5 mistakes to avoid on LinkedIn
It seems people have been talking about LinkedIn quite a bit lately.
They tell me, they love LinkedIn, but get lots of spammy messages and they are not finding prospects on LinkedIn. What I am finding out is that these people are complaining about the spam they get, but in turn, they are spamming others in the same fashion.
Most people try to add and accept meaningful connections on the professional network.
Still, there are reasons why you might not be making the connections you are hoping for. Here are 5 simple mistakes to avoid on LinkedIn.
1. You’re not sending a personalized message
If someone walked up to you at a networking event and said, “I’d like to add you to my professional network,” you would probably give him a confused look. Sending a generic LinkedIn invitation to a stranger without introducing yourself is a big mistake.
Instead, check their profile and find a meaningful interest that you share. Start by introducing yourself, and then mention the thing you have in common. Your potential connection needs to understand who you are. It is also crucial that they see how they, too, can benefit from this professional connection. Make sure it’s someone you want to connect with. Stop just inviting the world.
2. Your profile is lacking significant information
Hand down this is the simplest item to fix and the biggest mistake I see on LinkedIn. If you don’t have a headline or a professional profile photo, chances are your connection requests are going to be ignored. Having a complete LinkedIn profile and optimizing it for search help potential connections to know that you are legit.
Don’t say in your message you are LinkedIn lead generation guru and your profile is not complete or use archaic phrases and show you are working at a fast food place.
Make sure you have these important components:
- Headline. Describe what you do and whom you work with.
- Summary. This is arguably the most important element on your profile. The LinkedIn algorithm searches for keywords on your page, so take full advantage of the 2,000-character space to tell people what you do. Jazz it up by adding mixed media, such as images and videos.
- Experience. Your profile will seem incomplete and humdrum if you don’t go beyond what’s on your résumé. Adding relevant images, videos, presentations or articles will help your profile stand out and enhance your credibility.
- Endorsements. Unfortunately, our competitive society loves numbers. Opting out of endorsements or having very few will make your profile seem suspicious. Reach out to family members or co-workers to boost endorsements.
- Connections. When someone is considering your invitation, they think, “How will this connection benefit my network?” Ten to 20 connections are a small, unimpressive network. Try connecting with friends, co-workers, family members, neighbors, fellow alumni, and former colleagues before you send connection requests to prospects and recruiters.
- Customizable LinkedIn URL. You can create your URL based on your first and last name or the industry in which you are knowledgeable.
Although there is no one right way to craft a LinkedIn profile, you will be more likely to connect with prospects and recruiters if your profile is complete and optimized.
3. Your spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are flawed.
If you have improper spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, people will be inclined to delete your request. Most prospects and recruiters will call you out for it every time. On a professional network, you must clean up your mistakes and have a polished profile. PLEASE DO NOT USE ALL CAPITALS IN ALL YOUR TEXT ON LINKEDIN. That’s yelling and very unprofessional.
4. You’re spelling their name wrong.
Check and double-check the name of your potential connection. If you misspell their name or call them by the wrong name, you will be ignored.
5. You’re trying to sell something.
If you want to sell something to a prospect on LinkedIn, do not try to do so on your initial request. Many prospects and recruiters want to cultivate their professional networks. They don’t want you sending some crappy sales pitch to all their connections. Try having a more meaningful conversation rather than sending a template sales pitch.
No matter how you change your approach to connecting, some people will not accept your request. Don’t take it personally; users have varied philosophies. It might just be an indication that your targeted person isn’t seeing what they would gain by connecting with you.
Why do you accept or reject LinkedIn connection requests?
Update your LinkedIn profile. Connect with your true target market using personalized messages. Don’t sell your stuff in your first message to someone.
To your business success.
Biz Coach Steve
Contact Biz Coach Steve today to see how he can assist you to get the results you want in your business, steve@bizcoachsteve.com, or www.bizcoachsteve.com. He is in the business of growing businesses. Need a speaker, contact Steve today.
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