Once considered a social platform solely for networking, LinkedIn has proved itself invaluable for a wide range of other uses: sales prospecting, recruiting, marketing, hiring, and research, among others. There's a lot you can do with LinkedIn, so getting up to speed on and nailing the basic functions is a worthwhile exercise in itself.
For example, you can leverage your LinkedIn summary section to outline exactly how you've been helpful to prospects, allowing them to see what value you'll bring to a sales process.
But little did you know the social media platform also contains a variety of secret capabilities that can make you that much more efficient and effective. In this SlideShare, we've collected 21 of the most useful -- and hidden -- hacks in LinkedIn, including:
- How to hide your connections from competitors
- How to message someone you're not connected with
- How to get a tailored lead list delivered directly to your inbox weekly or daily
- How to find prospects you already have something in common with
- How to customize your connection request on a mobile device
Take a look to upgrade your LinkedIn status from pro to hacker.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2015 and has been updated for accuracy.