I have closed a lot of business on LinkedIn. When I tell my peers that, they look at me quite baffled. I hear, “I’m on LinkedIn all of the time and I get nothing from it” to “LinkedIn isn’t a good fit for my industry.” Before I give a response, I do a negative reverse so I can probe a little deeper. What I usually uncover is that most people don’t know how to properly use LinkedIn. LinkedIn, for me, is a place where I can build my network and make professional connections. I’m a guy that is all about relationships, hence why I run a public relations agency.
People do not buy what you sell, instead, they buy how you sell. I’ve learned that concept from my friends at Sandler Training and it’s been very helpful in implementing a successful sales system; which includes utilizing LinkedIn. Relationship building is very important if you one wants to be successful on LinkedIn.
I believe LinkedIn is still a highly effective approach for you to connect with individuals and companies that can help you grow your career. The problem is that a lot of people don’t know how to use the platform effectively to get the maximum benefit.
Here are some tips I recommend how you can get most out of LinkedIn:
- Create a profile that achieves your goals for your LinkedIn account. This means that before you even make your profile, think about what your goals are. Are you looking for a job? Do you want to generate leads or partake in business-to-business networking? The goals that you want to achieve will determine the way that you are going to set up your profile. This will make it clear as to what you want visitors to see when they read your profile.
- Add a profile picture. People are more willing to trust a person if they can see a picture of them, especially of their face. Remember, people buy from those who they can trust. I recommend that the picture be professional and of high quality. Often times, this is the first impression that someone gets of you when they check out your profile. You need to make sure that this is a great first impression.
- Do utilize the “Headline” feature? This headline is there for you to ‘sell’ yourself in a sentence. You should use the proper keywords in your headline to attract the right people to your profile. You want to be able to tell someone what you do when they visit your profile. A great approach is to create a headline that is witty, something that can make you stand out while highlighting yourself.
- Focus on your summary or skills. Once people have been drawn to your profile, you need to give them something impressive to look at. Your summary should focus on the benefits of why someone should connect with you. Make sure to list all of your skills. People who come to your profile want to know what you do and this is the place to list that. This can be even more beneficial if you can get people to endorse your skills or recommend you to others.
- Write articles. Share a story about yourself or write an informative article about a particular service you want to highlight.
LinkedIn is still a great site for you to connect with other people that you can network with to grow your brand and to further your career. By optimizing your LinkedIn profile, you can achieve the goals you have established for yourself.
