On LinkedIn, your personal profile is the core element of an effective LinkedIn strategy. You cannot be successful selling on LinkedIn if your profile is sub-par. This article gives some key pointers on how to do it right, so read on…
When somebody clicks on your image or byline, or links in comments you make, they go right to your LinkedIn profile. It\’s a quick hop to your message. So having a strong message is essential, right?
The following profile sections, if completed correctly will convert more of your profile visitors into discovery calls:
A professional image is critical. I\’m sure you\’ve seen tiny little photos, no photo, pictures of people\’s dogs, cartoons, and so forth. These are all immediate turn offs. Who wants to engage with somebody who hides their identity? Statistics show that a professional and attractive photo has a strong impact on the rate at which potential customers will connect with you.
A professional photograph that makes eye contact with the viewer is important. Smiling is important as well — who wants to do business with a grumpy bore? Statistics show that smiling has a big impact on perceptions of success. You are looking for potential customers to connect with you.
Where do you tell the story that establishes a strong LinkedIn strategy? Your Summary section, of course! This is where you want to engage prospects deeply with your knowledge, uniqueness and how you can help them. Leave out your previous job history, professional qualifications, etc. — all that is nonsense to buyers. They care about what is in it for them. In other words, what is your value proposition and why should they connect with you to help them in their business needs? Write your summary from that perspective and your LinkedIn strategy will be well on its way to success.
Publishing Posts is one of the most important things you can do. These are essentially blog posts on topics where you have expertise. Do you sell engineering services? Then an article on the top 10 questions to ask before settling on an engineering service is a high value Post. Comparisons, how to articles, case studies, personal stories about successes you\’ve brought about. All of these are good Posts to publish. These help establish you as an industry authority and get you found in searches.
Projects are important. This is a place you can put case studies, successful projects, etc. This adds credibility to your pitch. It also gives sales prospects an idea of how you can help them with our solution.
Believe it or not, the interests section is important for a good LinkedIn strategy. When people in your second degree network see how they\’re connected, one or more common interests may appear. Many times your potential prospects will want to do business with you because they share your love of the environment or animal rights. So list as many interests as you have.
The publications section is another location to show you are an industry expert. It also helps in search results. Write out papers, articles, academic projects, awards, films and other projects you\’ve been part of.
Your LinkedIn profile, when written from the perspective of what your ideal target prospects are looking for, will work for you for years as a core part of your successful new LinkedIn strategy.
The right LinkedIn strategy can help boost your sales. To get you on track to beat your sales targets check out these professional LinkedIn lead generation services.