LinkedIn has undoubtedly revolutionized how business-to-business sales professionals do their jobs. It has become the primary way sales reps find work. LinkedIn profile tips for sales professionals are different than tips for job seekers. The way you build your profile to get a job is different from the way your profile should look when you are social selling for a company. 

To help optimize your selling response rates, we’ve assembled a no-nonsense list of our top LinkedIn profile tips. Follow these simple suggestions and your personal brand will not only bring you business, but it will make you seem more trustworthy in the eyes of your prospects. 

10 LinkedIn Profile Tips for Sales Professionals

  1. Use a legit photo of yourself. Do not use wedding photos, grad photos, or photos from your cousin’s birthday party at that mansion on the beach. Put on some interview-appropriate clothes. Get a friend to turn on portrait mode. Stand in front of a wall with some color and use that picture. You don’t need a professional headshot – just a clean, smiling face.
  2. Include your contact information. Add your work email address, Twitter handle, and, if you’re brave, your cell phone number – anything that you want prospects to use to contact you. I know what you’re thinking, “Ooh, that’s great! Someone will see my awesome profile and reach out!” and while that’s possible, it’s highly unlikely. What is more likely is that a prospect you connect with one month will remember you three months later. Make it easy for them to find you. Include your info. 
  3. The most compelling headlines are value props. Pay as much attention to your headlines as you do to your opening lines when cold calling or writing emails. Use the same principles – keep it short and focused on what you can do for your prospects. Bonus points for incorporating humor that shows your personality and demonstrates an understanding of your prospects day-to-day.
  4. Include a Call-to-Action – or Two. LinkedIn gives you plenty of opportunities to talk about what problems you solve, so treat it like any other sales interaction and make sure to include a call-to-action. It could be a link to your calendar to book a demo in your summary. Or a prompt in your job description followed by your email to contact for more information. The more relevant the CTA, the more “inbound” you can generate just from your profile!
  5. Customize your profile URL. It takes one minute. If you don’t do it, you send the wrong message that you don’t pay attention to details. Just do it – like now. We’ll wait.

  1. Keep your summary to “3×3”. Three paragraphs, three sentences (max) each. Focus on what you do and show your personality while expounding on your headline. Short and sweet. Avoid sales jargon and buzzwords, so you stay relatable.
  2. Use a relevant cover photo. Often enough, your company will have fun stock images of your product, team, or offices that you can use. Pick something that compliments your profile photo and brings in whom you’ve chosen to work for. But, don’t overthink this – your profile picture matters more.
  3. Fill out the ENTIRE profile. Yes, it takes a while to enter all the “professional” jobs you’ve had, the awards you’ve won, the organizations you volunteer for, and the coursework you’ve completed. I get it – it can be a pain. But the more you put in, the more your prospects will see. And the higher the chances they will feel connected through similar interests. Take the time and fill it out properly. Include job details whenever possible, and make sure to focus your current position on how you help your clients.
  4. Include some rich media. We’re talking about whitepapers, webinars, or an article you wrote. There’s a lovely space at the top of the page just waiting for content to spark interest. Do it justice! 
  5. Stay positive. Your profile should be a happy place. No job is perfect, but you can save those stories for your interviews. Always remember that your profile is the way you introduce yourself to your fellow sales pros and, more importantly, to your prospective clients. Make the first impression positive and inspiring. 

Have you applied all these tips? Nice job! The good news is that you’ve done 99% of the work needed. Now, all that’s left to do is keep your profile updated. That means you’ll need to rotate that rich media, add your most recent awards, and occasionally share content that will help your buyers be better at their jobs. The nice thing is that you can invest as much or as little time as needed on an ongoing basis. Today, you have built a foundation that can become whatever you need it to be. Pat yourself on the back. You did well.

Do you have a killer headline? Are you proud of your job descriptions because you found a way to make each a couplet? Happy with your nuanced CTA’s? Share your profile link below – or share the link of your favorite professionals who are killing it.

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