How’s your profile looking? Now that we’re all officially quarantined we’ve got more time than ever to spend on social media. But there are bills to pay, so open a new “tab” and head to your LinkedIn profile. Take a look. When was the last time you updated it?
LinkedIn Profile Building
This is probably a better time for growing your business than starting a new job, so take a look at your content to make sure that helps you make a great first impression. That’s important, because you only get one chance.
LinkedIn gives you new visibility. What does your profile say about you? Do you look like an expert in your field? Would you pick you as a valuable resource?
What do you want to be known for? You can reinforce this in several different areas on your profile:
- Your headline is visible to all LinkedIn members. Use keywords here that will help people find you and what you do. Don’t waste this opportunity. It gives you a chance to quickly show your specialty, and your value proposition.
- Current Position: Again, this is what All Linked In members can see. It’s one of the best ways to let people know what you do, and how you can help them. Include more than just a generic title, and you’ll get more response from it.
- The About Section: Here’s where you can go into detail and give a concise but convincing argument. Does yours show the value you provide? Or could it be improved? Use it to educate viewers about what you do, how you do it, and what makes you different from the competition.
- Experience: show your background and your expertise. Most LinkedIn members use this as a resume to help look for new employment opportunities. If you’re a business owner, or just focused on growing a business, you’re probably not looking for a new job. So put it to use as a marketing tool. Potential customers often view your profile to pre-qualify you before taking the next step with you.
Looking for more customers? You’ll gain a valuable edge over your competition when you pay attention to this part of your LinkedIn profile. - Skills and Endorsements: According to LinkedIn, people who list “at least five skills receive up to 17x more profile views.” There’s also evidence that more you have, the higher you’ll rank in the search results. And the more profile views you’re getting, whether from a recruiter or someone in your industry, the more opportunities you’ll see.
How many skills should you list? (LI lets you list up to 50) You can think of them as keywords that recruiters, employers and potential clients can search. But my approach is to focus on key skills that show me as a leader in my field. I’d prefer to have 5 skills with lots of endorsements than a list of 50 skills with none. When you list skills you’re bragging. When others endorse you for them, they’re testifying that you’re good at those skills.
It’s an investment that will pay off
Right now we’re spending more time at home and less time in the office or out meeting people. There’s never been a better time to invest a few minutes building up your best potential online business networking tool.
Casey Hart is President and founder of Informer Messages on hold. Informer Messages, like networking, are a way to start the conversations that help you sound more professional and sell more. They turn the time that your telephone callers spend on hold into a marketing opportunity, replacing boring music on hold and the annoyance of waiting in “dead silence” with information that your best customers want, and that you want them to have. Here’s a link to a 60-second video about Informer Messages: https://informermessages.com/about-informer-messages-on-hold