Beyond the Profile: Making your Linkedln Page Work Harder, Smarter.

• Author: Austin, Milla
• Position: Marketingstrategies

networking events can be fun, but often I find myself gaining more pounds from the mini quiches than actually gaining prospects for my business. Or maybe, given your personality type, you find networking and the accompanying small talk challenging. Still, you need to push your business forward and can't abandon networking. Thankfully, in today's world of technology, you can have your glass of wine and take your networking virtual.

Linkedln is an incredible tool for your networking that allows you to reach more people, understand their background and add some value. If you aren't using Linkedln, you should be.

With more than 645 million Linkedln users--180 million of them in North America--the opportunities to connect and meet your perfect prospect are endless. In the past, it may have been hard to find your ideal client outside of your geographical area. Now, your typical client could lie in Ohio while you live in California. The question then becomes: With the amount of opportunity on Linkedln, how do you connect with and meet the right people?

The first step before you begin prospecting on Linkedln is to make sure your profile page is set up in a way that is most likely to attract new prospects.

The Picture

Did you know, according to studies, it takes seven seconds for someone to determine whether or not they like you? Prospective clients often will search your name on Google to find out more about you and your background. Your Linkedln profile is usually one of the top links that pops up on a Google search. Your smiling picture is going to be one of the first things they see. Therefore, your profile picture should not be one of you at Aunt Sally's wedding from 10 years ago, you and your beloved dog or the selfie you just took with your phone. It always helps to have a professional headshot. You can usually get one for less than $100. Also, yes, you need to smile. Show those teeth! Remember you only have seven seconds for your client to determine if they like you; you want to make sure you look inviting and someone they may want to be around.

The Headline

You may notice when you build your profile page you see a portion for "Headline" right under your profile picture. Many people mistake this for being the area where you put your job title. Common ones that I find in our industry are "CPA," "Partner," "Accountant" or "Owner." What should your headline read? The headline is 120 characters to say something that quickly differentiates you...