How Do You Look?
LinkedIn is an ever-growing business orientated networking platform, being used by many professionals as a part of their larger social media marketing plan. But how much time have you put into developing your profile to give the optimum first impression to potential clients?
First impressions are important. Many people will check someone out online before meeting them, maybe before even agreeing to meet them. They will form an opinion of you prior to ever meeting you and changing someone’s opinion is often a lot harder than making one. Your profile should make as much impact as you do in person.
It doesn’t take much to make a great profile:
1. have a professional and up-to-date profile picture – the style may be relevant to your job, as an interim manager will be expected to look a lot smarter than say, a graphic designer who can get away with being a bit more casual. Make sure the photograph is clear and doesn’t have too much background, people want to see what you look like, and don’t forget to be yourself.
2. Complete your profile – it seems obvious but many people forget to fill in all the blanks, leaving out education history and projects they have done in the past. Go into detail, you want to show why you are different to everyone else doing your job.
3. Get your brand across – what makes you different should be clear on your profile. Why should a potential client choose you?
Once you have a great profile, you can start using LinkedIn to connect with potential clients, engage in discussions, keep in contact with people you have met, and generally show the business world why you are right for the job. You never know who is looking at your profile and making their opinion of you, deciding whether to pick up the phone or not, so don’t miss out on business opportunities, perfect your online presence.