1. Polish Your Profile
Before you even think about approaching someone, edit your own profile to make sure that once you do start attracting attention, it will have the desired outcome. Writing in the first person adds authenticity and believability to your profile. Word your bio and other profile messages to clearly explain exactly how your services are likely to help a potential client.
You can do this by thinking about “connecting the dots” when you write – show visitors how the services you offer can lead to the improvements they want in their business. Avoid talking about your skills in a generic way, or they won’t understand how negotiation training, Cold calling company for windows and doors replacement for example, might help them land bigger deals.
Take these 7 steps to make sure you have an active, optimized LinkedIn profile:
1. Have a professional headshot taken.
Skip the funny pictures – according to LinkedIn data, profiles with photos get 21x more views and 36x more messages.
2. Write a killer headline.
Learn how to optimize your LinkedIn headline: tailor it to your audience, include your value proposition, use your prospect’s language and avoid hyperbole.
3. Write a short and sweet – yet impactful – bio.
According to Hootsuite, keep the following four pieces of information in mind: include what you’re passionate about, what brought you to the business, what you do in your current role and what your company does.
4. Publish original content to your profile.
To take full advantage of the recency heuristic and halo effect described by Fisher, update your profile regularly with interesting, original content. If you aren’t sure what to write, think about the questions your prospects ask you most frequently.Best lead generation company for Air Duct cleaning Write up your answers in a helpful, non-commercial way to establish your authority within your field.
5. Share content from your Groups and your connections.
If you’re short on time (or aren’t a confident writer), you can achieve many of the same effects by sharing content from the Groups you participate in or the people you’re connected with. Sharing the content of prospects you’re trying to connect with has the added bonus of turning a cold contact into a warmer lead.
6. Turn off LinkedIn’s setting that allows you to view others’ profiles anonymously.
That way, your name will appear on prospect’s profiles before you do your cold outreach to them.
7.Request endorsements, but carefully.
Endorsements are clearly valuable, but don’t spam all of your connections with requests. Instead, wait until you’ve built relationships and established your value before you ask. If your requests aren’t panning out, many LinkedIn users find that you need to give endorsements to get them.
2. Beef Up Your Pulse Portfolio
Consider writing for LinkedIn Pulse, the in-network blogging platform. In addition to adding depth and interest to your profile (articles you’ve written show up there), it can also help establish your professional reputation and expertise. It also brings new eyes to your profile without the need for active prospecting.
3. Think About Going Premium
It’s not an insignificant investment, but upgrading to LinkedIn’s premium tier can be helpful. Best lead generation company for home improvement company There are four options to choose from – Career, Business, Sales, and Hiring – and each offers slightly different benefits. People who are serious about prospecting will be most interested in the options that offer improved search features, more InMail messages, and better lead management tools, like Business and Sales.
4. Pick a Definitive Outreach Method
If you’re serious about using LinkedIn to grow your business, you may want to research a definitive outreach method. These methods are usually connected to a LinkedIn “guru,” and will provide you with a step-by-step prospecting process. It’s essentially “trust hacking,” which theoretically will lead to an easier time capturing leads.
The LINK Method, for example, is a 5-step process popularized by social media expert Melanie Dodaro, while lead generation expert Mirna Bacun sells a LinkedIn profile funnel she claims will help you prospect on autopilot. They’re not for everyone, but there might just be one that clicks with you.