When used correctly, LinkedIn can be one of the most powerful tools for converting prospects to clients. I say “when used correctly” because unfortunately, I see so many people using LinkedIn incorrectly all the time, and then getting discouraged when they don’t see results. If you want to get business results with LinkedIn, it starts with your profile. Too often, I see profiles written exactly like a resume. Here’s a fact: your prospects care less about you and more about what you can do for them. So today, I’m sharing the secret to using the experience section of your profile as a convertion tool.
Write Compelling Copy
If you want to attract prospects and convert them, you have to write your LinkedIn profile using compelling copy. The key is to create copy that is intriguing and enticing without being too sales-y. You never want to pitch yourself too hard on LinkedIn. Rather, you want to share what it is you do and the results you can achieve. One of the ways to do this is through the experience section.
The way LinkedIn is set-up, it’s easy to think the experience section is a place to list past work experiences, and most people do. It asks for your title, company, the time frame you worked at that company and a description. This is the place so many people go wrong. They fill in this section just like their resume and make it about themselves. As I previously stated, potential clients don’t want to know about you. They want to know what you can do for them, and the experience section is a great place to discuss that.
The Title
The secret to getting prospects to convert on LinkedIn is to use your experience section as a case study. Start with your title and create it as a headline. Instead of a basic description such as CEO or V.P. of Marketing, make your headline descriptive and value driven. Additionally, use your title as a place to optimize keywords. You will be ranked on LinkedIn based on your keywords so it’s important to incorporate them into your profile copy.
For example, one of the titles on my LinkedIn is: SEO Lead Generation Expert Helps CPAs, Attorneys and Small Businesses Gain a 300% ROI
The Description
The next part of your experience section is your description. This is where the compelling copy becomes extremely important. You’ll want to write your description like a sales letter but you’ll want to avoid being too sales-y. Always keep in mind the end-goal in mind: you’re writing this to attract new clients.
You’ll want to first peak the interest of your prospects. One way I recommend doing this is by discussing the pain or problem they are experiencing. This draws the prospect in because they can relate to the problem and they want to find a solution to. On my LinkedIn, I discuss the various changes to Google’s algorithm, and how because of these changes, so many people lost their ranking and stopped receiving organic traffic. Again, this directly speaks to the problem many business owners face, and the pain they experience doing SEO.
Next, I recommend discussing what is it you do. Focus specifically on what it is you do rather than how you do it. On my LinkedIn, I discuss how the strategies I use to align with Google’s efforts, which allow me to keep my clients on top of search rankings, even when Google makes changes. Make this section brief, yet specific. Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about results.
Which bring me to the next part of your description: client results. Results are what your prospects are looking for. This a great place to use real client examples and discuss the results you’ve achieved for your clients. This part of the experience section doesn’t need to be lengthy but it should be specific.
For example, on my LinkedIn I simply, yet specifically discuss the results I’ve been able to achieve for one of my CPA clients.
“One of my clients a CPA, saw results in as little as 45 days. In just 3 months this client has received a large increase in phone calls that resulted in new business he would not have received otherwise.
In less than 2 months the client was able to stop their Google Adwords campaign as he increased the number of calls he received. This is in part due to as much as 95% of the people doing a search on Google, Yahoo and Bing will click on a link within the organic search – while only 5% will click on an ad.”
After you’ve discussed the results of one or two clients, you finally end your description with a call to action. This could be sending people to your website or encouraging people to sign up for your email list.
I encourage you to create 3 to 5 case studies using the method above: Pain First, What You Do Not How, Client Results and Call to Action.
Tidbits
Your experience section can also feature your past work experience. If you’ve worked at well-known companies or you feel your past work experience greatly contributed to where you are today, you can feel free to leave that experience on your profile. I would suggest listing your case studies first and then your actual work experience.
Additionally, if you’ve had experience speaking at conferences or leading large group facilitations, and it’s something you’re interested in doing again, list it as an experience. Talk about the success you’ve had speaking in the past and the benefit to audience members when you speak at events.
When you organize your profile using compelling copy and focus on the value you provide to the client, your prospects are half-way sold. They’re able to see what you’ve done for other people and they’ve warmed up to you based on the marketing copy used within your profile. When they do contact you, it shortens the selling cycle because you don’t have to prove yourself. They can read your profile and see exactly what you’ve done for others like them.
If you would like to speak with me on how I can help you with your LinkedIn strategy, please visit jimena.biz and fill out the questionnaire on the page.
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