By now, I hope you're fully engaged with LinkedIn.  You've completed your profile; started building your network; begun posting recommendations for people you've worked with; and reached out to your network requesting recommendations for yourself.  Now there's another LinkedIn tool that will help you take full advantage of this popular online networking site.

LinkedIn Answers allows LinkedIn users to pose questions to everyone in their network, including people who are very indirectly "related."  All of those people then have the opportunity to answer the questions.  If you begin answering questions that are related to your areas of expertise (i.e. buying and selling a home, practicing real estate, running a small business, managing employees, etc.), you will establish yourself as an expert -- not only with the person who asked the question, but with everyone in your entire network. 

I'll use myself as an example to put that into perspective.  I have 249 "trusted friends and colleagues" in my network.  Through them, I am connected to more than 4.2 million LinkedIn users.  That means my total LinkedIn network has more than 4.2 million people... and it's growing every day!  Since July 29, nearly 47,000 people have been added to my network without my doing anything.  That's a lot of people!

Get started today:

1) Log on to your LinkedIn profile and go to the LinkedIn Answers section.

2) If you scroll down, you will see questions that have recently been asked by your network ("New Questions From Your Network."). Similarly, your LinkedIn home page will display recent questions related to your profession.  You can either visit these pages frequently looking for questions to answer, or you can set up a feed to your RSS Reader or Google or Yahoo Home Page. Much more convenient!

3) First, figure out which categories you're going to target. The top level categories are listed on the right hand side of the page under "Browse." Click on each category to get a full list of sub-categories.

4) You'll go through the following process for each of your targets:

a. Click on "Personal Finance." Then click on the "Personal Real Estate" link on the right hand side of the screen.

b. Once the new page opens, you'll see a little orange square (the RSS icon) under the header "Subscribe to new questions in." Click on "Personal Real Estate."

c. Now you'll see a list of options. I personally use my Google home page to keep track of LinkedIn Answers, as well as all my blog feeds. Use whichever option is right for you.

d. Voila! Any time someone in your network asks a question related to your profession, your home page or feed reader will be automatically updated.

5) When you're answering questions, please remember that your answers can be seen by everyone in your network and they will be connected to your LinkedIn profile. Take your time. Be professional. And please don't be overly sales-y! Don't try to sell your services. If you present yourself as an intelligent, well spoken real estate professional, your expertise will sell itself.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

And don't forget to check out Trulia Voices.  They have a similar application that is solely related to real estate.