Leveraging Your Online Profile

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Facebook is the most popular social media site in the world. Many of us spend way too much time on there. I know I do. I enjoy the social interaction and networking on the site. But there is another major social media site whose focus is also networking but on a business and professional level — LinkedIn.

Around a month ago, I received an invitation to connect with a new LinkedIn member in Houston. I looked at her profile and gladly accepted her invitation. I sent her a message thanking her for the invite and the connection. A few days later she wrote me saying she had looked at my LinkedIn profile and noticed my heavy involvement in Toastmasters. She told me she wanted to learn more about Toastmasters and would like my help finding a club for her in the Houston area. I’ve been helping her find different clubs in the Houston area that are close to her. She’s finally found one that fits and joined that club last week.

In the last week or so, I’ve also been contacted by new connections on LinkedIn from London and Denver about Toastmasters. Sponsoring new members this year ties into International President John Lau’s “1+1 Campaign”. In December I sponsored two new members. I hope to sponsor another five by the end of this Toastmaster year.

So where’s all this heading? Social media is just one more way to connect with people and tell them about Toastmasters.

If you’re on LinkedIn, let me ask you: Is your profile complete? Do you have a professional picture linked to your profile? If you take a look at my profile from the link above you’ll see how heavily weighted it is towards my experience and involvement in Toastmasters and District 25.


But your involvement doesn’t end with a completed profile on LinkedIn; you’ve got to work to get connected to make sure your profile is viewed. You’ve got to seek out connections that will enhance your presence on LinkedIn. If you’re on LinkedIn and we’re not first-level connections, I’d be honored to be one of your connections.


I’ll leave you with the following action items:

  • If you’re not on LinkedIn, set up an account 
  • After signing up, complete your profile and upload a professional photo 
  • Connect with those who will enhance and help build your presence on LinkedIn 
  • Endorse those connections whom you’ve dealt with that have done an exemplary job; you might even get an endorsement back, endorsements are very powerful 
  • Finally, join The Official Toastmasters International Members Group. There are all sorts of wonderful and insightful discussions going on within the group.

If you have any questions about connecting through social media, feel free to contact me. My email address is chuckmen@gmail.com.

Chuck Mencke, DTM
Division D Governor
District 25 Toastmasters