Looking to build relationships with potential clients in your industry, get noticed professionally, choose a partner for LinkedIn marketing, and generate leads online, LinkedIn is the best networking platform out there. Although this statement is bold, it is true.
As a relationship-building businessman or company in an industry, specific approaches work, and some don’t. So, first, let’s look at the techniques that don’t work.
What doesn’t work?
#1 – Using a profile picture of yourself and your friends in a competition or posing in front of an expensive, supercar
Although you want people to feel warm about your photo when you look approachable, these scenarios don’t work. Instead, it paints an image of someone who values things rather than relationships. So, unless you’re a motor dealer dealing in high-value cars, don’t use your picture on the front of a supercar.
#2 – Clicking ‘connect’ to a stranger without adding an introductory note
A potential contact would ideally not agree to a relationship with a stranger who has nothing in common with them. Therefore, it is best to add a short message explaining why you are making the connection, which increases your chances of acceptance.
#3 – Creating a sales pitch immediately after establishing the connection
When dating, you take your time to get to know your partner until you feel safer and more trusting in the relationship – it’s similar to LinkedIn. If you have a high-value lead, it is best to first convey the relevant issues to the lead, nurturing the relationship. In general, the same rules you would apply in your work life apply to LinkedIn.
If you are serious about the platform then it is worthwhile to go for the Sales Navigator plan of LinkedIn.
Even if your contact is a second, third, or low-degree connection, you can focus on key contacts and leads with LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator and Professional plans. Also, unlike the freemium version, which only allows a maximum of 50 connections, you can create unlimited connections. InMail gives you your 2 . Also lets you send messages to people afterRa level connection
Another benefit of the Sales Navigator plan is that you can save accounts and leads, helping you keep track of your prospects. You also get to unlock people beyond your third-degree connection – this is especially helpful when you don’t have anything in common to contact.
Plus, you can see who viewed your profile, messaged them, and asked what interests them. The Sales Navigator and Professional plan also help you build a custom list of leads using the extensive search tools.
What should you pay attention to?
Before putting your money on a professional sales plan, it’s best to get the basics down first.
#1 – Your Profile
Your profile isn’t about you, except if you’re looking for a new job and want to appeal to recruiters. Your potential customers should know immediately what you or your business do from the description on the first line of your profile.
#2 – Your photo
Your photo should be professional, friendly and approachable. You can get a friend or partner to take many pictures of you in warm and charming poses. Even a less photogenic person can turn a bad photo into a good one. One hack to get a pretty smile is to take a picture of yourself wearing only your shirt and indoors and tying your underwear.
#3 – Title
Your first line should be what you want your customers to take. Since results pages, mobiles and small screens only highlight the first row of your profile, you should make it count. Also, it is best to check your URLs for company and individual SEO.
For example, you can remove the extra one at the end instead of the default URL, which looks like linkin.com/in/YOURBUSINESSNAME/6/297/58. Instead, you can change it to linkin.com/in/YOURNAME or linkin.com/in/YOURBUSINESSNAME.
#4 – Profile Section
Avoid using meaningless and vague adjectives or adverbs in your profile. Instead, please keep it simple. Highlight what you do and what you or your business can provide for potential customers. Using words like ‘professional’, ‘motivated’, ‘positive’ or ‘hardworking’ in your profile will not make you stand out from the crowd.
#5 – Profile Banner
The LinkedIn banner area is a huge space that allows you to showcase what you or your company does. You can add a logo, a relevant picture, a short description and your website address in this field.
There are lots of great tools online that you can use for the banner area. For example, you can import images, add filters, crop, and overlay text using Canva. Furthermore, this tool is free, and it allows you to send your final image in any output size of your choice.
LinkedIn banners, also known as ‘intro cards’, contain specifications for images in JPG, PNG, or GIF format no larger than 8 MB. Also, the pixel dimensions of your image should be 1584 (w) × 396 (h)
The tips discussed above are the basics that potential customers notice when they visit your profile, you can also add certifications, awards, work history experience, and recommendations where necessary.
