This post cuts to the core of the social networking site LinkedIn and how you should use it for your business.
It's part two of a series we began last week.
There's a idea online referred to as the "2/20/2/20 rule" that says you have two seconds to get someone’s attention and 20 seconds to convince them to read more.
If that person is still around after 22 seconds, you have two minutes to earn their next 20 minutes.
It's not easy to do because there is so much content begging for people's attention online.
Here are the your ways you can earn those all-important initial two seconds.
Your Headline
Business
The article title sits right under your name on LinkedIn and is your first opportunity to earn your next 20 seconds. Often you will see headlines that read like an HR job title “Senior Vice President of the Product Group at XYZ Company.” This should be a thought-provoking, benefit-driven statement about what you do. My headline reads “Getting Law Firms Ranked #1 in Google & Increasing Their Client Flow with Effective Online Strategies.”
When a prospect lands on my profile they know exactly how what I do interacts with what my clients need. It also makes it easier for people to tell other’s what I do.
Your Summary
This area is crucial to giving the person a reason to work with you. Most LinkedIn users will scroll down past the vital information to your summary. A friend of mine, J.D Gershbein, put it simply: “It is easier to talk positively about yourself in third person than first person.”
Your summary is your chance to brag. And that is easier done in third person.
It should read like a bio of achievements and benefits. “Insert your name has received X number of awards and industry recognition for their involvement in producing positive results for their clients….”
Usually it is a great idea to keep your summary to three paragraphs or less.
Your Profile Video
If you have a video of what you do, your services, or happy clients (all things you should have) LinkedIn allows you to add videos on your profile through certain applications (a feature located in the navigation bar).
Your Recommendations
Recommendations are a crucial part to the validation process on LinkedIn. You should have no less than five good recommendations. LinkedIn makes this simple by allowing you to send requests to connections to recommend you.
You should send a request to people that you believe will write a compelling recommendation. Remember that you can always delete a recommendation later if it doesn’t really fit your business model.
That is the basics of a strong profile. Feel free to borrow any of the structural layout or style from my page.
Jabez LeBret has authored three books and is a managing partner for Get Noticed Get Found. Over the last 9 years he has delivered over 700 keynote addresses in five countries. His main area of expertise is managing Gen Y in the workplace, advanced Facebook strategies, LinkedIn strategies, Google+, SEO, local directory optimization, and online marketing. He recently relocated to Chicago.
