The first step to tailoring your LinkedIn profile to prospecting is to ensure that your profile is complete and professional-looking. These are the basic first steps, so if nothing else, make sure you’ve completed these:
- Professional Profile Photo: Your profile picture is one of the first things that potential prospects will see when they visit your profile. We recommend a headshot with clear lighting and a simple background.
- Catchy Headline:Your headline is the text that appears below your name on your LinkedIn profile. It’s an excellent opportunity to showcase your expertise and grab the attention of potential prospects. We’ve written this guide to show you how to write an unstoppable headline.
- Add Your Relevant Experience:Prospects and future employers will want to know who you are and what you do. Share resume-style bullets under the experience section to summarize your previous roles. Do the same for volunteer work and internships as well.
- Detailed Summary:Your summary section is where you can provide more details about your professional experience and skills. Use this section to highlight your unique selling points and show potential prospects why they should work with you. Don’t forget to include relevant keywords to help your profile appear in search results.
- Your messages from an instant messenger.
- Your blog posts.
Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile – Advanced Techniques
Once you’ve optimized the basic elements of your profile, it’s time to take things to the next level. Here’s what we recommend doing to really make your profile stand out:️
- Use Relevant Keywords:LinkedIn-friendly keywords can help boost your visibility in search results. To find relevant keywords, think about common words or phrases in your industry. Don’t overdo it, though; only use keywords where they make sense.
- Customize Your LinkedIn URL: You can (and should) customize your LinkedIn URL. Compared to the original URL LinkedIn gives you (which is probably a string of numbers), a link that says your name will be more professional. It can also make it easier to share your profile with others.
- Add Videos and Images: Images and videos are 24% more likely to be opened in a prospecting message. The same goes for your LinkedIn profile. Post a video or images that highlights your value proposition for contacts to easily view.
- Ask Colleagues for Endorsements and Recommendations: Endorsements and recommendations from others on LinkedIn can help establish your credibility and expertise. Don’t be afraid to ask former colleagues, supervisors, or clients to endorse or recommend you on LinkedIn.
- Join LinkedIn Groups: LinkedIn groups are perfect for expanding your network and connecting with potential prospects in your industry or target market. Use groups to engage in industry-related discussions and highlight your expertise.
Conclusion
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile for prospecting is an essential part of any social selling strategy. By optimizing your profile, creating high-quality content, and using effective prospecting strategies, you can attract potential prospects and convert them into paying customers.
For the best results for your LinkedIn prospecting, you should be using automation tools (like LinkedLite). Using LinkedLite, you can safely automate mass messaging campaigns, smart prospecting sequences, and track saved lists of leads in one easy-to-manage dashboard. Try our 7-day free trial here.