When was the last time you visited LinkedIn? If it’s been a while, you should take another look at the social networking site, especially if you sell products or services to other businesses. I’ve been getting some good leads there lately, so I thought I’d share some LinkedIn marketing tips to help you get better results.
Create a keyword-rich profile headline – The space underneath your name on a LinkedIn profile is prime real estate. Use it to your advantage by using keywords that describe what you do and who your target audience is. If you have room, include a call-to-action!
Create a profile summary that sells – Long gone are the days of displaying your resume in the LinkedIn summary. Use this space to communicate WHY your prospects should do business with you. This can even be the “elevator speech” you give at in-person networking events.
Use the portfolio feature – LinkedIn’s portfolio feature allows you to showcase your unique professional story in your profile using rich visual content. If you host webinars or workshops, you can share your powerpoint presentations in this section. You can even embed a video. Tip: Include a call to action to get people to click to play your video.
Be active in Groups – Spend a few minutes daily commenting or starting discussions in groups that relate to your industry or your personal interests. The goal here is to establish yourself as a knowledgable authority. Don’t sell your products or services. Share helpful information.
Start your own group – The beauty of starting your own LinkedIn group is that you are allowed to email the members once a week. This gives you an opportunity to let your members know when you are running a special promotion.
Monitor who views your profile – When you log into LinkedIn, you’ll see a graph that tells you how many people have viewed your profile in the last 7 days. Click that link to see who these people are, and then follow up with them. Find out how you can help them. You’d be surprised at how this simple action can turn into a lead for your business.
Give recommendations – Endorsing your LinkedIn contacts for skills is easy. Giving a recommendation requires more thought. You actually have to write a couple of sentences. That’s what makes a recommendation more powerful and believable. It’s a testimonial. The more you give, the more you’re likely to receive.
Ask for recommendations – Once you’ve given a few recommendations, go ahead and ask past clients or colleagues for a recommendation.
Create a company page – Setting up a LinkedIn company page helps others learn more about your business, brand, products and services, and job opportunities.
Use the Search Function – Looking for new prospects? Use the search function to identify your ideal client. If you search by company, for instance, you can specify company size.
What LinkedIn marketing tips would you add to this list? Please share them in the comments below.
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