Inside Sales SeriesGetting Your LinkedIn Profile ready for Sales- Part 2

Does your ‘Background Profile’ differentiate

you from the competition?”

David MaloneTrainer| Speaker | Consultant

www.evolve.ie

In our last blog we

suggested that

buyers use

LinkedIn to find

and checkout

potential suppliers potential suppliers

as much as

sellers use it to

find and checkout

sales targets

The point being - Your LinkedIn profile makes

you stand out from the competition (or not!)

So you must make sure your profile is written to

grab the attention and interest of the buyer

There are two main parts to your Profile

1. Your Headline Summary 1. Your Headline Summary

2.2. The Background The Background

SummarySummary

.... And one should smoothly

flow into the other!

The Headline Profile gets you noticed when

buyers are searching on LinkedIn

David SmythB2B Telecoms Expert

Cork, Ireland

NBC Software Consultants

Helping companies in Manchester get the best deals

on phone and data usage. dave@telco.net

Trinity College, Oxford

Manchester, UK

Uk.linkedin.com/davekellytelcoexpert

Trinity College, Oxford

Check out previous blog to learn more about optimizing the ‘Headline profile’:

- ‘How to optimize your LinkedIn profile to help you attract more sales prospects’

However, some sellers miss this completely !

• Being vague about responsibility –

“I was part of a team that ....” , “I was involved in.”

• Showing no understanding or mention of customer issues or your market place

• Only talking about your career history.

• Mentioning successes that are no longer

They write a ‘CV type’ LinkedIn profile that can be perceived as lacking in substance due

to

• Mentioning successes that are no longer relevant – “I was the 1st consultant in my field to get professional accreditation in 1989”

• Commenting over favourably on your own ability ..(The way only your mother would!)

“I have considerable reputation for my public speaking and influencing skills”

• Using a company bio which outlines your role as the Human Resources Dept would describe it – which may be fine when advertising a job but not for attracting potential new customers!

If you want to use LinkedIn for creating

sales opportunities ... Then

The purpose of your

Background summary is

to help a potential buyer to help a potential buyer

determine whether or

not you fit their supplier

criteria (at a high level)

So what are the key questions you should ask yourself before you try and compose a background profile that appeals to a potential buyer?

� What doesWhat doesWhat doesWhat does your ideal buyer look like?your ideal buyer look like?your ideal buyer look like?your ideal buyer look like?

� What criteria will be using to find a supplier?What criteria will be using to find a supplier?What criteria will be using to find a supplier?What criteria will be using to find a supplier?

� What will they be looking for when they read your profile?What will they be looking for when they read your profile?What will they be looking for when they read your profile?What will they be looking for when they read your profile?

� Which keyword terms will they most likely use when Which keyword terms will they most likely use when Which keyword terms will they most likely use when Which keyword terms will they most likely use when

searching for your product, service or area of expertise?searching for your product, service or area of expertise?searching for your product, service or area of expertise?searching for your product, service or area of expertise?

1. Who do you want to

read your profile?

2.Results, Evidence & Experience!

� What Makes you different from your competition?

� What(If anything) Is your USP?

� What experience might be of interest to a buyer?� What experience might be of interest to a buyer?

� What type of results might appeal to them?

� Which aspects of your expertise will interest and excite them?

� Which aspects of your current profile are not relevant to a

buyer?

What is the best way to structure your background profile?

Structure your background so the view appeals to them

1. State your expertise from their point of view2. State the verticals within which you mainly work

3. Identify the geographical region you work in

4. State why customers buy from you (Your USP)

4. The results you can help them achieve

5. Evidence that you can deliver these results5. Evidence that you can deliver these results

6. Where they can go to check your suitability out further

(Call to action)

***** Remember, to use lots of keyword terms that the

potential buyer will use whilst searching for you

Section 1

1. Restate your headline summary

2. Describe the size of customers you help

3. Outline the verticals / industries you work with

4. Outline demographic boundaries if applicable

5. Articulate the problems / opportunities you help customers with

Example: Health Insurance Sales Consultant

“I am a health insurance expert working in capital city with companies in the ICT, FMCG, and Services Sector.

I work with companies who have in excess of 200 employees and who offer health insurance as part of the employee benefits package”.

Typically, HR functions come to me when they need to maximise health cover but have a limited health insurance or reducing budget to do so. I help them save money and maximise the cover they get.”

Section 2

1. Description of customer situations you help

2. Potential results you can deliver

3. High level explanation of your offering

4. Guarantee of results (If you are offering any)

5. Testimonials

6. Call to action (To learn more about you)

Example: Internet Sales ExpertExample: Internet Sales Expert

“I help customers who have lots of traffic visiting their company website but very few purchases from these visits. Typically, I can increase website sales by up to 40% depending on the current level of buyer activity.

I do this by helping organisations to attract customers who are more likely to purchase on line as oppose to just browse on line.Using analytic al tools exclusive to, and designed by me, I can increase the ‘right type of sales traffic’ to your website.

I guarantee an increase in sales of at least 10% in three months or I will give you your money back.

I have already delivered between 20 and 40% in crease in sales for the following companies in the Tri – County region this year. The companies are Abc Limited, 123 Limited, and Def Limited.

I believe I can do the same for you.

Click on the video testimonials below to learn more about me and the results I deliver.

www.123/asdf/9876

1. Front Load all stages of your profile with

keywords & phraseology as used by your

buyers / customers

And some style tips ....

Always write in

the 1st party

Avoid jargon that is

exclusive to you or

your industry

Make sure you have a

call to action. Link a

video / presentation /

website page to your

background profile

Be specific around the

results you will deliver.

Have real testimonials

– if confidentiality

allows

Use short sentences

and bullets

Magic Numbers: The amount of characters you

can use in your LinkedIn profile

• Professional Headline: 120 character limit.

• Summary: 2,000 character limit.

• Position Title:: 100 characters.

• Public Profile: Between 5 and 30 characters

of the profileNext Time we will look at

the rest of your profile

Final thought!

Win Sales not

the Pulitzer Prize!

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, Then, is not an act, but a habit”-Aristotle

davemaloneinsidesalescoach