I facilitated a very Successful Selling through Social Media workshop in Nashville this past Thursday.  While I received a lot of positive comments about the workshop the modules that received the most positive comments were:

• Optimizing LinkedIn Profile/Headline
• Creating your LinkedIn Summary
• Learning about LinkedIn Pulse/Blogs
• Using LinkedIn for Lead Generation
• Leveraging LinkedIn Groups

Given the response to the workshop I thought I would share some of the content in this blog post.

Here are some tips to optimizing your LinkedIn profile:

•  Create a professional URL:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjohnboyens
• Add a LinkedIn background photo to your personal profile
• Optimize your headline
  • These 120 characters may be the most important section of your entire Profile
• Make sure your Summary speaks to your target audience
  • Write the first two or three sentences about yourself (in 1st person) then write the second paragraph about your company (in 3rd person)
• Search optimize your profile
  • Use keywords (or search phrases) in your profile
• List all relevant past positions
  • Be sure to include keywords for each title
• Include keywords in Skills & Expertise section
• Request Endorsements & Recommendations for all positions
• Add, remove, and rearrange entire sections of your profile to build your personal/professional Brand

Once you’ve rewritten your profile ask yourself the following questions:

• Does your Headline include benefits/results (with metrics) you bring to your clients?
• Have you requested recommendations for all positions listed on your LinkedIn profile?
• Have you included keywords/search phrases in your summary, skills and experience?

Here are some keys to leveraging LinkedIn Groups:

Join groups where your customers and prospects are. You can join up to 50 Groups.

• Be active!
  • Start conversations/Respond to others
• If you’re a member of the same group as another user, you can bypass the need to be a first-degree connection in order to message them
  • As long as you’ve been a member of LinkedIn for at least 30 days and a member of the particular group for at least 4 days LinkedIn allows you to send up to 15 free 1:1 messages to fellow group members per month
• Identify the Group members you want to connect to/interact with
  • Click on the number of Members on the top right of the group menu.
  • In the “Search Members” field type in key words, titles and/ or location that you are using to filter.
  • A list of members will appear. From this menu you are able to invite them to connect or send them a message, even if you are not connected!
  • Click Send message
• Create your own LinkedIn Group

Using LinkedIn for lead generation allows you to:

• Warms up “cold calls”
• Control your own Lead Gen
• Easily identify Decision Makers
• Increase the size/quality of your pipeline

• Find better prospects
• Connect with new accounts
• Stay connected with existing accounts

• Close business faster!
• Better know your competition
  • Know who they’re connecting with

If you are in sales I truly believe that LinkedIn is the preeminent B2B marketing/networking tool in your bag!