How to Build a LinkedIn Sales Profile
The social networking site LinkedIn isn’t just for job seekers; it’s also a great sales tool for those looking to market their products and services. Creating a personal profile on LinkedIn enables you to make yourself -- and your business -- visible to LinkedIn’s more than 100 million members worldwide. In addition to creating basic profile content that captures your prospects’ attention, you can enhance your profile with additional content such as brochures and presentations that aid in the lead generation process.
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Instructions
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Create a compelling headline. Most people who view your profile scan your headline briefly before deciding whether to continue reading. To capture their attention, create a headline that clearly conveys what you have to offer. By default, LinkedIn uses your title and company name as your headline, such as "Account Representative with ABC Investments." You can replace this standard text with something that’s more likely to attract attention, such as "Certified Financial Planner Specializing in Retirement Planning."
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Use the right keywords. Other LinkedIn users find your profile by searching for specific keywords. To ensure that your profile displays in LinkedIn search results, use targeted keywords in your profile text. If you sell products, your profile should include your product names. If you sell services, mention the specific services you offer and any credentials that someone would expect a service provider in your industry to have, such as the CPA designation for accountants.
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Make the most of LinkedIn applications. LinkedIn offers numerous applications that enhance your profile with additional content. For example, you can attach a brochure outlining your products and services with the Box.net Files application. If you give sales presentations, you can add them to your profile using the SlideShare Presentations application.
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Add contact information. Make it easy for prospects to reach you by including any relevant contact information you are willing to share with the public. For example, you could include your website URL, business email address and business phone number.
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Complete your profile. LinkedIn research indicates that users with a complete profile are 40 times more likely to achieve positive results than those whose profile is incomplete. On the right side of your profile page, LinkedIn suggests the content you need to achieve 100 percent completeness.
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Make your profile public. If you use LinkedIn for sales purposes, you should make your profile visible in search engines for added exposure. To specify search engine visibility for your public profile, click the “Edit” link next to the “Public Profile” field on the “Edit Profile” page.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have a business, create a LinkedIn Company Page in addition to your personal profile. A Company Page enables you to provide detailed information about each of your products and services, embed YouTube videos and more.
Because LinkedIn is a professional networking site, it discourages content that’s overly promotional. To abide by LinkedIn’s rules, focus on providing useful information about your products and services and limit any sales hype.
References
Resources
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