A couple of years ago, I remember hearing about LinkedIn thinking ... "What good could it be for a Food Sport competitor?"
It actually turned out to be a lot of good, especially if I hoped to monetize and grow my personal brand. It can also be a great tool to meet people with the same love of the culinary arts. It doesn’t matter if you’re a home cook, pro team, or chef, using LinkedIn can help you grow your professional network and make you a better-equipped competitor.
When I first hesitantly joined LinkedIn, I never thought it would make much of a difference but quickly found that I was wrong.
After building my profile, I began to make connections throughout the culinary spectrum from chefs to marketing professionals to product developers. I showcased my cooking and my personality, the same way I do on other social media platforms, but with a more business-like tone.
Then I began creating meaningful conversations with my interesting connections and the people behind my favorite brands. With these new relationships established, my connections began offering me new products to use and test, some even offering me paid brand ambassador positions, all while gaining new experiences.
Not only will you get paid doing what you love but it also will get you closer to brands you may use in your everyday life.
I’ve found that LinkedIn is also a great tool to find new techniques and products that can help you become a better competitor.
Here are some Do’s and Don’ts on your LinkedIn journey
Do’s
Fully complete your profile
Create conversation, and get to know your connections
Show off your personality through insightful posts, pictures and videos
Grow your network by making connections
Be truthful when it comes to your capabilities and accomplishments
Don’ts
Don’t message a new connection and ask for free stuff
Don’t be afraid to talk to new connections. You never know where it can lead
Don’t overshare your personal life, unless it’s part of your brand
Don’t burn bridges, even in cyberspace. Just because a brand doesn’t want to work with you today doesn’t mean they won’t work with you tomorrow.
