You’ve decided to explore the world of LinkedIn. You set up your profile and began to build out each section. But before you get too far, it’s important to ask yourself a few questions that will help you to target your LinkedIn profile to the right people.
Or maybe you’ve had a profile for years but you’ve done little more than load up a profile picture and put in your current job title. But now, you’re making a career pivot or looking for a new opportunity.
Either way, it’s time to get serious and to make your LinkedIn profile work for you and your current needs. That means, you need to take intentional steps to target your LinkedIn profile to attract your ideal client or job opportunity.
Here are my top five steps to target your LinkedIn Profile so that you get noticed by the right people.
Step 1: Decide if you are looking for new clients in your business or if you are trying to find a new job opportunity.
This is an important distinction to make early on. Every decision about your LinkedIn profile that you make from here on out will be based on this simple distinction.
There are many instances in life where casting a wide net is a good thing. It’s not a good idea with your LinkedIn profile. The first step in targeting your LinkedIn profile is deciding the type of opportunity you are looking for – to grow your own business or to find a new job.
Not sure you can’t do both in one profile? Consider this: A potential employer will be thrilled to know that you are the most profitable sales representative in the history of your current company. That same info will probably make your clients really mad and put off potential new clients.
Step 2: Define your target market, ideal client, or perfect job opportunity.
Now that you’ve decided if you’re growing a business or looking for a new job opportunity, it’s time to think about what the ideal client or opportunity would be for you. Knowing this will help you to get clear on the messaging you will use in your LinkedIn profile, specifically in places like your headline, about section, and featured items.
You can find a multitude of free resources that will guide you through the process of identifying and defining your target market.
Get to know the ins and outs of your ideal client. Understand their pain points and needs. Envision the perfect job opportunity or client. The more you know, the better.
Step 3: Edit your profile to target your ideal client or job opportunity
If you are searching for a new job opportunity, you will want to focus your profile messaging on yourself and how great you are. Don’t be afraid or too timid to show off. This is your opportunity to impress and you won’t have too much time to hook the recruiter viewing your profile.
If you are growing a business and looking for more clients, you will focus on how great your business is and the benefits of your business offer. Who does your offer help? Who can benefit most from it? What makes your offer better than your competitors?
Clear and targeted messaging is so important. Studies show that you’ll only have about 2.5 seconds to capture the attention of your profile viewer. If they don’t immediately think you or your offer are right for them, they will bounce off of your profile before you even have the opportunity to show what you’ve got.
Step 4: Avoid diluting your message.
It’s important to remember that you only have one LinkedIn profile. With a resume, you can tailor many different versions to each job you apply for. But, you only have one LinkedIn profile so you need to decide where to focus. If there is an 80% chance you will get one particular job or type of client, focus on that instead diluting your messaging and trying to be everything to everyone.
Remember that the more things you claim to be an expert at, the less you will look like an expert at any of them. This is useful whether you are looking for clients or job opportunities. The more promises your business claims to make, the more skeptical your potential clients will be that you can deliver on those promises.
Keep your messaging focused.
Step 5: Keep it up-to-date.
Finally, ensure that all info on your LinkedIn profile is as fresh and up-to-date as possible. Completely fill out the Skills section if you are looking for a job and include your latest achievements. Fill out as many sections as you can. A complete and up-to-date profile speaks volumes to potential clients and recruiters.
Creating a great LinkedIn profile is like preparing and serving a fabulous gourmet meal. While some of the ingredients and some of the preparation steps are more important than others, ultimately it’s how all of the ingredients and all of the preparation steps come together that makes for a truly memorable meal. Good luck creating a LinkedIn profile that is memorable for all the right reasons!