I have been a member of Linkedin for awhile now and have found it to be usefull but does it work?  It depends.  You get out of it what you put into it.  You have to work the system.  That's why it is called net-work-ing.  You cannot let the system sit there and coast your way into the net.  So how can you work the system?

First, complete your profile, add a picture and provide some basic information about yourself.  Second, invite people into your Network.  When you invite others they tend to join.  Then recomment others and aks them to recommend you too.  This will help you complete your profile.

Now that you have some people in your network you are ready to expand your network by joining some groups.  Linkedin has a lot of groups you can join.  In fact, you are likely a member of a group already.  Think about your school, sport teams, country, non-profit, where you work, or even your city. Once you find a group you can look for people you know and invite them into your network.

Next, create your own group and invite people into your group.  Ask your group questions, invite them to events, or start a discussion.  You can use your group or network to answer questions, help you find a job or find candidates for a job.  Selling is not the direct goal but indirectly, you can find leads and get referrals that can lead to sales.  Networking is not only about sales, it is about developing relationships that can enhance your career, life, or business.

Yes businesses are networking online.  Besides linkedin there are a lot of other services.  So get online and get involved.  If you would like to netowrk with me just click on the Linkedin profile link and invite me.  You can also join the Bizmanualz Group on linkedin by following this link.