In this article we suggest an approach for using social business networking to expand your MLM business. We specifically discuss one of the best online business networking sites: LinkedIn. LinkedIn is presently the most popular business and professional networking website. The guidance in this discussion would also apply to other business networking sites and business models.

LinkedIn is a free of charge business networking website used by many professionals to share information and for networking. A premium membership is offered to expand your networking opportunities. There are now more than 47 million members in 200 countries that participate in LinkedIn, including executives from all Fortune 500 Companies. The average household income of LinkedIn members was $109,000 at the time of this writing.

The LinkedIn profile has the capability to list your job history and recommendations from employers, coworkers, clients, and other professional contacts. The profile is used by employers and clients so they can easily locate the best available resources for filling employment and consultant needs. In addition, LinkedIn has an important attribute for group discussion and sharing: LinkedIn Groups. LinkedIn Groups are established to facilitate discussion and information sharing in areas of common interest. The discussions are quite focused and helpful to very specialized business needs.

Facebook and Twitter are also great for social and business networking, but LinkedIn is usually superior for finding MLM prospects, since it is generally populated by a different type of individual, including professionals and many entrepreneurs. These people can be ideal prospects for your MLM business. In order to most effectively reach these prospects, what strategies work best on LinkedIn?

It is critical to establish a credible profile. Your professional experience and recommendations are important in order to be taken seriously in this group of people. Recommendations are very important to enhance and verify your profile content. And, a professional photo is crucial.

LinkedIn “Groups” are a effective feature of LinkedIn that can be leveraged for your business, mainly by elevating your own “value” as a networker, but also by exposing you to thousands of prospects. The most effective Internet marketers are also the ones that contribute at the highest level to the Groups that they belong to. As you contribute more effectively, and provide helpful suggestion to a Group, you will build relationships, and eventually establish contacts for expanding your MLM business.

LinkedIn Groups are managed and restricted much more than those on Facebook. In order to join a Group, you must first submit an application to the Group owner, who will most likely check out your profile to validate your knowledge about the subject matter at hand. Group owners are also much more inclined to delete postings and even your membership to their Group if you abuse your membership. Direct reference to your business opportunity or MLM company, is considered self-promotion and will be the fastest way to be removed from a Group

The value of your sharing in a Group will establish your effectiveness in making connections and eventually turning these connections into leads for your business. Although we put the spotlight, in particular, on MLM business leads, networking in LinkedIn Groups will be advantageous regardless of your business type or model. Consultants, in particular, can also generate business leads from their group participation, resulting in consulting engagements. Network marketing is a very real fit for members in LinkedIn Groups, although paradoxically, network marketing should not be addressed directly in the group context.