5 LinkedIn Tips: Be a Connector, Not a Creeper

By Koleen Singerline

I was on the phone with a prospect the other day. He asked me the silly question of, “Are you really a belly dancer?!” and I replied, “Hardly… why are you asking?” He then informed me that he looked me up while we were talking, but he definitely came across the wrong LinkedIn profile. Of course, I had already looked him up as well and invited him to connect. In sales, it’s about connecting and networking; LinkedIn is a great tool for both.  In a recent survey  of sales people, 78.3% stated they use social media in the sales process. You may not be a sales person, but in today’s business world, each person in the company can have an impact on sales – negative or positive. Your company’s image can be enhanced and your brand awareness increased by effective use of LinkedIn. 

Here are some tips on using LinkedIn for sales: 

1. Be Social Your profile should include your full name. What’s with the use of an initial instead of the full last name?  We have Google; we can find out who you are. And those of you who don’t have a good photo—and I’m not talking about one of your boat or your dog—how social is that? People want to get a sense of who you are. Use the summary area to tell your story. Why do you do what you do? Why do you believe in your service or product? 

4. Educate There are several ways to educate clients and prospects about your area of expertise. Connect your blog to your profile. Add a video or Slide Share presentation to create a visual of your skill sets.

Tips 2,3,5, and the complete B2C article