We’ve done a couple of posts introducing you to Google’s new social network, Google+.  In this one, we mentioned some of its coolest features;  and today we’ll take a closer look at one of those, the Hangout.

Google says you should think of a Hangout as being like your front porch, where people stop by, chat awhile, leave and are replaced by others.  But that may not be the best metaphor for its use in business;  a better one might be, videoconferencing taken to where people of importance actually are.  Posting on Social Media Examiner, Marc Pitman ticks off three potential business uses for Hangouts…

• as part of the sales process – Invite prospects already in your pipeline to discuss something like “Overcoming X”, where X is a problem you know they all share.  Not with the goal of selling anything, but just to advance the relationship.
• “office hours” – akin to those kept by college professors, when students can be sure to find them in.  Think about a regular monthly Hangout to address customer service topics;  or a Monday-am “staff meeting,” which your staff can attend regardless of location.
• “fireside chats” – Everyone wants to hear from (and ask questions of) the CEO;  now (s)he can have a quarterly meeting with the whole company, without the travel/meeting expense of physically getting everyone together.

Starting a Hangout
Push the “Start a Hangout” button on the right side of your Profile;  it’s just that easy.  Then invite the people you really want …even if you make it Public (open to anyone).  You can even check your hair before going live (Google+ provides a virtual Green Room!).  Once you go live, the meeting shows up in your timeline (and that of people who have you in their Circles), and Google+ posts your Hangout on your live feed to everyone in the Circles you’ve invited.

Running your Hangout
Once you’ve started your Hangout, you have lots of controls;  they’re accessible from a series of buttons along the bottom…

• Invite: While in a Hangout, it’s easy to invite new people;  just click on the “Invite” button on the far left to add individual people, or entire Circles.
• Chat: This is a great way to share web links and other information during a Hangout (which can be difficult and unreliable on the phone).  Once you click on the “Chat” button, the chat window will remain visible for the rest of your time in this Hangout.
• YouTube: Google has already integrated YouTube videos into Hangouts, so you can share a promotional video from your company, or a video that illustrates a point you’re making, simply by clicking the “YouTube” button.  (Google also lets you start a Hangout from within YouTube.)
• Volume and Video Controls: If you work from home or in a crowded or noisy work space, those buttons on the right are very helpful.  You can use “mute video” to turn your camera on and off, and the “mute mic” button similarly for the audio …so if you get a call or someone pops into your office, it doesn’t have to disrupt your attendees.

This video will give you still more info on starting and running a Hangout.  Marc suggests fine-tuning your visible clothing and background so that these reinforce your Hangout’s purpose and style, rather than conflict with it.

Because Google+ is still fairly new, it’s a good idea to let people know in advance that you’ll be holding a Hangout, so they can be on Google+ when the actual invites go out.  This may avoid the pain of giving a Hangout and no one showing up.  Although even for this case, Google has an answer:  it erases the Hangout from your timeline, so you’re spared the embarrassment of seeing the post, “Bill Gadless hung out with 0 people.”

By way of summation, Marc says:  “We all know that people only purchase from us (B2Bs) when they know, like and trust us.  That used to mean we needed to go to a lot of conferences to meet people.  But a tool like Google+ Hangouts can help you do the interacting right from your desk.”

Does anyone have a war story to share on his/her experience with Google+ Hangouts?

This is the last of a four-part series aimed at helping our readers understand
how best to use LinkedIn for their companies’ benefit.  It assumes some
beginning familiarity with LinkedIn, but nothing approaching proficiency.

In the third installment of this series we looked at how to build your LinkedIn Company Page, and outlined some approaches to filling it in and leveraging it to solicit followers and recommendations.  Today we’ll look at our last five business-building LinkedIn features…

LinkedIn People Search.
This is a terrific tool for salespeople, people looking for jobs, or B2B owners who want to get their foot in the door at a large corporation.  Just do a people search for your target company using the upper right-hand search box.  When you generate results, use the refining options on the left to view your first (also known as direct) connections and your second connections.  Assuming you have no first connections, filter by checking off the “2nd connections” box.  This will return a list of names of people at your target company.  On their individual profiles, you’ll see a list of your shared connections.  From that point on, it’s a cakewalk:  just ask your friends to introduce you via LinkedIn to the people at that target company with whom you want to connect.  Bingo, you’re in.

LinkedIn Applications.
One of the more interesting places to visit on LinkedIn is the Applications section.  This is where you can find and add new and interesting apps that can improve the experience people have on your LinkedIn page.  For example…

• let people know what business books you’re reading with Amazon’s ReadingList app;
• set up simple polls to find out what’s on the minds of your customers and prospects;
• for lead gen, there’s an app that pulls your recent blog posts onto your Page.

LinkedIn Status Updates.
It might seem like overkill to post updates on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn …but it’s not!  LinkedIn is a more professional social networking site than Facebook or Twitter, so it’s likely that you’ll have different followers here who will benefit from seeing your updates.  It’s OK to re-purpose content across all of the social channels, as long as you’re not merely duplicating the content.

LinkedIn Connection Invitations.
Once you provide value via Answers and Groups, people will start inviting you to connect with them on LinkedIn.  Don’t just ignore these invitations. Unlike Facebook, you don’t need to personally know everyone that you connect with.  LinkedIn automatically sorts your connections based on how you know them:  whether through a current or previous job, a business transaction, or through a Group.  So don’t ever be concerned about having a network that’s too big to keep track of.

LinkedIn links on your website.
Keeping your company’s LinkedIn profile page a secret from your website visitors isn’t a good idea, since these are the very people most likely to actually follow you.  Add a LinkedIn icon to your website to increase awareness of your presence on LinkedIn.  Always make it easy for your visitors to connect with you in social media.

You can get a “Follow us on LinkedIn” button for your website, as well as get client recommendations (without their having to visit LinkedIn) via buttons available to the administrator of your company’s LinkedIn page.  There is also a LinkedIn Share button that does exactly the same thing as a Facebook Share button …although in one key exception, it also updates your LinkedIn network connections.

Series conclusion: LinkedIn is perhaps the most-used social media tool for B2B marketers.  As much or more than the other social networks, LinkedIn should therefore complement your current online and offline marketing strategies.  Leverage it for its power to create professional communities and establish your company’s reputation among those communities, and you’ll unlock the true potential of LinkedIn.