Make connections on the human web

19 July 2010

I’m sure you are familiar with the concept of six degrees of separation - the theory that we are at most six steps removed from some sort of relationship with another person.

This concept is also referred to as the human web, which is what social media is all about.

For example, look at social networking site Linkedin. When you sign up and connect with people you can see their second and third connections - not quite six steps but it makes for interesting reading.

And Linkedin is a great tool for brokers for many reasons. Using it will enhance your search engine optimisation ranking. A tip here - on your personal profile section don’t use the generic link saying ’my website’, instead show the name of your company.

And Linkedin is a shop window to prospective clients so it’s better to have no profile than a poor one.

Ensure you use your profile to sell yourself. Get a decent photo and join relevant groups. Participate in discussions to raise your profile, either locally or nationally, and post blogs and news in your update section.

You can also use Linkedin to keep up-to-date with clients. Every once in a while, send them a relevant message.

Also, use Linkedin for prospecting for clients. I’m not advocating sending messages to people you are not connected with here, but you can find prospects who may be linked with, say, an accountancy firm you know.

So you can use Linkedin as a way to make connections, just like the six degrees principle.

If you enjoyed this article, sign up here to receive daily email updates from Mortgage Strategy and Follow @mortgagestrat