5 Simple Ways To Make The Best First Impression On LinkedIn

When it comes to using social media to market your business, choosing the correct platform can make or break your marketing efforts.

LinkedIn is one of the most popular social media platforms, and it boasts a very professional atmosphere.

While Facebook and Instagram are geared toward the more casual user, LinkedIn was specifically built for professionals in business.

LinkedIn allows users to build a network of contacts through direct introductions or posting helpful information on their own feeds and in groups.

While relationship marketing requires effort on your part, you can also encourage others to network with you by putting forth a professional image.

As the old saying goes, “You only have one time to make a good first impression,” and that one time often lasts only a few seconds while prospects look at your LinkedIn profile.

Let’s discuss some ways to make that right first impression:

1. Create A Professional Looking Profile

If you can splurge on a professional headshot instead of using a blurry selfie.

Consider how you dress: do jeans and a t-shirt represent you well, or should you dress up in a suit or a business casual look?

Be sure to fill out your LinkedIn profile completely with former job descriptions.

Always use keywords in your profile descriptions; keywords accurately describe your experience but will also grab your profile when someone does a keyword search.

2. Ask For Introductions

Instead of just spamming dozens of people a day in hopes of making a connection, ask others in your network to introduce you to decision makers you want to meet who you’ve identified as prospects.

Your choice of introductions shouldn’t be random; instead, think of companies who can use your services and then check your network for connections to those companies.

3. Be A Helpful Resource In Groups

LinkedIn groups are extremely helpful in connecting people with like interests, but LinkedIn also protects its users from spammers.

If you write an article but try to share it with multiple groups at the same time, you may be labeled a spammer inadvertently.

Mix up your group interactions and become known as a helpful resource. Ask questions, answer questions, and direct others to resources you have discovered.

4. Send Thank You Notes

Thank you notes are rare these days, but it’s a simple act that will make you stand out from the crowd. Even a quick email thank you is better than none at all.

Send one to your newest contact, especially if you have plans to meet in person, as well as the person who introduced you. A simple thank you will be remembered and may encourage those contacts to help you in the future.

Avoid adding anything salesy and just leave it at a thank you.

5. Focus On Relationship Building Instead Of Selling

In the world of social media, nothing turns people off more than accepting a new connection and then getting a “like my page!” or “here’s my sales pitch” messages.

To avoid being that annoying spammer, focus on building a relationship first by sending articles, videos, or case studies without any expectations.

Go back to basics and learn how to converse again and interact with these contacts in a group setting.

Let them see you as a helpful person first instead of just a salesperson.

Done correctly, marketing on LinkedIn will showcase your expertise; done incorrectly, you’ll be seen as someone who’s just looking to make a buck or who doesn’t know the first thing about marketing.

Be smart with your marketing efforts and watch your business grow.

Want to get SMART with your LinkedIn marketing? Take the Smart Marketing Quiz and find out.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: TORIE MATHIS

Torie Mathis helps entrepreneurs grow their business with Smart Marketing.  She is a best-selling author, Army veteran, international speaker + trainer, and the CEO + Creative Director at Lake Shark Media. She also teaches entrepreneurs how to get smart with digital marketing at toriemathis.com