BY Tim Londergan
People are checking you out. You got the notifications from LinkedIn that 5 people noticed you. You log in and see some familiar names or companies and you begin to wonder: Why? What did they find? What do they want? It’s easy to pass it off your curiosity and most to next most urgent thing on your list. Or you could take a proactive approach to managing your profile and stop asking these questions. Obviously, the beauty of LinkedIn is that it allows users to control information flow; both those seeking knowledge and those providing it. Sales success comes when you provide the right information about your experience and skills as a sales professional and do so in a compelling manner.
Using your profile as a path to sales success
You can skillfully craft your LinkedIn profile to boost your visibility, land more job interviews, impress more clients, and establish a brand for your professional career. However, if your main goal is to increase sales, you need to focus on lead generation. Remember, the conversation is about you and the goal is to make your readers act. Amazingly, the power of LinkedIn’s About section is unleashed when your readers learn what you do, how you can help them and who you are as a person. Manca Korelc instructs users to effectively use the About section which will help you achieve sales success.
A formula for an effective LinkedIn profile
Helpfully, Korelc shares what she has learned through her own experiences using LinkedIn. She’s a marketer, trainer, and, like you, has a desire to generate more business. Beyond a simple elevator pitch, her instruction gives context to how and why you need to embrace the 2000-word capacity of the About section. If sales success is your goal, then you should concentrate on this summary section. Check out her article for her own before-and-after professional profiles to learn how you can tweak your LinkedIn summary for more accuracy and greater response.
Step-by-step guide to an effective LinkedIn Summary
Few authors provide as much detail and examples of LinkedIn profiles as Austin Belcak. Painstakingly, he provides quantified results, real-world examples and valuable tips regarding LinkedIn profile content. Above all, he reassures the reader while navigating the freeform text area of the About section. For instance, questions about subject, length and tone are addressed and answered. What’s more, he applies the tutorial to job seekers, professionals, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs, all of whom would like to leverage LinkedIn for improved success.
Finesse your profile with formatting
Huge blocks of text are offputting. Plus, it’s hard to achieve sales success if no one reads your profile. Thankfully, LinkedIn allows you to improve the visual appearance of your content with formatting. Belcak shows you how. Bold, italics, bullets, and even emojis are possible and, when used sparingly, can make your summary pop. He also suggests an app to assist with grammar and readability.
Show your personal side
Personalized interests make you relatable. Being authentic adds to sales success because your clients can relate to the real you. Family, travel, food, sports, and hobbies are great starting points. Keep in mind you are looking for common ground and points of connection.
Crack the code of keywords for sales success
Never forget that LinkedIn is a search engine and to respect it as such. Importantly, your clients and prospects use keywords to find you and your competitors and other service providers. Be smart about your profile content and learn to play the game of SEO. The strength of LinkedIn is only realized when you obey the rules of search engine optimization and provide an authentic and professional profile that compels your target to act.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash