Nothing describes it better than this Youtube clip about LinkedIn. Read my comments after watching this clip:

Now that your concept is clearer after watching the clip, let us look at LinkedIn from a different perspective:
You are a single person organization trying to manage all aspects of a fast growing business. Congratulations and welcome to my world! I have a 8-to-5 job and a web design business. How can you use LinkedIn to your utmost advantage? The answer starts by writing down all tasks that are to be performed, services that are needed for running the business.Here is a handy list of service providers that a typical small business may have need for:

1. Services of a CPA to maintain proper account of finances, payroll (if more than 1 person), federal and state tax records.
2. Attorney services - initially to decide the structure of the company, then ongoing service of advise on legal matters, compliance, patents, Intellectual Property protection, lawsuits etc.
3. Financial Advisor - To advise occasionally on IRA and other investment possibilities.
4. Insurance Agent, who can provide commercial E&OE insurance and / or real estate insurance.
5. Bankers for the lending needs, checking accounts and Line of Credit.
6. Investors - when Bankers cannot help with your venture.
7. Marketing / Sales person to help with selling that niche product/service that your business provides
8. A Graphic Designer to design your logos and brochures.
9. A Web site Designer to give a meaningful, attractive and traffic generating face to your business on the Internet.

You can find all these providers in your local Yellow pages or as the video clip suggests, on LinkedIn. One thing that was NOT emphasized in the video was the “Recommendations” feature. If you find a connection that is connected to the service provider you need, you MUST ensure one of the two things: Either your connection and the service provider have done business with each other before or the service provider must have some recommendations on his / her profile. As a part of due diligence, if possible, talk to the recommendation providers. This gives you an added confidence to deal with the service provider.

Please feel free to add any other service providers that I may have missed in the list above or other advantages of using LinkedIn by posting your responses in the Comments area.

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