In today’s blog posting, I’ll conclude my reporting on some of the highlights of Breitbarth’s five-part online tutorial on “How to Optimize Your New Li Profile” (on his powerformula site for LinkedIn). My goal is to help you optimize your use of LI, either as a client of a service or as someone who provides that service to another. So let’s continue . . . .
Tip 3: Your Unique Brand
Some people don’t know that under “Edit Profile,” you can use the up-down arrow to move any section of the profile into a different position (i.e. change the order of sections). This will help you put sections of greater importance nearer to the top of your profile, which statistically increases your chance that it will be read.
Under the “Summary” section, you can click the icon to upload media files, and then make connections that increase your credibility and differentiate you from competitors. You’ll have a similar effect by placing links on the sections on projects, languages, publications, organizations, honours and awards, test scores, courses, certifications, volunteering and causes, and even patents.
Under “Job Experience,” you can list many jobs (Breitbarth recommends listing all you’ve ever held), and have their organization’s/company’s logo appear.
Under “Education,” you can include links to videos, presentations and slide shows.
Under “Interests,” you can add hobbies and newly here is displayed the feature “in Common With” that enables you to share with others who have similar interests.
And the earlier standardized list of content preferences has been replaced with a new section, “Advice for Contacting.” Here you share your preferred method of contact, so people can reach you (e.g. email, phone, etc.).
Tip 4: Recommendations, Skills & Expertise, Groups, Following
At the bottom of each entry you make under “jobs” and “education,” the last two recommendations show up. When a viewer hovers over the name of a reference, you’ll have the chance to invite that viewer to connect, send a message or view his/her profile.
Under “Skills & Expertise,” you can receive endorsements for each of your skills or areas of expertise, with the most-endorsed skills appearing at the top of your list. Because most viewers only look at the top few entries, focus on including skills and recommendations that are most important to you and your work.
“Groups” are listed in alphabetical order, with the logos of the first seven groups prominently displayed. Breitbarth famously belongs to 50 groups (the maximum that the network allows), because he adjusts settings, so as to receive a “daily digest” of only his top few groups. (Scroll over settings at the top right hand side; click on “Groups, Companies and Applications” on the left hand side, then select “set the frequency of group digest emails” to “no email option,” or to a “daily” or “weekly digest emails” setting. Save Changes.) Breitbarth says that the purpose of groups is to be found, to find others with similar interests and to belong to groups with prospects with whom you want to connect and share expertise. (You can answer questions, post articles, etc.) Note too that each group has a tab for available jobs at members’ companies. And you can search within groups to find members to whom you’re not yet connected.
“Following:” you can follow companies and news and seven of each will appear on your profile. Your competitors’ names and logos will also appear, if you’re following them, so Breitbarth recommends that you follow enough companies that your competitors’ names do not appear on your profile’s front page (the equivalent of free advertising!)
Tip 5: Going for the Money
Breitbarth says that one of the best uses for LI is to research people and relationships and then use that knowledge to “warm up” cold calls. Now you can do an “Advanced People Search” of any first-level connection’s database. So before you meet up with a prospect (or call them), search their network. Then discuss with them how their contacts and friends can become yours. (Go to your connection’s profile; scroll down to the Connections’ box [unless they’ve chosen to hide it from view]; click the magnifying glass, type in a keyword, and hit “Return.” This produces a list of everyone in your friend’s first level network who has that keyword in his/her profile.) Or, click “Advanced Search,” and you’ll get the Advanced Search screen, where you can use all the regular search filters.
And a new section called “in common with” enables you instantly to see what you have in common with someone, even if they’re not a first-level connection.
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A Hubspot survey done in February 2012 shows that LI is 277% more effective for lead generation than are Facebook and Twitter (statistic reported on Breitbarth’s powerformula website). Recognizing this, I’m arguing that it’s past time to become as fluent as possible in LinkedIn, even recognizing that not everyone wants to become a “power user.” Breitbarth’s foundational book and the stimulating, multi-faceted “powerformula” website are the best tools in the trade, to get you there.