I am seeing an increase in the number of requests from "friends" who are asking me to write a LinkedIn recommendation.  While I think it's important to be helpful, I try to be helpful where I think it will help.

Standout with a meaningful body of work that illustrates who you are and your value to potential customers, partners, and investors.  Photo by me.  Shot on location at the New Brindaban in West Virginia

Everyone Looks Great on LinkedIn 

Yes, I have a LinkedIn profile.  

And yes, I do use LinkedIn to connect, do business development and try to reach out to people that are interesting.

But after reading and reviewing umpteen zillion profiles, they all sound the sound same:  strategic visionary who took an idea from nothing, walked fifty miles in the snow to work with no shoes, no money and took sales from $10 to $500 million in three short years.

Notice how everyone's LinkedIn's recommendations all sound the same?  Can you imagine asking someone who thinks you suck, or where you failed big time on your last gig to write something like: "Fred's a nice guy, but he totally tanked the company because he was (and remains) an idiot)."

So... Where Is Your Body of Work?

OK, a bit over the top, but my point is this:  when everyone looks and sounds the same, how do you differentiate?

Point to your body of work(s).  Your blog, writings on Scribd, presentations on SlideShare, the YouTube video channel that's a mix of business and fun (being human is a good strategy in this).  Are you on G+ ?  How do you humanize yourself on Facebook?  

Companies hire people.  Partners need to get along with humans.  Investors like to know you're real.  It's OK to fuck up.  We're human.

If you don't have a body of work, then it's time to get writing, posting, engaging wide an deep.

Provide a trail of brilliance your prospects, partners, or potential investors can read, view or engage with that reflects who you are and what sets you apart.

LinkedIn Marketing Expert, Kristina Jaramillao, has a great story on Bulldog Reporter's Daily Dog, where she cites a According to 2011 Arketi Web Watch Media Survey, illustrating that 92% of today's journalists are now actively using LinkedIn.

That's up 85% from just 2 years ago.

Are your company's thought leaders on LinkedIn?

Are their profiles updated?

Are they refreshing new and compelling content - or links back to content they are populating?

Kristina's post is straightforward and common sense.  It's often the later that stares you in the eyes and tell you to just do it.