Seven Tips for a LinkedIn Profile That Generates Business

An effective profile helps generate business on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn (linkedin.com) is one of the world's most popular social-networking sites for making business connections. If you want to use LinkedIn to generate leads, attract clients and locate business partners, you need to start with an effective personal profile.

Complete Profile

LinkedIn research indicates that users with complete profiles are 40 percent more likely to generate results. You can view your profile completeness percentage on the Edit My Profile page. By default, you reach 25 percent completeness when you sign up for LinkedIn. To achieve 100 percent completeness, perform the tasks listed in the Profile Completion Tips box, such as adding a profile photo or requesting recommendations.

Create Custom Headline

LinkedIn displays your job title and company name as your default headline, but you can modify your headline text to help attract business. For example, rather than displaying a headline that says you're the owner of Jones Accounting, you can change your headline to say that you're an Atlanta CPA who specializes in small business. This is more likely to attract the type of clients you're looking for than a generic headline.

Write Clear, Concise Summary

Your summary is often the first part of your profile that people read, so it's important to write a summary that clearly lets them know who you are and what your business has to offer. Although you want to emphasize qualifications and benefits in your summary, LinkedIn discourages using the summary section for an advertisement or sales pitch.

Use Targeted Keywords

When potential clients search LinkedIn, you want them to find you. To increase your chances of appearing in search results, be sure that your profile contains the keywords that people in your industry or profession would search for. For example, degrees, certifications, names of software programs and job-related skills are all good keywords.

Include Custom Website Links

LinkedIn enables you to add up to three links to external websites on your profile. For example, you could link to your business site, a blog or a Facebook page. By default, LinkedIn uses generic names to describe your website links, such as "Company Website" or "Blog." To encourage more people to click these links, edit these fields to display the actual name of your site or blog.

Add LinkedIn Applications

LinkedIn offers numerous applications that enhance your profile with additional content. For example, if your company has a blog, you can display your latest blog posts on your profile using the "Blog Link" or "WordPress" applications. Another option is to attach a company brochure with the "Box.net Files" application, which lets you to share PDFs and other documents.

Create Sections to Highlight Accomplishments

LinkedIn enables you to add up to six sections to your profile that highlight additional accomplishments. These sections are Certifications, Languages, Patents, Publications and Skills. Adding sections to your profile helps you demonstrate your expertise and stand out from your competition.

References

• LinkedIn