Make the most of your Make the most of your

LinkedIN ProfileLinkedIN Profile

Do’s and Don’tDo’s and Don’t

Professional HeadlineProfessional Headline UpdatesUpdates RecommendationsRecommendations ConnectionsConnections WebsitesWebsites Public profile (url)Public profile (url) SpecialtiesSpecialties Discussion group participationDiscussion group participation

Professional headlineProfessional headline

Your professional headline is your brand, it’s Your professional headline is your brand, it’s who you are and who you want to bewho you are and who you want to be

Craft your professional headline carefullyCraft your professional headline carefully Your headline is the first thing members Your headline is the first thing members

see after your namesee after your name LinkedIN defaults to your last job title, LinkedIN defaults to your last job title,

every time you change your last title, do every time you change your last title, do not forget to restore your professional not forget to restore your professional headlineheadline

UpdatesUpdates

Updates inform your network of your Updates inform your network of your activitiesactivities

Updates shows you are proactiveUpdates shows you are proactive Make them relevantMake them relevant Updates are not just professionalUpdates are not just professional Updates show up on your connections’ Updates show up on your connections’

home page, they keep you “alive”home page, they keep you “alive”

RecommendationsRecommendations

Testimonials (AKA recommendations) are Testimonials (AKA recommendations) are the most powerful form of advertising, they the most powerful form of advertising, they

build credibilitybuild credibility

Don’t abuse themDon’t abuse them Be specific, recommendations have a purpose; making a Be specific, recommendations have a purpose; making a

pointpoint Guide the person you ask the recommendation to, do not Guide the person you ask the recommendation to, do not

write it for him/herwrite it for him/her If the recommendation you receive does not satisfy you, If the recommendation you receive does not satisfy you,

you can ignore it, post it to your profileyou can ignore it, post it to your profile You can send it back and ask the sender to modify it, You can send it back and ask the sender to modify it,

again, be specific when you do so.again, be specific when you do so. Large number of reciprocal recommendations destroy Large number of reciprocal recommendations destroy

credibility.credibility.

ConnectionsConnections

Connections are your networkConnections are your network

People you knowPeople you knowPeople you work or have worked withPeople you work or have worked with

• Colleagues and ex colleaguesColleagues and ex colleagues• Clients and ex clientsClients and ex clients• Prospects and ex prospectProspects and ex prospect

People you meet or have met People you meet or have met • Networking eventsNetworking events• ChurchChurch• VolunteeringVolunteering

Connections are part of your assetsConnections are part of your assets

Treat them as such, they are valuableTreat them as such, they are valuable Tend to them on and off lineTend to them on and off line Ask them how you can help them, it’s a Ask them how you can help them, it’s a

“Pay it forward” system“Pay it forward” system

Dos and Don’ts of invitingDos and Don’ts of inviting

Don’tDon’t

• Send direct invitations people you don’t know and Send direct invitations people you don’t know and have not communicated withhave not communicated with

• Don’t use false reasons to go around LinkedIN Don’t use false reasons to go around LinkedIN rules such as using “friend” as a reason when you rules such as using “friend” as a reason when you are notare not

• Use the generic invitationUse the generic invitation• Try to ask them or sell them something in your Try to ask them or sell them something in your

invitation, it’s a “Pay it forward” system.invitation, it’s a “Pay it forward” system.

Dos and Don’ts of invitingDos and Don’ts of inviting

DoDo

• Remind them of who you are and how you know Remind them of who you are and how you know themthem

• If they are in one of your connections’ network, ask If they are in one of your connections’ network, ask your connection to help you connect your connection to help you connect

• If you do not know that person, and have no 2If you do not know that person, and have no 2ndnd connection, participate in discussion group and connection, participate in discussion group and engage the person you want to invite before you engage the person you want to invite before you invite her/himinvite her/him

Building your networkBuilding your network

Online networking is only the first step. Online networking is only the first step.

As much as you can, try to move from As much as you can, try to move from “online” to “in person”, face to face or over “online” to “in person”, face to face or over

the telephonethe telephone

Unless you are marketing something, it’s not Unless you are marketing something, it’s not a game of number, it’s about relationships, a game of number, it’s about relationships,

quality and about leveragingquality and about leveraging

WebsitesWebsites

WebsitesWebsites

Don’t keep the defaultsDon’t keep the defaults

• My WebsiteMy Website• My blogMy blog• My PortfolioMy Portfolio

DoDo• Use the name of your site/blog/portfolio you will Use the name of your site/blog/portfolio you will

give your sites a SEO liftgive your sites a SEO lift

Public profilePublic profile

Public profile urlPublic profile url

LinkedIN gives you the possibility to create LinkedIN gives you the possibility to create your custom url, take advantage of ityour custom url, take advantage of it

Who can remember or enter without typoWho can remember or enter without typohttp://www.linkedin.com/pub/steve-costello/9/696/a01 http://www.linkedin.com/pub/steve-costello/9/696/a01

Custom url:Custom url:http://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-costellohttp://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-costello

SpecialtiesSpecialties

Specialties are your Specialties are your key wordskey words, they can be , they can be a series of key words or a carefully crafted a series of key words or a carefully crafted message including all your key wordsmessage including all your key words

Carefully crafting the “specialties” section Carefully crafting the “specialties” section will help your profile come up in LinkedIN will help your profile come up in LinkedIN and Google searchesand Google searches

Do not forget to include keywords in your job Do not forget to include keywords in your job title and job descriptions to improve your title and job descriptions to improve your ranking in LinkedIN searches and in ranking in LinkedIN searches and in Google searchesGoogle searches

Discussion groupsDiscussion groups

Find groups related to your field or interest Find groups related to your field or interest (personal and professional)(personal and professional)

Look for large group with active Look for large group with active discussions for maximum exposurediscussions for maximum exposure

Participate by bringing value to the Participate by bringing value to the conversation to establish and advertize conversation to establish and advertize your expertiseyour expertise

Engage influencersEngage influencers