Every social media platform has a secret weapon. 

The best feature on Facebook is the Notes page where you can promote your company in messages much longer than 140 characters.

Twitter has some amazing apps such as Tweetdeck that put the micro-blogger on steroids.

Even the relatively staid Linkedin has a piece of heavy artillery.  It's called "Recommendations." 

In the old days (the 80s, LOL) business people used to request a "letter of recommendation" from satisfied customers.  Now I ask people to post compliments on my Linkedin page.

These types of testimonials are what Robert Cialdini, author of Influence, refers to as "social proof."  Such recommendations, for example make me feel good, but they also make my prospects feel good.  Nothing brings in business like third-party testimonials. 

A client of mine recently posted this kind compliment on my Linkedin page for all to see:

"I had the opportunity to hear Michael speak at a Rotary function several years ago and was so impressed that I invited him to speak at an upcoming Zone meeting for seven Rotary Clubs in Southern Wisconsin.  He had 120 people totally involved while speaking and his ideas for improvement are something we actively use today. I highly recommend Michael Angelo Caruso."     

  -John Stensland, VP, Martin Business Group, Geneva, Wisconsin, via Linkedin

Thanks, John! 

If I had written this message about myself, people would think of it as advertising.  But when John posts this message, it's the truth.  That's the beauty of third-party testimonials, such as recommendations on Linkedin.

I'll be interviewing Linkedin expert Dean Delisle on Tuesday, December 1 at 4 PM ET.  He's the President of a company called Forward Progress and a real guru on Linkedin.   

Register at http://budurl.com/UseLinkedin4Biz.