Written by: Clarene Mitchell, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
In the United States, the month of August is designated as National Black Business Month. The observance was created by Frederick E. Jordan and John William Templeton in 2004. Some may question why there is a need for such an observance when there are a host of other observances like Small Business Month, Entrepreneurship Month, etc. Unfortunately, Black businesses on average earn far less annual revenue than other demographics and face stark inequities when it comes to funding and other business resources. Although Black business owners face societal barriers, they can gain traction on LinkedIn to grow their businesses.
LinkedIn provides access to a global professional network of more than 830 million members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The platform is not without layers of racism and political extremism, but the opportunities the platform offers far outweigh the smaller percentage of risk.
Here are a few tips for Black business owners to level the playing field via LinkedIn:
1. Create your own table – There is a popular quote by Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm…”If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” Black business owners are systematically not given a seat at the table. Doors are constantly closed to them. In an effort to reverse this, Black business owners can leverage LinkedIn to not only have a seat at the table but more importantly, also create their own table.
Creating one’s own table on LinkedIn means that you can draw your ideal clients to you instead of waiting to be asked to other tables. This can only be done when you have a fully optimized profile, authentically network and consistently provide value-based content. Similar to a dinner table that is abundant with mouth-watering dishes, a dynamic LinkedIn presence will draw people ready to do business with you.
2. Join affinity groups – In the traditional workplace, affinity groups are a valuable resource for marginalized employers. The Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) provide a safe place to vent, learn and grow. The same process can be true for Black business owners on LinkedIn. Seek out and participate in these groups. Although the groups may be set up as private, it’s still social media so you want to be careful with your posts and comments.
3. Have a global mindset – Don’t stay in a geographical box based on where you live. LinkedIn is a global platform. Diversify your connections to expand your reach and increase business opportunities. The world is much smaller thanks to technology. You can do business with those in different time zones through the use of virtual platforms like Zoom, it all begins first with networking on LinkedIn.
4. Diversity your recommendations – Sometimes you can show people better than you can tell them. This can occur on LinkedIn through your recommendations. The recommendations can often be the determining factor in someone wanting to do business with you. You can flip implicit biases to your favor when someone may automatically view you as credible when they read a favorable recommendation from someone they automatically believe based on the person’s race or ethnicity. (unfortunate truth)
5. Maximize your company page – A LinkedIn company page is similar in many ways to having a website, especially if you don’t have an e-commerce business. Don’t just create one and have it sitting dormant. Be sure to have all the key sections completed. Also, provide consistent value-added content. Unlike your personal content, the content on your company page can be more direct regarding your business.
If you are not a Black business owner, use August as an opportunity to acknowledge and support Black-owned businesses. When you support them, you are helping them reverse generational wealth inequities. The more Black businesses that thrive, the better it is for the national and global economies.
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Clarene Mitchell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Clarene Mitchell changes the trajectory of lives and businesses, one LinkedIn profile at a time. A dramatic job loss in 2016 led her to use LinkedIn more consistently. She started generating organic results and others started requesting her help with how to use the platform. TCM Communications was created to address the challenge many have with understanding and effectively using LinkedIn. Clarene is on a mission to empower as many entrepreneurs and executives as she can to Shine Online and generate quality results from LinkedIn.
