Big LinkedIn Changes – New Tagging Feature Organizes Connections

Lots of changes have been happening at LinkedIn over the last several months.  First, they introduced the new Profile Organizer.  Then last November, they launched the new and improved Advanced Search feature.  At the beginning of this year, we found ourselves looking at a new layout.  Now, there is a redeveloped address book to manage your connections!

The address book is still in beta and you can opt out if you don’t like it, but the only way I would recommend that is if some major bugs are found.

Here it is!

The new setup has 3 columns.  The first column allows you to easily sort your connections by tags, companies, locations, industries, and recent activities.  The results Show up in the middle column.  Then, if you select one connection, you get a preview of their contact information.  From the preview, you can send and email message, edit the contact details you have for them, or – most importantly – tag the connection to put it into one or more groups.

Here’s the great part…you can add and customize the tags so that you can group your connections in as many ways as you need.  This is especially handy if you are using LinkedIn for business development.  You can create tags for each of the different stages of your client acquisition.  For example, you can identify who is a legitimate prospect.  Then after you have gotten to know them better, you can determine if they are more likely a potential client.  So then you change the tag.  You meet or talk to the connection and ask for business.  If they say yes, they are now a client.  If they say no, you can tag them as ‘not client,’ meaning that you got a solid answer so you know not to pursue them in that manner anymore.  Is someone a center of influence?  A referral source?  A business partner?  All different types of tags you can use to break up your network so that you can take the actions necessary to grow your business.

You no longer have a simple list of connections, you now have a sales funnel!

Now, LinkedIn has started you out with some tags based on what type of relationship was identified on the invitation to connect.  Chances are, they aren’t all correct.  So, I recommend going through and adjusting their tags.  For example, lots of connections were tagged “friends” when I hadn’t known them before LinkedIn.

Give it a try!  If used correctly, it should definitely help make your time spent on LinkedIn more productive.  I’d love to get your feedback on what you think of the new features.  Also, feel free to share your tagging system to help others out in the comments below.