OK, at the end of the day we really want to know "How is this going to make me money?"
one of the best points that I've read that I think we should all keep in mind is this...
" LinkedIn is a tool – it's a communication vehicle… it is not a get-rich-quick thing… the reason people made money was because they were in the right place, with the right information, and accessible."
also...
People who know how to leverage their networks are called successful.
People who just know a lot of people are called socialites. Do you want to be a successful person or a socialite?
All cocktail parties come to an end, but on the Internet there is always another person with whom you can connect. This can be both healthy and hazardous; it's very tempting to spend far too much time chatting with far too many people. We recommend focusing only on building your network to the extent that your marginal benefit equals your marginal cost. Otherwise, you will be so busy maintaining your relationships that you will have no time to leverage those you have formed.
here are some thoughts...
Entrepreneurs Need Both Facebook and LinkedIn from Small Business Trends
Using LinkedIn as a Small Business Owner from Small Business Trends
Using LinkedIn for SEO from SEO.com (SEO = Search Engine Optimization)
Ways to make money on LinkedIn
How to Promote Your Offline Business using LinkedIn