Using LinkedIn Contacts for Effective Networking

When I think of LinkedIn Contacts, I am not speaking of the people you are connected with on LinkedIn but the app LinkedIn Contacts that is available for iOS and Android devices.

For someone like me who does recruiting and for someone like you who needs to create effective AND REGULAR networking campaigns, LinkedIn Contacts has a number of great features to help you.

Here are a few things you can do through Contacts:

1. Aggregate all of your relationships in one place.

LinkedIn Contacts, like many programs, will pull all of your elationships and relationship history into one place. You don’t have to log into your personal email account or Exchange account to communicate with people with whom you are not connected on LinedIn. LinkedIn makes it possible.

2. Send congratulations updates

Click on the day and you’ll see who has good news to share. Use voice software built into your phone to send notes to people to offer congratulations.

3. Easier Search Capabilities

On the left side of the app, you can search by Connections, Saved, Tags, Companies, Titles, Locations, Sources, Potential Merges and Hidden.

You can also sort your contacts by different criteria such as where they came from, whether they were imported into LinkedIn some time ago, by the Outlook contacts you’ve recently added and also by an app you may use such as CardMunch.

4. See where your connections are

Contacts will pin the location of your contacts.

5. Easier sorting

If you click on the profile of a first-degree connections or a person you have sent an InMail to, you’ll see more information about your past correspondence and relationship with them.

There are several places to make notes and keep details. What you enter is here is not viewable to the public. Write as much as you need.

6. Set Reminders. Stay Connected.

I know I have been guilty of not staying connected with my contacts on LinkedIn and now with more than 10000 first level connections, it is even harder. Use Contacts to set reminders for yourself and send people notes.

7. Set Reminders of When and Where You Met Someone

Replacing the note in your address book or Rolodex, the app lets you keep track of how you met someone PLUS the ability to create tags of your choice.

8. View Messages You Sent to Someone.

9. Share Your Calendar

When you import or sync your calendars, shared calendar events are also shown.

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