How to Get Active in LinkedIn Groups

If you want to connect with people who love reading, join a book club. If you want to get in shape or improve your mile time, join a running group. There are even organized groups for basket weavers and people who speak Klingon. The point is, if you want to improve your understanding or skill level in a certain area, joining a group is a great idea.

The same is true of your professional interests. From social selling best practices to learning more about what your customers care about, there are LinkedIn Groups for you. If you haven’t taken full advantage of groups yet, this post will give you the tools you need to dig in. Here‘s what you need to know to get started:

Why Join Groups

Groups can lead to both learning and prospect engagement opportunities.  In fact, you’re 70 percent more likely to get a meeting with someone if you can cite a common LinkedIn Group in your introduction message. They allow you to identify concentrated clusters of LinkedIn users who have relevant interests, skill sets, or knowledge bases. The following are just a few of the benefits that can come from participating in LinkedIn Groups:

• You can get your questions answered by other professionals in your field
• Group discussions and posts can keep you up-to-date on industry news
• Other group members are likely potential prospects or connections, giving you a big head-start in both your customer identification and networking practices

How to Get Started

You’re able to join up to 50 groups, but you’ll probably find it’s easier to participate when you focus on only the most relevant groups. Start with a handful, then add groups to your plate as your schedule allows.  Here’s how to get the most out of joining new groups:

• If you’re brand new to groups or want more general information, here are some FAQs to get you started
• Each of the three groups you join should be relevant to your work, so the takeaways from your involvement are valuable. Here are instructions on finding groups to join that are a good fit
• Ask your current LinkedIn connections which groups they’d recommend
• Of the three groups you choose to participate in, try selecting at least one that helps you as a sales professional. Doing so will allow to get the full benefits of groups, and will allow to you better empathize with your prospects while participating in group discussions

Stretch your social selling legs and strengthen your networking muscles – all without breaking a sweat – by getting active in LinkedIn Groups.

Now that you’re ready to dive into groups, learn more ways to win with LinkedIn by reading through our Achieving Social Selling Success eBook.