How to nail LinkedIn

Linked in has over 400 million members, and in Australia alone, almost 30% of the entire population uses LinkedIn; that’s a whopping 7 million people!

To build credibility, you need to build connection and trust with people who will see you on social media, and be assured that every person you deal with is likely to google you and check out your profile and activity on linked in .

First impressions are vital and below are Daniela Cavalletti's  top 7 tips to making you a linked in guru!

1. Tyopos

Typos are painful. They are one of the fastest ways to erode trust, quick smart.

TO DO: Proofread, proofread, and proofread your profile once more.

2. Photo

You have no photo? Bad. You’re not the only one in the photo / are all fuzzy / are wearing sun-glasses / having a jolly good time at the pub? Also bad. Adding a quality photo makes it 14 times more likely that you’re found.

TO DO: Your photo can show some personality, but make sure you are looking into the camera, wear appropriate (for your business) clothing and it’s a recent shot.

3. Professional Headline

The headline (under your name) is one of the first things any reader of your profile will notice. When you update roles in the ‘Experience’ section, this will update automatically, so keep an eye on it.

TO DO: Customize your professional headline with keywords you want to be found for.

4. Summary

The summary is one of the main sections visitors to your profile will read. So not having one, writing it in the 3rd person, or as if you’re looking for a job when you’re trying to attract clients isn’t a good look.

TO DO: Write an informative summary in the first person, ensuring you highlight your key values and, yes, the benefits your business offers. Make me feel connected with you.

5. Testimonials

Asking for a LinkedIn recommendation is often chucked into the ‘too hard’ basket, because it takes a bit of creativity and follow up to get a time-poor client to write a testimonial. You are throwing away a super-charged opportunity: this is someone else telling the world they should trust and hire you!

TO DO: Create a friendly, short message when asking for a recommendation. Make it less scary by not mentioning ‘testimonial’; ask how you did instead. Send it to your clients (and staff, suppliers and ex-colleagues) with a personalized headline. And don’t forget to post the recommendation on your profile once you’ve got it!

6. Be Yourself

Even if you do all of the above you may not stand out enough amongst 400+ million fellow members.

TO DO:

• Personalize – upload a relevant background image; create your unique URL; list the causes you are passionate about; visually break up the profile
• Use multimedia – work samples, video testimonials, projects you’re involved in
• Sweat the small stuff – write proper job titles; ensure you pick the LinkedIn URL when adding a company; properly complete your contact details; add skills, courses, etc.

7. Connect

Is your profile just sitting there, idle? It’s time to get active and start sitting pretty.

TO DO:

• Been networking? Invite your new connections.
• Who’s viewed your profile? Invite/message them if you sense a good business fit
• Find and join relevant LinkedIn groups: alumni, places your clients/suppliers hang out
• Share – post interesting stuff on your profile, on Pulse or in your groups
• Say ‘thank you’ when people connect with you, and respond when members leave comments on your posts