Hey execs – are you spending time on LinkedIn? If not, we think you should be.
Not only is the hot social platform a place to make connections and generate new business, but LinkedIn is where:
You have 100% control over what your profile tells people about you, and this is your chance to ignite your reputation by talking about accomplishments!
As a top executive, your profile is among the most visible for your employees and sets an example for the entire organization to follow.
Research shows that status updates made by employees and execs on LinkedIn have a larger reach and engagement than posts made by the company they are representing. That’s no shocker – people connect with other people. Strategic posting by company execs can play an important role on a company’s social presence. (Check out this post by Social Media Strategist Arik Hanson on this topic – it’s worth a read!)
However, as with all things in marketing, succeeding on LinkedIn takes a concerted effort. Here are some things to consider as you refine your personal profile on LinkedIn.
Your profile is where you build trust, polish your online presence and establish the connection between yourself and the company you represent. Consider these smokin’ hot tips when building your profile:
A photographer can ensure that the lighting is flattering and that you’re putting your best foot (or rather, face) forward.
People do business with folks they know and trust – integrating your company brand into your cover photo is a simple yet effective way of associating you with your company and vice versa.
This includes customizing your URL, writing a new personal bio and utilizing LinkedIn’s “Featured” section to highlight key aspects of your brand. Brian Lacey, CEO of Mobomo, has a great profile that highlights this section.)
Now that you have the basics of what makes a good profile, it’s time to make your page stand out. Develop content that positions you as an expert, connects back to your company and is relevant to your followers.
It’s all about adding value and less about selling. How can the content you create help others and help you? Think of it as a mutually beneficial relationship with your customers, prospects, clients and others.
Your profile must be active on a regular basis. Build this into your daily routine of checking your profile and picking a few things each week to post or share about.
One way to do this is to develop an editorial calendar. Your calendar can include the date, copy and image/link so there is no thinking involved when that day rolls around. You could even have an employee or intern help you develop the calendar.
Padmasree Warrior, Founder, President & CEO of Fable has a profile with killer content that is worth checking out.
While LinkedIn has grown to be much more than a place to peruse digital resumes – it is still a place where you can learn about the professional history of people in your field. This gives you the unique ability to utilize the platform as a tool to find new talent for your company.
As you become more active on the platform, you’ll quickly identify the people who are going above and beyond in their profession. By actively reaching out and interacting with those folks, you are making the recruiting process much smoother…and easier.
On the flip side, by being strategic and thoughtful about what you share regarding your company culture and your work, you are not only raising awareness about your brand among your audience, but you are also showing potential employees what you’re all about.
Social media is all about being social…so, be social!
Learn from them. Engage with their content. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself having conversations that may turn into real-life business connections.
Sam Nelson, a Sales Executive at computer software company Outreach, has more than 53,000 followers. He shares countless articles in his field and is a very active commenter. It’s no wonder his following is so large.
Another example is Senior Director of Innovation at Dell, Neal Kohl. He rarely creates his own posts but interacts with his connections on a daily basis by liking, commenting and cheering others on in their professional development. That’s what being on social media is all about.
LinkedIn is unlike any other social network, especially for executives. We’re big believers that setting aside time to grow your presence can have a dramatic impact on your personal brand and your business.
Drop us a line if you’re interested in building your personal LinkedIn presence and want to stand out among the crowd.
