Generating leads is a marketer’s top priority and their biggest challenge. LinkedIn is an effective source for generating leads as it is the most popular social media platform for organic and paid business to business marketing activities. Before beginning the search for leads, you should assess how much it costs someone to convert and the long-term value of that lead. Ask yourself these questions:
How does your company define a sales conversion?
How long is your sales cycle?
What does a quality lead mean to you?
Are you using marketing automation tools?
What is your sales teams’ lead response time?
How are leads nurtured?
Once you have answered these, you can begin to build a successful LinkedIn profile to nab your leads. Here are five major areas you can improve on to make your LinkedIn profile stand out.
Target your Audience
Having the right audience is key. Finding the right audience, however, can be difficult. There are a few things you need to keep in mind when targeting your audience.
Avoid hyper-targeting. This one can be confusing because you might be asking, isn't that exactly what I should be doing? Hyper-targeting excludes people who can be converted into leads and future customers. You want to think about expanding your business, not sticking with the same group of people or companies.
Think about keywords and use them. Keywords should be relevant to your business. You can search online or on LinkedIn for target keywords to use. Your headline, summary, and experience sections are the best places to include keywords and relevant information. Mention industry-specific and expertise-related terminology to increase visibility.
Target the best prospects for your business. LinkedIn’s targeting tools help you reach members who are more likely to take action and turn into leads. You can use the targeting tools by delivering content and ads that LinkedIn will show to your audience.
Retarget to nurture potential customers. Target audience members who have already shown interest in your products or services. Prompt them to visit your website, register for an event, watch a video, or fill out a Lead Gen Form (these forms allow your audience to send pre-filled accurate profile data to you with just a few clicks).
Use a High-Quality Headshot
Your LinkedIn headshot is your first impression whether you like it or not. To ensure a powerful and professional first impression, use a high-resolution image with natural light and a neutral background. Make sure you fill at least 60% of the frame with your face, your expression matches your brand, and you are wearing professional clothing.
Show Value and Contact Information Immediately
Consistently update your profile to include training, courses, skills, and successes. Including your accomplishments will set the stage for a powerful and memorable introduction. Your contact information needs to be easy to find so others can reach out.
Be Active in the LinkedIn Community
Companies are looking for those who have a history of creating value and content in online spaces. Build your community presence to show clients and companies you are worth your space.
Share recent research and unique insights
Connect with colleagues and clients
Actively comment and react to content from your industry
Follow and comment on content from industry leaders
Regularly commit to creating your own content
Fill Out Your Experience Section in Great Detail
Your LinkedIn profile is a dynamic, active record of your career. Keep it up to date with relevant information by showcasing your accomplishments, your past projects, your experiences, anything that will help highlight the value you add to your industry.
LinkedIn is the best place to go for generating leads. Following these steps will help you build an enticing profile. Optimize your LinkedIn profile to successfully find and pursue these leads. This will help you expand your business and increase your brand awareness.