Revamping Your Profile Utilize the Power of Linkedin

Revamping Your Profile Utilize the Power of Linkedin
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It’s All About Perspective

How do you use LinkedIn?

Do you see it as an online CV?

A lot of people do, but that’s a real waste because LinkedIn is one of the most powerful business tools out there. As a social network dedicated to business, it provides you with a wealth of business possibilities. You can attract droves of new clients or even job offers without actually doing a thing.

Well, there is one thing you have to do – create a powerful LinkedIn profile.

Let’s say you offer business consultancy services and someone stumbles across your profile. If your profile is written like a CV, you know the typical ‘I’m resourceful, hardworking and a team player,’ it won’t have much of an impact. But if you treat it like a marketing tool, you could have people flocking to you. 

Turning LinkedIn into a Marketing Tool

The first step is to stop and think about what’s important to your customers. Just like your brochures, web copy and email marketing focus entirely on your customers and what you can do for them, the same should apply to your profile.

So let’s start planning.

1. Headline

The norm is to simply write the position you currently hold as your headline. Boring. Your headline will help you get found in searches so make sure it’s as powerful as possible. Think about:

  • What is your expertise?
  • Do you have any evidence to back that up?
  • What special projects have you worked on?

Then create something around that. The only issue is you have just 120 characters to play with so you’ll have to be brief.

2. Summary

This is where most people list their own qualities. Wrong.

It’s time to focus on those benefits, outlining the unique selling points that make you stand out from everyone else. Feel free to name drop, too, but not in an arrogant or condesending way.

There’s another character limit here – 2000 – so plan what you want to say and make sure you include a call to action at the end.

3. Your Experience

Does yours simply talk about who you have worked for and the role that you held?

How about creating mini case studies proving you have made a difference to the business? This is a great way to highlight your main achievements and show how your skills helped your previous employers overcome business issues.

4. Your Projects

This section is great because every project you create will be clickable.

That means you can create a short story to highlight how you’ve helped clients and drive traffic to your website.

5. Media Section

This is a must because it means you can upload videos, presentations and images of your work to your profile to make it more eye-catching.

You see your LinkedIn profile is so much more than just a CV. Take a look at yours now and read it as though you were a potential client looking for your services. Would you get in touch? If the answer is no, and please be honest, use the tips above to rework your profile into a marketing tool.

About the Author:

Sally Ormond is a freelance copywriter and owner of Briar Copywriting Ltd. For tips on copywriting, marketing and social media, you can also read her words of wisdom on Briar Copywriting’s Blog.