CEO of Judi Hays, Inc., LinkedIn marketing strategist and author of Elevate, Expand, Engage – A Refreshing Approach to Winning on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for moving your business forward. However, just as using a GPS can help you navigate most efficiently to your destination, having a strategic plan on LinkedIn can help you achieve your goals with precise focus. I’ve found three key strategies, in particular, that can help you stand out from your competitors on LinkedIn.
Elevate your professional brand.
You have only a few seconds to make a strong impression and pique interest. Make sure your LinkedIn profile represents your professional brand in the best possible light.
Remember the basics.
To build authority, it’s essential to ensure your profile shines a spotlight on your uniqueness.
• Start with your photo. Use a recent, recognizable and professional image.
• Write an attention-grabbing headline that resonates with your ideal audience beyond just your job title.
• Add a header banner image to align with your professional brand. This is a great opportunity for you to stand out, as most people leave it blank.
• Include a clear and concise “about” section that highlights the value you bring to your clients.
• Triple-check that all your contact information is up to date.
Build credibility.
Your LinkedIn executive profile is a forward-looking view of how you want to be perceived, rather than a clone of your resume. Pay attention to the following areas that build trust and credibility:
• Top card: is your current company and education showing correctly?
• Featured section: Are you showing the most recent and relevant content, and do you change it regularly?
• Experience: Is your profile correctly connected to the company pages of each of the entities and showing their correct logos?
• Recommendations: Are they recent and relevant?
• Education and professional affiliations: Are they correctly connected to the entity pages and up to date?
Optimizing these areas will enhance your visibility in searches and help you connect with your relevant audience.
Pro tip: Conduct competitive research by searching on LinkedIn for profiles using your job title and other criteria to see how similar profiles compare. Look at their profiles, activity and the content they share.
Expand your network.
Your network plays a significant role in your overall LinkedIn experience and impacts who you can invite to connect and send direct messages to; it also affects the content the algorithm delivers in your news feed.
Build with intention.
Even though building your network is important, that is not the same thing as connecting with anyone and everyone. It is OK to be selective. Be discerning about accepting invitations you receive. Take the time to identify that the account you are connecting with is a real person and not a fake profile.
You can grow your network proactively by reaching out to people such as the followers of your company page, speakers at events you attend or host, and members of associations or professional groups you belong to. And if you are publishing a LinkedIn Newsletter, connecting with subscribers is another way to further the relationship.
You can also connect with people based on the content they share.
Know your audience.
Whenever you reach out to someone to connect, take time to let them know what it is about their profile that inspired you to connect.
Think about the different categories your network might be from, such as work colleagues, clients, university alumni, noted industry experts, vendors and competition. Having something in common will increase your chances of invitation acceptance.
Pro tip: If you’ve invested in Sales Navigator, use it to conduct searches and build target lists of people (leads) and companies (accounts).
Engage your most powerful relationships.
Now that you have curated a strong network and have an updated profile that shows you in your best light, it is time to engage. Use content to build authority and demonstrate your subject-matter expertise.
• Share informative and relevant content with your network.
• Create bookmarks of your most valued connections. Add insightful comments to their posts. Commenting on posts is a great way to get started if you don’t have original content. People learn from comments.
• Regularly download your database and review your connections to identify opportunities for engagement or job changes.
• Stay in touch by sending direct messages to connections you haven’t spoken to recently. Think about how you would engage with them in real life, and apply that to your outreach strategy.
Avoid using automation and the temptation to immediately make a pitch when connecting, as that will risk getting your account suspended. Take the time to do your research. Share educational and insightful content that aligns with your prospects’ most relevant pain points. By doing so, you’ll position yourself as a valuable resource so when the time is right, they will look to you for the solution.
Pro tip: If you’re using Sales Navigator, filter according to which prospects have posted in the past 30 days. Look at their posts, and add a comment before you send an invitation to connect. In my experience, doing so will increase your invitation acceptance rate because it shows you have an interest in their content.
To succeed on LinkedIn, it’s essential to have a strategic plan in place. You wouldn’t venture out on a trip without a map, so the same holds true on LinkedIn. Elevate your professional brand, expand your network thoughtfully and engage with your connections through valuable content. Consistency and best practices over time will set you apart from your competitors on LinkedIn.
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