LinkedIn: Are you using LinkedIn for your international or expat business?

Out of all the ways to connect, LinkedIn is one of my favorite platforms.  It allows you to connect with people you know, but also allows you to reach out to people you would like to meet or do business with (in a professional manner!).  If you are not currently using LinkedIn for your business, its time to sign up!   
1.  Use Groups

From Alumni groups to groups about a specific niche in your field, you can find a group on LinkedIn for almost anything.  I really like the Connect to Mexico group, which is a group of professionals from all over the world who either currently do business with or hope to do business with Mexico.

2.  Use the search feature to search for certain companies/people

If you've ever wondered who the person in charge of purchasing is at a certain company, you just might find that info on LinkedIn.  The search feature allows you to search for people by name or company.  You can see all of the employees (well the ones registered on LinkedIn) that work at a certain company.

3.  Recommend/Get recommended

Have you ever worked with someone that went above and beyond the call of duty?  LinkedIn has a feature where you can write a short recommendation about someone, so when people go to their page they will see that other people vouch for them.  You can ask for recommendations as well, from former colleagues or people you've done business with.

4.  See what your network is doing

As you add more contacts, you will get to see their Twitter updates, books they recommend, where people are traveling, and much more.