I have an extremely efficient PA (Hi Mel) who organises my life for me and to whom I am deeply grateful. One of the things she does for me is prepare a standard pack of information when I visit new people. It usually contains a location map (which I ignore of course – I’m a bloke), a few relevant snaps from their website, any previous notes I have made and their LinkedIn page.
Their LinkedIn page tells me an awful lot about them and it is always the first thing I turn to in the pack. If they don’t have one it tells me that they perhaps haven’t embraced the new digital world of social media and are quite probably locked somewhere in the 1990’s. Say hello to Color Me Bad and the Spice Girls for me would you Sport.
You can also tell if they have just put the bare minimum in (still not quite with it) and finally you can easily spot those people that have recognised that their LinkedIn Page is not only their own personal web site but completely underpins their personal brand.
When LinkedIn first came along it was a sort of a cross between an on-line CV and a way to find and connect to old friends and business colleagues. It is soooo much more than that now. You can add video, shared documents, PowerPoint presentations as well as share what you are up to with anybody who is connected with you. You can also use it to generate new business as well as make the most of the clients you already have.
Did you know that about 66% of people need to feel sure that the person they are about to buy something from has successfully provided the same thing to somebody else. Recommendations will do this for you – just make sure that they are good ones and do try and avoid the “I’ll do one for you if you’ll do one for me” trap. It isn’t very helpful really.
LinkedIn can do so much more (if you want a free guide on this just let us know) but for now just concentrate on getting your profile up to 100% (linkedIn measures this) and make sure it represents you in the best possible light. Here are a few things to do: –
- Get a good photograph of yourself, a head shot is probably best
- Get at least 3 recommendations from people who know you
- List out your specialisations: your unique genius. Try and avoid being all bashful – if you’ve got it flaunt it baby!
- Summarise what you do, the effect you have and why you are different.
- Put some contact details in their too – nobody will contact you if you live in a cyber-cave.
The one key message I wanted to get across is that if you look at your client’s and prospective client’s profiles they will most probably look at yours so make it reflect your personal brand and make it SHINE.
Leave a comment if you agree with me or in fact if you don’t – I’d love to hear from you.
