Having a fully optimised LinkedIn profile is crucial for sales professionals to establish a strong online presence and effectively engage with prospects and potential recruits. In this exercise, we will focus on optimising key elements of your LinkedIn profile to ensure it aligns with your social selling or recruiting goals. Additionally, we will explore strategies for increasing engagement and maximising the results from your LinkedIn efforts.
Instructions
Review the checklist below and make the necessary updates to your LinkedIn profile. Consider how each element contributes to showcasing your expertise, capturing attention, and facilitating meaningful connections.
LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Checklist
Profile Photo:
- Use an updated and professional profile photo that creates a positive first impression and resonates with your target audience. Avoid using selfies or blurry photos. Use tools like Profile Pic Maker to create different professional versions.
Contact Information:
- Include your professional contact details, making it easy for interested parties to reach out regarding your products, services, or company.
Value Proposition in Headline:
Optimise your headline by clearly articulating who you help and how you help them. Use this prime real estate to capture your attention and communicate your unique value. You can use the following framework to ensure it effectively captures attention and communicates your value proposition:
[Role/Title] Helping [Target Audience] [Benefit or Outcome]
Summary Optimisation:
- Craft a compelling summary comprising around three paragraphs, each consisting of three sentences.
- Incorporate relevant keywords and key search phrases that potential buyers or recruits might use.
- Highlight your purpose from the headline, provide specifics about your work (including results and projects), and elaborate on how you've achieved your mission via case studies.
- Close the summary with a clear call-to-action, guiding buyers or potential recruits on the best way to contact you.
Profile URL
- :Add a link to a free resource that is relevant for your target audience and relates to the problem-solution space that you’re selling in.
Experience Section:
- Tailor your experience section to resonate with buyers, focusing on telling your story and showcasing success.
- Use language that aligns with the interests and needs of your target audience.
Visuals:
- Include visuals, such as links to blog posts or eye-catching documents, above your experience a features listings to provide additional value to buyers or recruits.
Awards and Honors:
- Showcase any awards and honours you have received to further establish your professional credibility and thought leadership. These could be company awards. We do not care about the high school swimming trophy but rather about credentials that add to our sales credibility.
Accomplishments:
- Expand beyond awards and honours to include other notable achievements, such as memberships in industry groups, language proficiency, publications, courses, and projects relevant to your role.
Licenses and Certifications:
- Highlight any certifications or licenses that contribute to your professional skills or knowledge, setting you apart from others in your field.
Volunteer Experience:
- Share your volunteer experience to humanise your profile and demonstrate your passion and care for causes beyond sales. Building relationships is key in sales, and this section showcases your human side.
Interests and Groups:
- Update the companies you follow and the groups you are a member of on LinkedIn to provide insights into your areas of expertise and knowledge.
Seek Recommendations:
- Actively seek recommendations from clients and individuals who can validate your skills and experiences.
- Go beyond former co-workers and consider current clients who can vouch for your abilities.
Remember, optimising your LinkedIn profile is just the first step. To maximise engagement and achieve better results, develop a comprehensive strategy for utilising LinkedIn as a key tool in your sales or recruiting efforts. Listening, engaging, and providing value are critical components of this strategy. Continuously update and engage with your LinkedIn profile to support lead generation, recruitment, and prospecting efforts.
Take the time to regularly evaluate and refine your LinkedIn approach to ensure you are strengthening your personal brand and achieving your sales goals effectively.