There are a lot of reasons why LinkedIn is really valuable to a business owner. When used correctly it can keep the sales pipeline filled with leads and shorten the sales cycle.
And with any luck you should land some clients as well. It also allows you to join groups of other liked minded people which can lead to even more visibility. That’s really just the tip of the iceberg, but you get the idea. It’s a powerful tool that should be utilized. So now that you know how vital it is to your success, here are some tips to get the most out of it.
LinkedIn Business Marketing Tips
LinkedIn Tip 1: Complete your profile
Your LinkedIn profile is the heart and soul of your online brand. Many times it will rank in the top 5 or 10 of Google search results for your first and last name. So when someone looks you up to learn more about who you are and what you do, it’s in your best interests to have a highly polished personal profile.
It’s important that the “first impression” people have of you, and your brand by extension, to be a POSITIVE one. The best way to achieve that is by filling in your profile 100%, then keep refining it over time until you have a finished product that makes you look your best.
LinkedIn Tip 2: Connect with everyone you can
LinkedIn users generally fall into two camps. Purists say you should only connect with those you know and trust because any recommendations you make hold greater value. I get that concept. The other camp, which I’m a member of, says connect with everyone. My feeling is that if you “put walls around you”, you can’t make full use of the platform.
Just think about it for a moment. LinkedIn has well over 300 million users currently with more joining everyday. The site is designed for you to make new connections with those you may have never had the chance to connect with otherwise. Why ‘block out” anyone? The goal is to EXPAND your network, not “manage it”.
LinkedIn Tip 3: Customize your website profiles
This is a super simple step that anyone can do. Creating a “call to action” or some inspirational text in the description area is preferred over one that simply says “My website”. It’s a small detail, but it’s one you should take advantage of.
LinkedIn Tip 4: Add some personality to your profile
It’s easy to fall asleep reading the majority of LinkedIn profiles. They generally lack enthusiasm, read like a science textbook from middle school or are too short to glean any useful information from. Fixing that is easy, just add an interesting story in the summary or add a video recommendation of some kind. Make it interesting! Tell people who you are and how you can help them in a convincing manner.
LinkedIn Tip 5: Recommend others whenever possible
You’ll get the most out of LinkedIn by helping others when the chance arises and generally being of service whenever possible. Adding recommendations to other LinkedIn users fits this description. When you help others out, life has a way of rewarding you in some way. The key point here is to not expect anything in return, just give of yourself and over time people will respond in kind..
LinkedIn Tip 6: Join groups
LinkedIn has groups of all sizes for every industry you can think of. Groups can be an extremely powerful way to expand your network, grow your influence and generally get noticed. You can even create your own groups, which allows you even greater ability to spread your message and connect with others.
LinkedIn Tip 7: Add to your company profile
LinkedIn is always improving it’s platform so users can get the most out of it. Now it allows you to add documents, videos, links, photo’s and presentations to make a more complete profile. Why not fill yours out? Take advantage of the chance to separate yourself from your competition.
Odds are they are probably asleep at the wheel when it comes to these details. You have nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain by making the most of your company profile. Sure it will take some time, but just chip away a little each day and you’ll be just fine.
Well there you have it, some tips to give yourself an edge on the competition. It’s wise to take every advantage you can get! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. If anyone has any of their own tips to share, feel free to post them below.
Yet another brilliant article Tom I love my LinkedIn amazing connections and there are closed groups where cleaning companies can share groups, you can show off non profits you love which is huge public PR show off certifications, clients you work with create blogs you name it and even take some classes, yes it’s worth it if marketing is not your thing, to learn how to make catchy blogs that catch new prospects by offering them ‘mindblowing’ or ‘new information ‘ that virtually makes them run to their phone for more information. …its an art all business owners need to learn or hire someone who does.
Yes explore everything Tom says EVERYTHING. …follow him and you will go to heights unknown. ..don’t try to reinvent the wheel…it doesn’t need it…keep it simple guys, trust me…..
*disclaimer
I am not endorsed in anyway by Tom Watson, Cleaning4profit.com nor any of his affiliate companies. I have however been in the industry myself for 20 years and have appreciated his honesty, integrity and model set forth to help those starting out therefore I privately choose solely on my own to market and encourage others to purchase any of his products with peace of mind and follow his advise without any fear of being misled by alternate agendas.
THANKS for that Angela!
Curious if you think it’s worth the monthly fee for a business LinkedIn or can I keep it under my name?
Hi Angela! I don’t know how much that costs. With that said, if you were committed to investing the time, then it may be worth your while. Odds are your potential customers are out there on LinkedIn.