Your LinkedIn Profile: Many Leads Do Look at Your Billboard

LinkedIn has been around since 2002, so by now you’ve seen plenty of LinkedIn advice. You’ve scrolled past the clickbait:

• “10 Ways to Crush It with Social Selling!”
• “Why LinkedIn Is Your Secret Sales Weapon!”

Maybe you’ve thought, “I’ve got a profile. And hey, I’m hitting my sales goals.”

Fair.

Plenty of successful salespeople get by without logging into LinkedIn regularly. They’ve got great relationships, strong pipelines, and good selling instincts and skills. But even if you just were voted “salesperson of the year,” it’s smart to acknowledge that many buyers vet salespeople on LinkedIn before they agree to take a meeting.

In fact, LinkedIn asked buyers if they looked at a salesperson’s profile as part of their buying process, and 55% said, “Yes!”

When buyers arrive at your profile, they expect to find information that clearly presents what you do and how you can help.

Tip: Buyers SCAN your profile in 15 to 30 seconds. Keep it short—150 to 200 words. Use bullets and short sentences. Be specific.

Review your profile using this simple checklist:

1. Do you have a buyer-focused headline that explains how you help?

This is one basic format: Helping [industry/role] solve [problem] with [solution] | Sales at [Company]

2. Have an “About Section” that feels conversational and friendly. Write in the first person. Include this information:

• Who you help (ideal customers)
• The problems your customers face
• How you and your company help solve those problems

3. Make it easy to connect. Typically, your contact information, such as email address or phone number, is only visible to your first-degree connections. Include this information as part of your profile, both at the top and at the bottom.

Invest Ten Minutes

For fast results, set a timer for 10 minutes. Spend the first minute jotting down notes about what you do, the problems buyers have, and how you help.

Go to your preferred AI tool and use this prompt: Act as a LinkedIn coach for sales professionals. Help me rewrite my LinkedIn headline and About section so they are buyer-focused, clear, and written in a conversational tone. I sell [insert product/service] to [insert target audience]. I help them solve [insert common buyer pain points]. We help as follows: [insert how you help]. Make it easy to skim, and sound human. Keep it less than 200 words.

Hit “Submit,” and see if you like what you get.

If you feel it needs improvement, you can ask, “How can this be improved?” or use a follow-up prompt, such as:

• Make this more motivating to buyers
• Write this at a 10th-grade level (this makes it easier to scan and comprehend)
• Add/remove information (whatever you think will sharpen the focus)
• Give me ten more headlines (when you want options)

The goal is to achieve a better profile than you currently have—not to reach perfection. Once you have something better, add your contact information at the top and bottom. Then, post it.

Seeking Improvement

If you hit the ten-minute mark, and you aren’t satisfied, use this prompt: Tell me what could be better about my current profile: [Copy your current profile info].

Read the analysis. If you agree, tell AI to use the information in your current profile and rework the profile copy and header.

Then see what you get. If you like it, post. If you’re still not satisfied, give it a rest and come back on another day.

The best profiles are built through iterations—small updates that improve information over time. Start with the basics, then revisit every few weeks. Try new headlines. Refresh your About section as your messaging sharpens. As your experience grows, so should your profile. This approach not only makes the process easier, it helps your profile stay relevant, authentic, and aligned with how you want buyers to see you today.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions.