LinkedIn for beginners: Joining groups
Expanding your network through LinkedIn groups
Let’s recap what we’ve done so far on LinkedIn. We’ve created a profile, added some applications, and invited others to connect. Now it’s time to take networking to the next level by joining groups. 
Joining a group is a good way to interact with other professionals with whom you share a common interest. If you look at LinkedIn as a giant daily networking conference, groups are the breakout sessions. But unlike the offline version of the breakout sessions, joining a LinkedIn group gives you an opportunity to be the speaker at any time.
Many LinkedIn groups are online extensions of their professional organizations. For example I belong to the Advertising Federation of Columbus, and the Columbus American Marketing Association, both of which have LinkedIn groups. There are more than one million groups on LinkedIn, and you are sure to find at least one group that matches your interests.
5 benefits of joining a LinkedIn group
- Meet others with similar interests. Groups offer a smaller, more intimate setting for interacting with like-minded professionals.
Top Influencers This Week (click for larger view)
- Share your expertise. You have the opportunity to either start a discussion or participate in existing discussions. Every week LinkedIn posts the “Top Influencers” in each group — those individuals who have contributed the most to the discussions. Consider it the group’s “brag board.” Initiate a thought-provoking discussion, engage in others’ discussions, and watch your influence cred rise to the top.
- Learn from others. Just because you’re sharing your expertise with the group doesn’t mean you know it all. You can learn a lot from your peers in the group just by being a lurker. Or ask a question, get others’ opinions; maybe take a poll. You’re surrounded by experts and professionals — take advantage of the collective knowledge in your group.
- Job-seeking/recruiting. Are you looking to hire someone in your industry? Here is a pool of potential candidates at your disposal! Most groups have a jobs tab where people can post their jobs. (Make sure you read the group’s rules about posting jobs first). Looking for a job? You might find a job posted in your group that may not be posted in the usual online job boards. Many recruiters join groups for the sole purpose of finding and hiring talent. Even though there may be no jobs posted in your group at the time you’re looking for one, experts say the best jobs are found through networking.
- New business. Creating a relationship is the first step in generating new business. And there are those who do it very well on LinkedIn. Join groups where your target customers are — the more you spend time interacting with group members, the more you will build these relationships. Ann Handley offers some tips on generating leads on LinkedIn in this article.
An added bonus of joining groups is that you might end up with new friends and connections to add to your network. Take some time to research a few groups on LinkedIn, and join those that appeal to your professional and/or personal interests.
How are you using LinkedIn’s groups? Do you have a success story? Please feel free to share it here!
Interviews with World War II veteran proved to be learning experience
U.S. Army Corporal Bill Megla offers a glimpse into the realities of war
I want to step away from my usual content for a moment to talk about a three-month project I recently finished.
Back in September, a friend of mine asked me if I was interested in talking to his dad Bill, a World War II Army veteran, about documenting his experiences from the war. I had some free time on my hands, and thought, “Why not; it would give me something to do; and I might even learn a few new things in the process.”
After a phone call to Bill, I agreed to spend some time with him to discuss his involvement in the war. I took notes, shot some videos and photos, and scanned some of his memorabilia he had collected in two scrapbooks. 
As I began to put it together in some sort of chronological order, I went online to clarify some of the places and events that Bill described in relating his experiences to me. I didn’t realize how little I knew about World War II. I knew about the Holocaust from history books, and other significant events like D-Day, but there were so many other smaller battles and events that I was unfamiliar with. I met with Bill about five or six different times between September and November, 2011.
The result of all of this is a 28-page manuscript detailing Bill’s war stories, or what he calls his “incidents.” Some of them were funny. A few of them were sad. Many of his memories were not pleasant. But they all happened to Bill.
My dad was in the Navy during World War II, and spent his time in the Pacific. I wish he had told me his stories. But most of the men who returned from this war did not discuss their stories.
Thank you Bill for sharing your stories and “incidents” with me. They proved to be a great learning experience. I hope your family appreciates them as much as I do.
Below is an excerpt from the manuscript. If you’d like to read the rest of Bill’s stories, you can download the PDF here.
Close call
We were coming through an orchard one day, and an American P-47 fighter plane was flying over. The plane spotted us coming through the woods. The pilot thought we were Germans and started strafing (firing) at us. There was a cart there, so I jumped under the cart to get away from the shooting. Then the pilot pulled up. Someone had put out a panel (a marker, like a big rug) to let the Americans know we were allies. After the plane left, I looked at the cart I had hidden under. The cart I had jumped under was full of mortar shells. If the plane had hit that, I would not be here today.
Finger Lakes wine country is perfect weekend getaway
Napa and Sonoma are two regions that immediately come to mind when thinking about wine country. But they’re not the only regions in the U.S. that produce good wine. Tucked away in upstate New York there is an unpretentious collection of wineries that dot the Finger Lakes; most of which lie on the three major lakes of Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga. Every year I take my annual girls’ getaway to Finger Lakes Wine Country to sample the wines and discover the other gems this area has to offer.
An 8-hour drive from Columbus
Lunch stop on Lake Chautauqua
We began our trip on a Wednesday from Columbus, Ohio; with a stop in Cleveland to pick up a girlfriend. After a lunch stop at a gorgeous rest area on Lake Chautauqua, we continued our journey, passing through Hammondsport, NY; a quaint little town at the southernmost tip of Keuka Lake. Our final destination would be Watkins Glen, but we had wineries to visit first!
Keuka Lake (west side) wineries
View of Keuka Lake and the vineyards
Most of the wineries in the Finger Lakes close at 5:00, so we had a couple hours left in the day to hit two wineries on Keuka Lake.
Dr. Frank’s Vinifera. Wines were a little pricey here, but tastings were free. I highly recommend the Riesling and Pinot Noir.
Bully Hill Vineyards. This is one of my favorite wineries. I like to call it the party winery of the Finger Lakes, mainly because of the lively atmosphere. The wine pourers also like to put on a show with fun stories and jokes. Stay away from this winery on the weekends because they pack the people in. They choose the wines you get to taste (free tastings), but you can try others for a small fee in a separate room. Save time to check out the gift shops here.
Time to head for Watkins Glen and our favorite place to stay, the Madison Guest House. We’ll be back to Keuka Lake on Saturday.
Madison House – Watkins Glen’s best kept secret
Madison House
We discovered this place in 2004 and have been staying there every year since. I’m not a fan of bed & breakfasts because I don’t like staying with strangers; and motels are just too small. This is a house that’s been renovated into 2 sides – a 2-bedroom (1 bath) and a 3-bedroom (2 baths). Both sides have kitchen, eating area, living room, and porch. It is within walking distance to downtown Watkins Glen, and a stone’s throw from Watkins Glen State Park. You will get a workout climbing those stairs!
Watkins Glen State Park
Located in downtown Watkins Glen, the state park offers a beautiful hike through waterfalls and gorges. We typically get up at the crack of dawn for the 1-hour hike before heading to the wineries. Lots of photo opps here. Caution: You will get wet, so dress accordingly. The trail ends near an old cemetery. Definitely a must-do while you’re here. But don’t listen to me; see what others are saying.
Hiking through Watkins Glen State Park
Seneca & Cayuga Wine Trails
We spent each of the three days on each of the three wine trails — Seneca, Cayuga, and Keuka. Heading up the east side of Seneca Lake, it was a scenic drive on the way to the wineries. Here are a few of our favorites:
Seneca Lake – east side
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards. This is the “Cheers” bar-like winery of the Finger Lakes. Walk in, belly up to the wine tasting bar, and ask the friendly wine pourers for a taste of Red Cat, its specialty; dubbed “the official hot tub wine.” Popcorn is served to cleanse your palate in between wines.
Hippies pour your wine at Rasta Ranch
Rasta Ranch. You come here for the experience, not the wine. We love this place though! A throwback to the ’60s and ’70s, IMHO Rasta Ranch is a head shop that sells wine; not a winery with a “head shop” atmosphere. They don’t take their wines seriously and neither should you.
Cayuga Lake – west side
Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery
Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery. Love the big red barn! Cayuga Ridge specializes in cranberry wine and I always like the Cranberry Frost sparkling wine. This is the midpoint in our day, and we like to eat our lunch on the picnic table under the tree in front.
Knapp Winery. As we entered the grounds, we were greeted by squawking geese and ducks. Knapp’s Vineyard Restaurant offers monthly wine dinner events. The 2009 Lemberger was definitely my favorite wine here.
Seneca Lake – the Friday boat ride 
In a previous post, I mentioned how I met Gene Pierce, owner of Glenora and Knapp wineries. He had invited us on a sailboat ride around Seneca Lake with him and his staff.
We met Gene and the boat on the pier in downtown Watkins Glen for a 2-hour boat ride around the lake. The weather was perfect, with overcast skies shielding us from the sun and a gentle breeze powering the sailboat.
We drank wine and chatted with Gene about his wineries. Gene is very down-to-earth and unassuming; he joined us for lunch at Glenora, and even posed for an O-H-I-O photo! 
Heading up north on Seneca side
Belhurst. Our next stop was “the castle.” As the northernmost winery on the west side of Seneca Lake, it is well worth the drive just to see this impressive place. We arrived in time to witness the end of a wedding taking place on the grounds.
Glenora. What can I say — we sailed, drank wine, and hung out with the owner! As Seneca Lake’s first winery, Glenora boasts a 30-room Inn and the Veraisons Restaurant. The view is spectacular and its award-winning wines are reasonably priced.
Glenora's award-winning wines
The Windmill
You can’t visit the Finger Lakes area without a trip to the Windmill, a giant Amish farm and craft market with nearly 200 shops, including a couple of local wineries. (We like to get in a couple of tastings here before hitting the wineries). Although it’s only open on Saturdays, get there early because it gets crowded. Free parking and free admission.
Keuka Lake – east side
Rooster Hill. The wines here were $4 for 5 tastings and you keep the glass. This winery chooses not to be listed on the wine trail maps because they are a small boutique winery. We were told they only cater to real wine aficionados. In other words, they don’t want the crowds of people who don’t appreciate good wine — the “wine slugs” who use wine tastings as a cheap way to get drunk.
Barrington Cellars. This winery has an especially good Baco Noir. The wine actually tastes like steak. And I suppose it would be a good wine to drink with a steak. They have an outside deck where you can sit out and take in a beautiful view of Keuka Lake.
Heading to Hammondsport
The town of Hammondsport
Driving down the east side of Keuka Lake, we finished up our day in Hammondsport. This was a good place to chill out and relax after all that winery-hopping. This charming town is full of gift shops, restaurants, and a couple of bars. After a walk to the beach and back, we stopped at Maloney’s Pub for a quick drink before heading back to Watkins Glen.
We left for Ohio Sunday morning with Hurricane Irene right on our tail.
A perfect road trip
The Finger Lakes region is full of things to do. You can come back here each year and find a new adventure. I look forward to next year’s trip where we’ll try some different wineries, the glass museum, or maybe check out Cornell University.
Have you visited the Finger Lakes? What are your favorite wineries there?
How to use LinkedIn’s address book feature
LinkedIn’s “address book” feature lets you store personal information about your contacts
As a footnote to my previous post about expanding your LinkedIn network, I’d like to show you a little-known tool that LinkedIn provides for you to keep track of all of your contacts in an address book “in the cloud.” Although LinkedIn doesn’t promote this as one of its primary features, I think it’s a neat way to store personal information such as addresses, second phone numbers, or any other information about your contacts you might need quick access to.
Your connection list – a cloud-based address book
LinkedIn address book (click for larger view)
If you open your connection list, you’ll see a link, “View & edit details,” below each of your contacts’ names.
Click on the link and a window opens up, creating an area for you to put additional information about your contact.
You will find several fields in which to put information such as addresses, additional phone numbers, websites, email addresses, birthday, and other personal information. Some of the fields will already be populated, based on what your contact has already provided in his/her profile.
LinkedIn address book details (click for larger view)
As you continue to network with people, online or offline, you’ll find the Contact Notes field helpful. I like to make notations of how I met the person; maybe any details about mutual interests, or other personal information. Sometimes I will put his/her Twitter username here.
Get rid of the cumbersome business cards
Why save all those business cards you collect from everyone? Put everything from the cards right here. The information you put into your “address book” is not visible to anyone but you.
Now if LinkedIn just made this feature available on its mobile apps we could immediately access this information from our phones, and eventually rid our wallets and purses of all those business cards we’ve accumulated over time.
Do you use LinkedIn’s address book feature? What other information do you put here to help you remember your contacts?
LinkedIn for beginners: 9 tips for growing your network
You’ve already created your profile and added some apps to enhance your profile. Now it’s time to connect with people and build your network.
A networking event every day
I like to think of LinkedIn as one giant online networking event where you’re interacting with your connections every day. In a future post I’ll provide some tips on how to do just that. But you need to build your network first.
Reasons to build and grow your LinkedIn network
- You want to build an audience with whom to share your expertise.
- Just like face-to-face networking, having a network offers an opportunity to meet new people….which could turn into…
- …Potential business prospects, clients, or potential employers.
9 Tips for growing your network
Start building your network with people you already know — friends, colleagues, business associates, and others.
- Connect with people you meet offline. Meetups, networking events, professional meetings, trade shows, or any other face-to-face events are all opportunities to meet people. After the initial small talk, ask them if they’re on LinkedIn and suggest connecting there.
- LinkedIn People Search. Use the People Search to locate colleagues, former classmates, friends, and other business associates. The advanced search lets you use filters such as geography, industry, and school.
LinkedIn People Search (Click for larger view)
- After connecting with someone, mine his/her connections to see if there’s anyone you might know and invite them to connect.
- When you send an invitation, don’t use the canned “I’d like to add you to my professional network” invitation that LinkedIn provides. Personalize it in your own words.
Personalize your invitation! (Click for larger view)
- After getting an invitation to connect from someone, always thank them. I not only thank people for inviting me to connect, but sometimes I ask if they’d like to meet for coffee, especially if I don’t know them very well.
- Ask for an introduction. This is a great way to meet new people through mutual connections. To see how to do this you can watch a tutorial here.
- Use the “People you may know” feature. LinkedIn provides three suggestions of people who are your 2nd-degree connections in the upper-right box on your home page. Refresh the page and three new people will appear.
- Use the “Add Connections” feature to find people from your email address book, school, or companies you worked for; and invite them to connect.
Add connections (click for larger view)
- Check out LinkedIn’s new Classmates feature. LinkedIn recently launched this to make it easier for you to find classmates from the schools you attended or graduated from.
Connect with people you know
Although there are some LinkedIn experts who believe you should connect with everyone, I usually connect with people I’ve already met. If someone whom I’ve never met invites me to connect (and we have several connections in common), I’ll connect and extend an invitation for coffee. I like to get to know my connections! In my next post, I’ll talk about groups and how they can be a way to extend your network.
What are some techniques you use to build your network in addition to the list above? Do you connect with people you’ve never met? Why or why not?
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