LinkedIn Profile Optimization for Enhanced Authority
Prefer to read a summary You’re short on time. No worries. I get it. In fact, I created a summary presentation with you in mind. Just click the button below enter your details and the summary PDF will be in your inbox within a minute or two. Before attempting any LinkedIn lead generation strategies, you should spend some time optimizing your profile. The first reason for this, is to increase the likelihood of being found on the platform! In the previous section, you learned how Linkedin search is playing an increasingly important role. So, its not surprising to learn that users with completed profiles are 40x more likely to be found by prospectus looking for the services you offer. And yet only 51% of all users have a completed profile. Meaning, the number of business opportunities passed up by professionals because they haven’t even included targeted keywords is quite extraordinary. The second reason is to make such a great fist impression that a prospect feels compelled to get in touch with you after reading what is you do. Your profile needs to provide value. Needs to enhance your authority positioning. But most importantly, it needs to speak directly to the prospect themselves. …….Making them feel like you understand their problem better than anyone else, and leaving them with little option but to get in contact with you. Master this, and your business prospectus on Linkedin will come search for you, as much as your reach out to them. Phase 1: Generating Curiosity When a prospectus comes across you for the first time, it’s either your photo or your profile heading (or both) that they see. So, phase 1 is to pique their curiosity and stimulate enough interest that they feel compelled to click through and check out your profile. You must spend some time getting these elements right or your lead generation efforts on Linked in will be in vain. First impressions matter… a Lot! A Harvard Study of Communication found it takes kust seven seconds for you to form a first impression of another human being. Digging a bit deeper, the study also suggested that 38% of what makes up a first impression is how you sound. Meanwhile, 7% is based on he words you say. So, that;s a total of 45% of a first impression that is dependent on what comes out of your mouth. Which means, the other 55% comes down to the visual aspect. How you look, dress,smile etc. In other words, your personal appearance. Now, the first interaction on Linkedin is not in person, but the visual aspect is still an important factor in your profile. Determining the type of Visual; On the Linkedin, your profile picture is the first thing people see. And according to statistics, profile with a professional photo are not only 14x more likely to be found, but they are 36x more likely to receive a message. “The link between facial features and character may be tenouns at best, but that down’t stop our hands from sizing other people up at a glance. Why decide very quickly whether a person possesses many of the traits we feel are important, such as likability and competence, even though we have not exchanged a single word with them. It appears that we are hard-wired to draw these inferences in a fast, unreflective way.” So whether you like it or not, your profile picture dictates how you’re perceived online. Used by others to form ideas about your trustworthiness, likability, and competence. Every time you write a comment, like a post or wngae in a LinkedIn activity, your photograph appears. And being a business site, this photo should exude professionalism.. ….From your attire to your grooming, the background and the quality of image itself (But just because it’s business doesn’t mean you shouldn’t smile). Now, there are two types of photos that I recommend you choose from. PROFESSIONAL The plain headshot is the classic option because of it’s simplicity and clarity. It is a headshot that represents professionalism. The only drawback being how common it is. You’re unlikely to stand out amongst the thousands of other professional headshots. AUTHORITY The authority headshot includes the media publications you’ve appeared on, in order to demonstrate credibility. Be warned, though. While these logos boost credibility in eyes of some, it has the opposite effect for others, who treat it with increasing skepticism. I used to like the idea of the Authority headshot but appearing on some media outlets isn’t as difficult as it once was. A paid press release in some cases is all it takes. Hence the reason more of these authority headshots are cropping up on the platform. So, my preference is instead for the “Professional” option. My view is that a great profile picture won’t have prospective clients opening their wallets. But, it does have the power to send them looking elsewhere without ever engaging with you in the first place. A Headline That Brings It Home When it comes to you heading, your objectives are two fold. Firstly, you want your prospects to know what is the outcome you deliver. And secondly, you want the headline to contain keywords that ensure you are found by people looking for the services your deliver. Stating the Outcome You Deliver; Your prospect couldn’t care less about the service you are trying to sell. They only care about the outcome you deliver. You need to be thinking that right now, they are stuck and you need to explain where your service will take them. Perry Marshall once summed it up well when he said… Perry MarshallNobody who bought a drill actually wanted a drill. They wanted a hole. Therefore, if you want to sell drills, you should advertise information about making holes – NOT information about drills. When it comes to the opening line of your heading, it should be simple and concise. To achieve this, ask yourself these three questions. What is the outcome you deliver?