LinkedIn is so much more than a job-finder or talent acquisition tool. Like other social platforms, LinkedIn gives people a place to connect, share ideas, and build relationships with likeminded people. Let me repeat that LinkedIn is a social platform — one with a professional lens.

For a salesperson, LinkedIn is an amazing tool to introduce yourself to others, position yourself as a thought-leader, and have clients find you!

Below are the steps to setting up a notable, discoverable profile. One that will turn your expertise into leads. 

*Don’t feel like reading? Watch the video.*

Optimize your profile

First thing’s first: your profile. Not only is this the first thing people see when they click your name, but it’s also driven by keywords and other important factors that will get you discovered.

Make sure to have:

  • A professional profile picture. Ideally headshot style, bright and recent, warm and personable, no cocktails in hand. (Unless you’re a booze rep!)
  • A personalized header image. This could be a company branded graphic or a photo of the amazing balcony view from your favourite hotel in Cabo.
  • An up-to-date headline. This is your two seconds to tell someone what you do before they scroll down to read more or decide to exit your profile altogether.
Connect with me on LinkedIn!

Crush that ‘about’ section

Chances are you haven’t updated this since you were looking for a job, in which case it would have been used like a cover letter. But now, it’s about growing your business, building trust, and breaking the digital barrier so people know what it’s like working with you. 

This is your opportunity as a sales professional to create a strong sales funnel with a personal touch. Take your headline and expand that. Tell the reader who you are and what you do with a mix of personal and professional detail.

Get recommendations

The ‘recommendations’ feature on LinkedIn is a bit underrated, mostly because it’s often at the very bottom of most profiles. You might not even know it exists! (Pro tip: You can move this section up in your profile page.) You want potential customers to know how amazing you are to work with — so find it, and use it to reach out to three people in each of the following categories:

  • Current colleagues. Reach out to two or three colleagues, offering to write one in return. Remember to phrase it in a fashion that you want to update your profile to attract more clients to the company. You are not job-hunting.
  • Personal connections. This can be a bit tricky because you want the recommendations to be more than, “My daughter is amazing!” When reaching out to personal connections, consider those who you’ve worked with in some capacity, like a volunteer project. This is a chance for your biggest cheerleaders to talk about your character and the kind of person you are.
  • Past clients. Testimonials from past clients are valuable currency. Don’t be afraid to reach out. An example: 

“Hi [past client], it was great to work with you on the [project] for your company. If you could take a moment to leave a recommendation of your experience of working with me at [company], I’d appreciate it. I’d be happy to return the favour!” 

Curate your connections and who you follow

Follow leaders, influencers, competitors, topics, and key brands in your industry. Why? So you can engage! Engagement is so important. Remember, it’s called social media.

From the connections you make, your newsfeed will populate with posts from industry leaders. Like, make a thoughtful comment, and share to boost your connection so others can see the post.

Get a seat at the table

You have a lot to share, so don’t be shy — share! Dovetailing from your curated connections and engagement, now it’s time to show your expertise. This can lead to opportunities outside of sales, like speaking opportunities that can shine a light on you and your company.   

  • Get involved in industry and other relevant conversation by sharing articles — remember to include a comment on why you think it’s interesting. 
  • Take your marketing departments initiatives like blogs and share them with a lens from your role or territory
  • Answer the FAQs your customers have
  • Offer value and tips to grow your notoriety

Remember the rule of thumb:

3-5 shares per week, and two 15-minute sessions/day of engagement.

The point here is to show that you are a leader in the industry and that you’re a real human being. This will make people curious about who you are and get them to click on your profile page. If you’ve optimized your profile with the tips above, you’re sure to pique interest in the right audience and customers.

Think of Linkedin as your digital conference space. It’s free, the resources and leads are plentiful, and it’s an ideal networking space for sales professionals. The key is to be social.

*Head over to our blog for more tips on personal and business branding and marketing.*