Watch this video to see how some of my LinkedIn Riches students have applied the formula from this post to their profiles:
Once upon a time, someone wiser than me told me a marketing truth I never forgot:
A confused prospect never buys.
In sales and marketing, Clarity is King.
Especially here in the 21st Century, when our ultra-connected, always on, stream-of-consciousness scrolling through one social media profile and update after another gives marketers precious few seconds to grab our attention.
LinkedIn is no different.
If you’ve been walking through my Free Video Training Series, “How To Create a Killer LinkedIn Profile,” you know that I’ve been preaching clarity from the very first moment someone comes across your profile on LinkedIn.
Is Your LinkedIn Summary Scaring Prospects Away?
Today, I want to focus on the first sentence of your LinkedIn Summary.
The way LinkedIn lays out a profile page, your Summary area is the first text area visitors come across after seeing your headshot and professional title.
Needless to say, the first sentence of your LinkedIn Summary is critical.
Let me ask: What do you have there right now? At this very moment?
(Don’t lie!)
Are you talking about yourself in the third person, like a professional athlete?
Are you telling us where you work and what your job title or duties are?
(Be honest!)
If you are, it’s okay.
Blame it on LinkedIn!
You’re far from alone. In fact, LinkedIn has trained us to think that way – to treat our profile page like a virtual résumé, listing our employers, job titles, duties, etc.
If you’re trying to use LinkedIn to generate business for yourself, that approach is a huge mistake.
Here’s why:
Your clients don’t care about you.
I hate to burst your bubble, but your clients do not care what your job title is, where you attended college, what awards you’ve won or anything else.
What they do care about is quite simple:
Your clients care about themselves.
Dale Carnegie penned those words all the way back in 1936, but they ring just as true in 2016, don’t they?
The Secret to a Successful LinkedIn Summary
Which leads us to the all-important first sentence of your LinkedIn Summary.
Take the template I’m going to share below and copy it, filling in the blanks to personalize it for you and your business.
Here it is:
WHAT I DO: I help [TARGET AUDIENCE] achieve [THEIR GOAL] by providing [PRODUCT/SERVICE].
See how simple and clear that is?
Using that approach, the first sentence of your LinkedIn Summary instantly identifies your target audience, tells that audience how you help them achieve their goals or solve their problems, and it explains how you do it (the service or product you provide).
It’s that simple!
Want More Tips? Get the Free Video Training!
I have a new, Free 4-Part Video Training Series that teaches you how to create a killer LinkedIn profile.
☞ Go here to get instant access to the Free Video Training ☜
About the Author
John Nemo is the Author of the Amazon Bestseller “LinkedIn Riches: How to Leverage the World’s Largest Professional Network to Enhance Your Brand, Generate Leads and Increase Revenue!”
Since 2012, he has helped hundreds of Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Business Coaches, Consultants, Trainers, Sales Executives, Business Development Executives and others use LinkedIn to get in front of prospects, generate sales leads and close deals.
Learn more about John and LinkedIn Riches over at www.LinkedInRiches.com.
