LinkedIn Profile: How to Generate Quality LinkedIn Leads the Smart Way
Updated: Jan 16, 2022
Want to turn LinkedIn into a lead generation machine and effective sales engine but don't know where to start? It may surprise you, but it all starts with your personal profile.
When it comes to lead generation, it's even more important than your company profile. LinkedIn was originally founded as a platform for headhunters and talent, so the algorithm historically favors connections between individuals, while the options for businesses are far more limited. For this reason, you need to build your personal profile as a landing page of your business that showcases your unique selling proposition and services.
How can you do this? There are three conversion areas on your LinkedIn profile:
Cover, Title & Headline
About & Featured Sections
Experience | Skills & Endorsements | Recommendations
Now let's look at each of these sections in detail.
Cover, Name & Headline
This is the most important part of your LinkedIn profile because it's the first thing your visitors see, and you only have a few seconds to grab their attention and interest. Think of the headline image like a billboard - that is, a visual element that conveys the most important information about your company in a very concise and eye-catching way. It should include your unique selling proposition, positioning, website address and a clear call to action. You can also integrate social proof elements such as the logos of the companies you work with or short testimonials.
Your name on your LinkedIn profile isn't just a name. It's a place to position yourself and the service you provide. I recommend accompanying it with a title that explains how you can help your potential prospect and eventually client. Remember that each of your profile visitors has hundreds of contacts in their networks. If they only see your name when interacting with you, they'll have to take extra steps to find out what you do. So save them that trouble and pique their interest by putting a keyword next to your name. Here are some ideas:
Ramona Tufaru ➢ Trends Watcher
Hannah Härtwich Systems Mapper
Erwin Wils - Mindset Coach
While the title arouses curiosity, the headline provides more details about you and your service in a condensed, memorable form. It should focus on the benefits and results you provide to your clients and include answers to key questions: what you do, who you work for, what your service and unique selling point are. It's important to use keywords in the headline to optimize it for search engines. And of course, don't forget a call to action.
The headline should focus on the benefits and results you provide to your customers. Its purpose is to give essential information about you, build trust and spark the reader's interest in a matter of seconds. So be precise, get straight to the point and don't forget the keywords either.
To give you an example, this is what the headline of Cees-Pieter den Hartog, one of my clients looks like:
Measure & benchmark IT end user experience 📈 || Proven IT survey program || Actionable IT Management Reports 📊 || Need some inspiration? Book a free hour of advice! 💡
About & Featured
These sections should be structured like an ongoing conversation with your prospect based on storytelling techniques. In the About section, you can start with a problem your customer can identify with or the benefit you offer them. Another way to grab the reader's attention is with a quote that sums up the essence of your service and approach. This section is all about building trust, and you do that best when you talk about your personal journey: the challenges you have overcome and the solutions you have found. And that naturally brings you to what you offer your clients. You can mention your services in a bulleted list, or go into a bit more detail if you only offer one service. It's also a good idea to include some testimonials from your clients here. And again, you should end with a call to action.
The Featured section is the entry point to your funnel, so put here useful information that positions you as an expert in the field. This could be a downloadable eBook, a testimonial, or a case study.
Experience | Skills & Endorsement | Recommendations
If your profile visitor has advanced to this section, it means you've already piqued their interest. Now it's time to bring them into your funnel. Instead of listing your previous jobs and collaborations, use this section to expand on your services. Support the descriptions with links that provide easy access to more relevant information.
At this point, your potential clients already know the essentials about what you offer, and you just need to convince them of your reliability and trustworthiness. Recent recommendations and endorsements will help them make a decision in your favor.
