long run they will come to connect with me and the relationship will begin. The more I learn about social media the more I realize it is just a vehicle to get people to connect with you. And since I am a magician why not make cool magic videos that people would want to see. Plus it gives me an opportunity to use some of those routines I wouldn't normally use in my stage work or walk around gigs.

I didn't mean to imply that EVERY post should be biz-oriented (sorry if it came across that way). The point I was trying to make is, don't post every time you have to tinkle, or to tell me you are going to bed. Cool family info is always a good idea. Besides, it helps to make you a real person in the eyes of the readers who do not know you personally.

LinkedIn is VERY biz oriented...so it should be a problem there.

Magicmaninsd: I think this is a very wise use of--especially--facebook.

I think the most interesting use of youtube video by a magician on Facebook was by Eric LeClerc, and his 365 Project.

- Donald

LeClerc's channel is a great example of creativity and the use of YouTube!

Its definitely a good way to showcase talent across a creative project.

Andy

Very cool idea indeed! Since I don't have access to super high-quality video editing or recording equipment I think self-shooting effects will really help potential customers connect with me. Heck, it even worked with the 2 videos I have on my blog now.

Mike, I know when I start following a company on any social media outlet I enjoy hearing about their personal lives a little so I think 1 in 5 posts on any outlet should be about your services.

I recently went to a workshop on social media; here's an interesting tip.
For businesses that offer personal services, facebook is better; for bigger business, twitter works best.

Since I have both, I have to say I agree; my facebook fanpage has consistently receives more hits and shares than twitter.

For me linkedin is an excellent tool for getting events. I work only in the corporate market.

I find more luck with Facebook, and Twitter as social marketing. I must be missing something with Linkedin. I am on it but just have not seen any thing come of it yet.