My e-book, How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn® Profile, enumerates 18 “Mistakes to Avoid” as well as 7 “Bonus Tips.” That’s a total of 25 items that I think are important for every LinkedIn® user to understand and implement (actually more than 25, since many of the chapters have subpoints as well).
Nevertheless, on Wednesday I will be giving a presentation at American Family Insurance’s DreamBank on “Top Five LinkedIn® Mistakes.” Not 25, but 5.
It’s not easy to choose the top five, but I managed to do it. Not only that, but I even narrowed it down to three general categories. I call this my “Magic LinkedIn® Formula” and even if you’re unable to attend my presentation live on Wednesday, you can benefit from the formula.
Success on LinkedIn® comes down to what I have dubbed the “3 Ls” (not to be confused with the class of students in their third year of law school):
- Locatability
- Likeability
- ALiveness
1. Locatability
If no one finds you on LinkedIn®, there’s not much point in having a profile. Unless you are in a rare situation where you prefer not to appear in LinkedIn® searches, easy locatability means you will get in front of the people searching for someone like you. For job seekers and business owners, being found by a target audience is one big key to success.
Increasing your locatability entails two main actions: 1) putting the right keywords in the right places, and 2) growing your network aggressively and appropriately to at least 500 connections. A combination of well-placed keywords and a robust network is a winning LinkedIn® strategy.
2. Likeability
Just because someone finds you on LinkedIn® doesn’t mean that person will contact you. If your profile is sloppy, incomplete, unfocused, or off target, you will probably be skipped over for someone with a better presentation. If, however, people like what they see, they will be more likely to request a connection or conversation.
Likeability means sounding like a human being and not a robot; listing accomplishments without bragging; having an attractive photo and format; and putting your personality onto the page. The more you distinguish yourself as unique, the more you will encourage valuable interaction.
3. ALiveness
I like to say that having a LinkedIn® profile is like having a gym membership. You only get value from it if you do the work! Sitting on your butt will not get you 6-pack abs … or a new client or job through LinkedIn®.
Aliveness on LinkedIn® includes but is not limited to updating your profile, participating in groups, sharing valuable information, engaging in discussions, and taking relationships off line to the phone or even a coffee shop!
That’s my Magic LinkedIn® Formula: Locatability, Likeability and ALiveness! Are you using it? If you already are doing everything listed above, great—you are a power LinkedIn® user. In that case, I recommend that you dive more deeply into How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn® Profile for the fine points that will bring your LinkedIn® success up even another level.
I’ll have time for Q&A at my DreamBank presentation on Wednesday, and you get to participate too. What burning questions can I answer about my Magic LinkedIn® Formula and your LinkedIn® profile challenges?
Perhaps you could consider another ‘L’. Learnability – researching and incorporating good recommendations [such as ‘How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Profile’].
Most of us are not blessed as is BB with the intellectual ability to review, update and incorporate changes by LinkedIn to their software, evaluate how best to modify a Profile, and pass those along to subscribers and purchasers.
Great idea Mr. Hollingsworth! I’ll think about how to incorporate that one!