Advanced Linkedin Marketing Begins with a Profile Spot Check

Advanced Linkedin Marketing Begins with a Profile Spot Check

Having an Advanced Strategy on Linkedin begins with a profile which is complete and consistent with your Business & Marketing objectives.  Therefore you will want to review how your profile is configured.  This is important to do before other proactive measures take place.  Remember, this is your Info Marketing Base of Reference when found via Linkedin.  It needs to convey your main message as well as maintain consistency with your company's brand.  Your profile is all about being found and then leading the "Finder" to a predetermined end.  You should consider your profile in the same way as your website; Providing information while leading to an action.  You should spot check and ensure that your profile meets the following criteria.

- Name: Be sure to use the name in which you want prospective clients and partners to find you.  Do not use nicknames or any name which isn't congruent with your networking goals.

- Headline: You want someone to choose your profile opposed to someone else's when you're found through a search.  Opposed to inserting your title, use your Main Branding Statement or what your targets would likely type into a search engine.  You should also use Keywords that your potential prospects/partners would type into search engines to find you.

- Photo: Your profile photo doesn't have to be a photo shot by a professional photographer but should be a real life picture of you.  It should represent your professional or business image accurately.  Since Linkedin largely revolves around search and competing with other profiles, it is wise to have a good image.  Don't misrepresent yourself.

- Location: Adding an real location only helps to verify that you are a real business and operate from a real location.  This is true even if you can service clients world wide.

- Industry: Choose your industry or as close as possible, given the options Linkedin provides.  You can also suggest one if it's not available in the choices.

- Summary: This is a place to briefly but accurately describe yourself and company.  It's a great place to focus on your accomplishments as well as mission.  You'll want to include your main keywords throughout.  If you have any calls to action, this would be the place to put them.  An advanced strategy would be to lead a visitor off of your profile to a more suitable web destination for additional action and engagement like; A Blog, Capture Page, Video, or anything which contributes to your Linkedin intentions.

- Profile URL:  This can be customized to your liking as long as your unique choice is available.

- Experience: Make sure you have included past positions which are true and accurate.

- Honors & Awards: This is an opportunity to showcase any past honors, awards, citations, etc.  This should be updated as necessary as you receive more through time.

- Specialties:  This is an excellent area to enter your core keywords abundantly.  You may also want to list your specialties in order of priority/importance.

- Education: Simply enter your education information as it applies to your past.

The 5 Critical Steps In a Networking Strategy

We are all familiar with what business networking is and how important it is for your career. It not only holds the keys for gaining new clients but includes connecting with lifelong friends and business allies. However, the great majority of professionals attend general networking events and find themselves concluding that their overall results weren't as productive as they may have wanted them to be.


The lack of the desired results was very likely in the planning process, (If there was even one at all). Like many other areas of business, networking deserves to be approached on a strategic level as well. Here are five steps to consider when planning your strategy.


1. Identify Your Power Connections and Clients

Certainly, it is a common goal to target potential clients and do all that is necessary to appeal to them and gain their business. However, when you are networking for business, your target clients may not always be in attendance. Therefore, it is wise to seek out those who have a similar client base and then create power relationships. Many times this can result in partnerships that drive each others business.


2. Locate These Partners/Clients Online and Off-Line


Once you have decided who your "Power Connections" could be, you need to focus on where they migrate. Depending on your industry, there are probably events based around your specialty. These events can be located on and off-line. This also includes online events like forums and discussion groups.


3. Organize Your Plan of Action


Now that you have discovered where your "Power Connections" are, it's time to plan your attack. You now have the opportunity to conceive your tactics of approach. Will you go online and communicate with them in the forums? Will you attend targeted workshops and build alliances from there? It's your call.


4. Execute Your Plan of Action


After some good brainstorming and the formation of ideas of how you will approach your new networking partners, you have to implement your plan firmly. Many times we can conceive plans which are realistic and feasible but fail to carry them out in real life. You must create a regular/daily routine and stick to it for a minimum of 90 days.


5. Follow-Up and Follow-Through


As you are executing your plan and sticking to your daily routine, you should be following up with your new connections and following through with any promises or even future meetings that were proposed. After all, how else will you bring your goals into fruition if there's no solid conclusion to all of the above activities?