4 Steps to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Sales Prospecting

When you're prospecting for new leads on LinkedIn, it's crucial to optimize your profile to engage your prospective buyers. Make your personal value proposition clear to your target leads. Show them how they can benefit from getting to know YOU.

You're not selling your product here, you're selling yourself as a trustworthy advisor. So make sure that your profile addresses pain points that your target niche is likely to experience. When you shift niches, you can update your profile to make it relevant to the next niche.

So here are 4 steps to follow.

1. Reposition your headline for the specific niche you're targeting

Your headline is the first thing prospects will see when you view their profile or send them a connection request. It's on the emailed invitation to connect, and it's also visible in their list of connection requests within LinkedIn. Your headline shows up whenever they see activity and posts from you in the LinkedIn newsfeed, and it's also visible when you "like" or comment on their posts.

So turn your headline into a mini value proposition. But keep it professional. I see a lot of headlines on LinkedIn that use emoji and other silliness. Unless you're selling something that benefits from the silliness, or being a comedian is part of your personal brand, I'd recommend that you keep it professional in consideration of your target audience. 

2. Update your profile summary so your niche will want to talk with you

Your profile summary is the next thing people will read. Anyone you send a connection request to will use it to decide whether they want to connect. Then, when you invite them to get acquainted, they'll check your profile again to decide if it's worth their time. So show them how you help people like them. Demonstrate value in the first few sentences.

If you're a member of our master class, you have access to our templates to help you develop your profile headline and summary. You can download the template from the right sidebar in Lesson 3 in your product library. Lesson 3 also goes into detail about how to compose your profile headline and summary.

I'd also recommend that you review other people's profiles to see what works and what doesn't.

3. Maximize the value of your experience

Instead of thinking of LinkedIn as a resume, think of it as a selling tool. Reconfigure the descriptions of your prior work history to demonstrate how it's connected to your ability to provide value to your target audience.

No matter how varied your background, it got you to where you are today, and it's valuable. For example, if you were a janitor before you started selling accounting software, talk about how you learned to appreciate the value of working hard and putting quality into everything you do.

4. Make sure your profile is visible

Check your profile settings and make sure that people can see that it's you when you visit their profiles.

Often, when you view someone's profile, they'll notice. If you have a good headline, they might click and visit your profile. That's a brand impression. When someone I want to connect with has viewed my profile, I immediately send them a connection request. Those almost always get accepted.

So give it a try. And remember, your profile is fluid. Don't be afraid to update it frequently.

As always, let me know if you have any questions.

About the Author: Candyce Edelen is founder of PropelGrowth, where she teaches B2B entrepreneurs and sales professionals to build authentic, human-to-human relationships on LinkedIn. Her strategies have helped clients shift from spammy automation to genuine outreach, resulting in higher-quality leads and increased sales. Candyce is passionate about helping professionals build trust and create a reliable, predictable sales pipeline. She's also a firm believer that you can't automate a relationship.