LinkedIn is the largest social platform for business professionals, with over 500 million members, you can achieve your corporate goals by connecting with other professionals. The platform was proven to be the #1 platform for B2B lead generation, and it has become a clear leader among social networks for connecting potential hires and business opportunities.
However, even with its status as the outright leader among social networking channels, it is still intimidating for most users when it comes to professional networking. The most frequently asked questions by LinkedIn users are: “Who should I connect with?” “How do I network for business opportunities and marketing?”
Unfortunately, the hesitation renders the process of making new connections quite slow.
You might think that since the platform hosts 500 million users, it would not be difficult to get 30,000 connections, which is the ceiling set by LinkedIn. However, it becomes a challenge once you have exhausted your contact list, especially if you wish to ensure that the connections hold value and remain relevant. To grow your relationships in a useful way, you should first position yourself by boosting your profile. Follow the steps below to accomplish this goal.
Make Your LinkedIn Profile Photo Stand Out
Make sure that other users can recognize you from your photo, beyond that look professional and inviting. Your face should not repel connection as it would mean you’re chasing away opportunities, smile passionately, and dress corporate.
Write a Title That Speaks Volume
Write a title that speaks to others, not to yourself. If you genuinely want to attract opportunities, make your title emphasize what you can do for others not who you are in your workplace. Use formats like: I help (your ideal audience) to (resolve/solve a problem) + keyword, e.g. “I help Executives maximize work-life balance” and not “I am the Founder of WorkLife Corporation in Dallas”… your audience will be like what the heck is Worklife?
Use Your Banner as a Billboard
Re-establish your brand and profession with your banner, use your banner as an opportunity to promote your brand, add the logo, some copywriting text, and if you like, include your philosophy.
Sell Your Business with Your Summary/Bio
Tell a story about who you are based on your profession and skillsets focusing on what you can execute, and don’t forget to include your past projects making sure you explain in technical details how each was executed. This single element gives you an edge and informs the audience that you know what you’re talking about. Use your copywriting skills to sprinkle some marketing words and call-to-action over this section that will magically convert the audience to buyers.
Tell How Far You’ve Come with Employment History
Have you been employed before? What challenges did you face? How did you overcome challenges? This one will give power to the point above; it is just a quest to defend your profession.
Include all Your Personal & Business Contact Information
Add all the various means that can be used to contact you. I like to include my phone number, social media handles, email address, and website address.
Get Recommendations from People Who Know You
Recommendations are the reviews of LinkedIn, get as much as possible, though having twenty is enough, but if you can get more, get them.
Don’t Forget to Include All Your Skills
In your skill, be more specific and avoid basic skills that everyone has. Don’t just say “Digital marketing” for instance, I would rather say “lead generation for chiropractors” because this will mean that I specialize in helping Chiropractors get more customers. List more.
Your Network is Your Net worth, Make Targeted Connections
This is the essential area of your LinkedIn account that requires your rapt attention – Connections, someone once said that “your network will determine your net worth.” The more significant and relevant your connections, the more opportunities are within reach. Focus on relevance and quality.