Think of Your LinkedIn Profile as a Sales Presentation
BENTONVILLE, AR – March 20, 2018 – Softscribe Inc., the leading hotel tech PR agency, defined 3 ways hoteliers, technology vendors and attendees can prepare their LinkedIn Profiles for increased connections, sales and influence at HITEC 2018 in Houston, Texas, June 18 to 21, 2018. Softscribe Inc. provides B2B public relations to the hospitality technology industry.
“LinkedIn is your online business card,” said Julie Keyser-Squires, CEO of Softscribe Inc. “With half a billion users, it is a strong B2B social media and sales platform. Approach preparing your LinkedIn Profile the same way you would tackle a sales presentation.”
Squires compared a LinkedIn Profile’s 3 most important areas to the anatomy of a sales presentation:
“First, introduce yourself and your skill set. Next, listen to and show an understanding of your prospects’ needs,” Squires said. “Then, craft your Profile to meet those needs and ask for the business.”
3 Steps to Prep Your LinkedIn Profile for Sales Success. And the Discipline of a Character Count.
(1) Introduce yourself: Picture, Headline, and Summary. Character count, including spaces, in this section is Headline: 120, and Summary: 2,000 characters.
Best practice: Keep the character count below 1,990 because LinkedIn often cuts off text after that number of characters.
Include a current picture in your Profile. Coordinate the background image with a color used on your company’s website.
Clearly state your job title and description in your Profile’s headline. Use keywords.
Answer the below 3 questions in your Summary. Character count in this section is 2,000. Again, keep the character count below 1,990 because LinkedIn often cuts off text after that.
- How do you currently define your company’s value proposition to customers and what is your role in delivering it?
- In your view, what is your single greatest contribution to your company’s success? What do you like best about what you do?
- Which 3-5 words or phrases best describe your personality? How would you describe your style of leadership?
Ask for the business and include your contact information in the Summary’s last sentence. Your contact details are also displayed in the right hand swim lane.
(2) Detail your background, skills and accomplishments. Character count in this section is 2,000; the suggested best practice is 1,990 characters.
List your core competencies that match prospects’ needs.
What expertise, results and experience can you share with and promise to prospects?
(3) Make your profile visible.
Here is an easy way to tailor your Privacy settings:
- Click on your small photo icon at the very top right hand corner of your profile page.
- Under 'ACCOUNT' click on 'Settings & Privacy'.
- Click on the “Privacy'” tab near the top of the page, centered between “Account” and “Communications.”
- Click on “Edit your public profile.”
Then click the on/off button under 'Edit Visibility' in the right hand column. This provides a menu of options that allows you to control who sees each section of your profile. For maximum exposure, choose "Public". Public visibility displays your profile to everyone online. Other choices add degrees of privacy, but also limit the number of people who can access your information.
LinkedIn says it best: “You’re the boss of your account.”
“As with most social media, be sure LinkedIn usage aligns with your business goals, and that you have the resources to put a robust strategy behind it,” Squires said.
Squires said Softscribe Inc. provides B2B public relations content, search and social media services to help technology companies achieve their business goals.
The Softscribe Inc. team will take a group of its best-in-class tech company clients to the industry’s technology conference, HITEC, June 18 – 21, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Click here to contact Softscribe Inc. to discuss your company’s HITEC plans, or to brainstorm a few ideas to support your company’s marketing and business goals.
Resources:
Microsoft Acquires LinkedIn: LinkedIn Claims Half a Billion Users http://fortune.com/2017/04/24/linkedin-users/ Fortune.com, April 24, 2017.
How to Build Your Profile https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/topics/6042/6043
LinkedIn Profile – Overview https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/15493?lang=en
LinkedIn Sales Navigator https://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions/sales-navigator “Target the right buyers, understand key insights, and engage with personalized outreach.”
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