If you’ve wanted to update your LinkedIn profile, but each time you start, it feels like an overwhelming task, remember that the best profiles on LinkedIn were not written in one session, but layered in over time.
Your LinkedIn profile is one of the first signs of your professional brand that a prospect or potential business partner will find online.
Here are three things that you can do quickly, that will have an impact on the message that you’re sending out on your profile.
1. Update Your Summary
Begin here. It’s often all that anyone reads. If a prospect you are trying to get an appointment with was to read it right now, what would you want to say to them about how you do business? Keep it simple, just a paragraph or two is enough. Having trouble coming up with something? Ask your coworkers. Then ask your manager, and then ask one of your best clients.
2. SHARE something, LIKE something, PUBLISH something
LinkedIn wants you active on their site, and to encourage you, they place a section about your activity near the top of your profile. If you’re going for the Bronze, the easiest thing is to look through your Newsfeed on LinkedIn and like something that someone else posted. Make sure it sends the message that you are interested in and learning about things that help you to help your clients. For the Silver, take the next step and post an article that you found outside of LinkedIn. And for the Gold, publish a short article that you wrote. LinkedIn loves you to publish and rewards you with exposure.
3. Add a Description to an Experience
It’s more important to add one good description that demonstrates how you helped your clients or stakeholders than to add something under every Experience you have listed. Bonus points if what you add under Experience supports what you wrote in your summary. Don’t overthink this, just a few sentences of how you offered or are currently offering value.
If you made it this far, congratulations! You’re now close to improving your LinkedIn profile; something you may have been meaning to do for some time.
Here's what to do next:
- Set 3 half-hour appointments in your calendar.
- Print this article and post it on your desk.
- Do #1 through #3 above and check them off as you complete each one.
- Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn when you do.
