We believe that LinkedIn is the best tool in the world for finding new suspects, prospects, generating referrals and cultivating ‘go-to’ expert status. However, getting to the breakthrough point where all this happens consistently requires a lot more than just having a great profile.
But I’m an Allstar!
It can be argued that LinkedIn perhaps sets a potential pitfall for some users by encouraging them to think that they have written a great profile through the reward of Allstar profile status. In fact, this mainly just recognises that boxes have been filled out and sections have been completed and is in no way guarantees that you will enjoy success on LinkedIn.
In our view, a winning profile is one that instantly conveys the value that your skills, products or services brings to your target audience, communicates this clearly -and in the language THEY use.
Your profile should also be keyword optimised for Google, LinkedIn and search engine results to ensure that you gain maximum visibility and position you as a ‘go to’ expert.
Out of the almost 19million users of LinkedIn in the UK, less than 1 per cent have taken the time to optimise their profiles and yet this is just the tip of the iceberg.
If you take the time to optimise your profile, you will almost instantly find that you will start to receive more profile views and gain higher visibility in search results. In the LinkedIn Success Blueprint we call this phase Profile Builder and this is the stage where success BEGINS to happen. But to ensure that you generate massive and ongoing success we need to look below the waterline of the iceberg…..
Below the waterline – where success happens
Success stories from our clients have shown us that the largest part of the LinkedIn success iceberg is composed of repeated action in two key areas – we call these network or funnel building and communications building.
Are you just operating on the tip of the iceberg?
Here are some questions that will show if you are really getting the most out of LinkedIn.
Do you have a strategy for connecting?
Do you know who you want to connect with and why?
Do you build value networks or are you just collecting scalps?
Do you tag connections so that you can place them in business development funnels?
Do you have a communications plan of targeted messaging to move connections along your ‘loyalty ladder’?
Do you adapt your messaging/content for specific audiences?
Do you measure the success of your efforts and adjust your tactics based on feedback?
If you had more than a couple of ‘no’s to this list above, then it is almost certain that you are only operating on the tip of the iceberg and are not realising your true potential on LinkedIn.
In the next article we will look in more detail at Funnel Building…additional information about the structure of the LinkedIn Success Blueprint can be found here http://linkedinsuccessblueprint.com/online-linkedin-training-courses/
