Even if you don’t think social networking is your “cup of tea,” a fully completed profile on LinkedIn can improve search engine optimization (SEO), says Sara Gilbert, founder of Strategist in Montreal.
“LinkedIn profiles will typically rank much higher in a Google search than an advisor’s own website,” Gilbert says. “It’s just how search engines work. They go with the most active and updated websites.”
That said, enhanced SEO benefits are just one of the many ways you can use LinkedIn as a business-development tool. Gilbert offers the following advice on how to use LinkedIn to build your business:
> Complete your profile
First, make sure you cover the basic elements in your profile so that prospects can find you.
This means you should have: a professional-looking profile picture; a summary of your expertise or skills; a phone number or email address so prospects can contact you; and your professional background, including your education, professional designations and a brief summary of your work history.
Completing all these sections will help you present yourself as a qualified professional to those who come across your profile.
> Find centers of influence
In the same way that prospects can use LinkedIn to learn about you, you can use LinkedIn to help you find potential centres of influence — other professionals with whom you might build referral relationships.
For example, if you would like to find a forensic accountant to help with auditing work for your clients, LinkedIn would be a good place to start your search.
Additionally, in using LinkedIn as a search tool, you will be able to see this accountant’s connections and other related professionals. This process, Gilbert says, will help you narrow your search.
> Do your homework
LinkedIn can help you do some preliminary research on prospective clients — particularly before an initial meeting.
Gilbert suggests you look for areas of common interest that will help you break the ice to start a conversation with a prospect beyond discussing financial products.
“Looking at their summary section will give you a short recap of what that person does for a living,” says Gilbert. “That can help feed the conversation when you eventually get to meet.”
You can also scan that client’s background, including previous positions, activities or where they went to university. It all contributes to helping you establish a relationship with that client that goes beyond financial issues, Gilbert says.
> Use discretion
Unless you have set specialized security settings, anyone you look up on LinkedIn will be notified that you have viewed his or her profile.
That should not be a problem, Gilbert says, as long as you remain transparent about letting the client or prospect know that you looked up their details on LinkedIn and you were interested in their experiences.
What you should avoid is being perceived as a “stalker” — by repeatedly visiting someone’s profile, particularly if you haven’t already established contact.
This is the third instalment in an occasional series about how to use social media as a business-development tool. Next: Turning social media interactions into client meetings.