Leading The Way With LinkedIn: 5 Ways To Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile For B2B Lead Generation

The home of the professional, the network made for networking, and the number one platform for B2B lead generation, if you are looking to boost your B2B sales, LinkedIn is the place to go. With nearly 740 million members and more than 55 million registered companies, LinkedIn is certainly not short of opportunities. 

To help you make the most of these opportunities and really drive your B2B lead generation, we’ve put together a list of 5 tips to help you optimise your LinkedIn profile for sales.

#1 Make it picture-perfect (& professional)

We’ve all heard the phrase: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But unfortunately, on social media, we are left with little else to base our thoughts on. For this very reason, it’s essential to not only ensure you have a profile image on LinkedIn, but also that you choose one that reflects who you are. Still not convinced? Well, research from LinkedIn has shown that users with a profile picture receive up to 21 times more profile views and 9 times more connection requests – pretty impressive, right? 

At the end of the day, people want to interact with other people. They want to put a face to the name and know exactly who they are engaging with. It’s all about making the experience as human as possible.

LinkedIn for B2B sales and lead generation profile example
Lavinia Thanapathy has a welcoming profile image which is complemented by a cover photo that helps to highlight her achievements.

With that in mind, it’s also wise to keep your cover photo up to date too. In a sea of blue gradient backgrounds, be the pattern that stands out. It really is that simple. Your cover photo should complement your profile image – not compete with it. Think about something that will grab your audience’s attention, make your profile more memorable and help to convey who you are. 

#2 Be more active

LinkedIn is all about engagement. You can’t expect to be all take and no give and achieve results – unless, of course, you are a next-level B2B influencer. In a recent interview, LinkedIn trainer Lea Turner discussed the reciprocal nature of the network: the more you engage with other people, the more others will engage with you and the more you will show up. 

Not only should you engage more often with others, but you must also be strategic with your interactions. After all, they are on show to the world – quite literally. The activity section on your profile allows users to monitor all of your latest interactions – be it a like, comment or share – and offers insight into who you are, how you engage with others and can help to highlight your expertise.  

LinkedIn activity section example - optimising LinkedIn profile for B2B sales

Equally, recommendations and endorsements are a fantastic way to make you stand out and add credibility to your profile. But if you don’t ask, you are unlikely to get. Reach out to individuals who you feel could add something to your profile, or if you don’t feel comfortable doing this just yet, start by giving out a few to people who truly deserve them – they might just return the favour!

#3 It’s all in the detail

The more information you share, the easier it will be for people to get to know and trust you. And the more people trust you, the more inclined they will be to do business with you. Starting with the basics: your contact information. The idea is for you to make it as easy as possible for potential B2B leads to reach you, so provide as many different options as you can and, most importantly, ensure everything is always up-to-date. 

In the same way you would expect to see someone’s CV if they are applying for a job with you, professionals expect to see your experience so they can make an informed decision about whether to do business with you. Your experience section should go beyond simply listing your job title and the company you work for; think about your responsibilities and the skills you picked up along the way, your key achievements and relevant client results. Anything you feel is relevant and adds value to your profile. 

Additionally, adding things like awards, skills and certifications to your profile can add an extra layer of credibility and prove you really do know what you’re talking about (bonus points if you can highlight their relevance to your prospective buyers). And customising your LinkedIn URL helps make your profile more memorable, distinctive and easy to link to. 

#4 Nail your headline

In the same way that a subject line can influence your decision to engage with an email, your LinkedIn headline is what will encourage (or deter) users from viewing your profile. It should offer an insight into who you are, what you do, and most importantly, the value you can offer others. 

Optimise LinkedIn profile for B2B sales and lead generation - profile example with headline
Gary Travis uses his headline to highlight what he does, who he does it for and to showcase relevant results

This is your time to shine. Don’t be afraid to show off your best work and never play down your strengths. 

#5 Use keywords – but avoid jargon! 

Keywords are a great way to get your profile seen by the right people. Think about what your prospects might be searching for and the language they are likely to use and find a way to incorporate this into your profile. From your headline and summary to hashtags in your posts, using keywords in the right way can help to boost your reach and increase opportunities.

And, although it can be tempting to try and wow users with impressive jargon, more often than not, this will make your profile difficult to read and risk you coming across as pretentious. So use sparingly (the same goes for buzzwords!).  

So there we have 5 tips to help you optimise your LinkedIn profile for B2B sales. And whilst many seem like common sense, you’d be surprised how many people overlook the importance. For more tips on succeeding with social media, check out our ultimate guide to social media marketing here, or if you are looking for a helping hand with your social media strategy, contact us today to organise your free consultation.

 

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