Ron Sukenick - 21 Days to Success with LinkedIn: Business Social Networking the Gnik Rowten Way

I love how you sum everything up in the Aha! moments. And quite frankly, now I feel like LinkedIn is an effective way to network, where I really didnt understand the point of it before.

Katelyn Dalton, college student

Very thorough. Having recently completed a live LinkedIn training course taught by one of the worlds largest outplacement firms, I am impressed by the detail and organization of 21 Days to Success With LinkedIn. Its convinced me to make it a habit!

Craig Freeze, healthcare account executive

The lessons I learned have really helped me create more positive, professional relationships on LinkedIn.

Matt OMalley, insurance agent

After a speedy start reading 21 Days to Success With LinkedIn, it has been 12 days and I am still absorbing it. In fact, I find I truly am on Day 12. Its not a mystery novel, though it does solve some mysteries for me and is hard to put down. Read it with your LinkedIn access (PC, laptop, mobile phone) close by, because youll want to try it along with Gnik, as I have done. You will see it come to life before your eyes.

Rich Tensmeyer, QA specialist

After reading 21 Days, I am reminded of the age-old question of the best way to eat an elephantone bite at a time. Well, now I feel more confident how to develop my presence on LinkedInone day at a time.

Carl Seyerle, (airport) ramp agent

Business Social Networking the Gnik Rowten Way

Ron Sukenick and Ken Williams

First Printing, 2015

21 Days to Success With LinkedIn: Business Social Networking the Gnik Rowten Way

Copyright 2015 by Ron Sukenick and Ken Williams

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Information Today, Inc., 143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, New Jersey 08055.

Publishers Note: The authors and publisher have taken care in preparation of this book but make no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information or programs contained herein.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Sukenick, Ron, author.

21 days to success with LinkedIn : business social networking the Gnik Rowten way / by Ron Sukenick and Ken Williams.

pages cm

ISBN 978-1-937290-05-4

1. LinkedIn (Electronic resource) 2. Business networks. 3. Social interaction. I. Williams, Ken, 1968 author. II. Title. III. Title: Twenty one days to success with LinkedIn.

HD69.S8S8496 2016

650.140285'6754dc23

2015031747

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

President and CEO: Thomas H. Hogan, Sr.

Editor-in-Chief and Publisher: John B. Bryans

Production Manager: Tiffany Chamenko
Project Editor: Jim Waltzer
Cover Designers: Lisa Conroy, Denise Erickson

Images of Gnik, Pam, and Garrett created by Kim Sharpe (facebook.com/kimmortal1)

Typesetting by Amnet Systems

infotoday.com

To everyone who has supported the
travels and adventures of Gnik.
Your enthusiasm has allowed his life to
move in new directions.

Our first book together, 21 Days to Success Through Networking, is a dynamic business allegory that teaches both basic and advanced principles of face-to-face networking through the experiences of a fictional character, Gnik Rowten (thats networking spelled backwards). Over a three-week period, Gnik (pronounced Nick) embarks on an adventure that takes him out of his comfort zone and, ultimately, equips him with the necessary skills to develop a great personal network.

A few of Gniks mentors from the earlier book return in 21 Days to Success With LinkedIn to help him implement specific strategies and techniques for success on LinkedIn. Although it is not necessary to read 21 Days to Success Through Networking to benefit from the new book, the principles discussed in the books are complementary.

LinkedIn is an evolving business networking tool, and we have made every effort to reflect current and accurate information about what we consider its most powerful features. Many tips and techniques are presented in our story, but specific step-by-step instructions typically are not. While the general principles are durable, the individual point-and-click steps will continue to evolve.

The primary emphasis of this book is to discuss the most commonly used and widely available features of LinkedIn, which can be accessed with a basic (free) account. However, we want to emphasize that there are a variety of premium subscription options designed to broaden your reach, increase your visibility, and deliver more targeted search results, among other benefits. Once youve gotten the hang of basic LinkedIn, you owe it to yourself to study the options and consider graduating to a premium account.

We hope you enjoy taking this new three-week journey with Gnik, his mentor Pam, and Garrett, who first introduced Gnik to the power of LinkedIn.

Ron Sukenick

Ken Williams

September 2015

Ron Sukenick and I teamed up a couple of years ago to write a book about networking. His concept was to create a story that would teach people how to become better networkers. With the support of friends, family, and the team at Information Today, Inc., we put together 21 Days to Success Through Networking in 2012.

The story struck a chordwe regularly hear from readers about the impact its had on their networking success. Believing that related subjects could be examined in like fashion, we went back to Information Todays Editor-in-Chief John B. Bryans to seek a new adventure for the redoubtable Gnik.

Can you have Gnik learn to use LinkedIn? John asked, and our next tale was born. Like Gnik, I had joined LinkedIn but was not a frequent user. I loved the idea of a LinkedIn tutorial, but had no idea where to start.

Ron reached out to several people who have made LinkedIn a substantial part of their business identity; without their kindness and insight, this book wouldnt have gotten off the drawing board. You will meet them during the course of our story. We are grateful to (in order of their appearance in the book) Victoria Ipri, Donna Serdula, Matt Scherer, Jason Alba, JD Gershbein, Wayne Breitbarth, Ted Prodromou, Phil Gerbyshak, Mike ONeil, Viveka Von Rosen, and Melonie Dodaro. They are all real people, who give Gnik critical support and advice within these pages.

Others supported the project in different ways. We thank those who read early copies of the manuscript and provided feedback, especially Jan Grambo. Not only did she spot typos and missing words with eagle eyes, but her thoughtful reading identified explanations that could be improved, clarifying Gniks LinkedIn journey. Jan also happens to be the best mother-in-law Ive ever had. (I would insert a mother-in-law joke here, but shed just take it out when she edits this page.) Scott Brown, Charlene Burke, and Jim Waltzer brought additional, valuable knowledge and skill to the manuscript.