Simple tips to update your LinkedIn profile. Anything you can do to update your information online has value.
Most people don’t have time to mess around with all the social media options, but you can update your Linkedin profile on occasion and it will impact your online presence.
You can stay active and up to date by following these simple steps.
When I work with clients, it’s a partnership where we work together to bring in the leads. Client’s pay me for my value, but my value is in seeing their value and sharing it with people online.
For me to be effective, I need to get to know them and their business goals. Updating their Linkedin profile showcases their value and helps me get to know them. Also helps them reach potential new clients.
Follow these 9 simple steps for updating your profile and it will make a big difference in your online presence.
Re-write Your Profile:
Why this is important:
If you are a Real Estate Broker/Agent people are buying you first and then the property. So while they sift through properties online they will look for brokers that catch their eye.
That’s why updating your personal profile is crucial. You may move between Real Estate companies, but your personal brand should always remain current to show who you are and how you help clients.
Too often people “toot their own horn” in the profile section, but it has no value to the reader. Some of it is so dry that people stop reading.
Remember in 8 seconds people make a decision to read further and then whether they will call you or not.
Please drop all the resume language because we all know it’s b.s. The last thing you want to indicate to prospects is that you are full of b.s.
If you are reading this and you are not a broker the same is also true, most people are buying you so give them something interesting.
The Tip:
In the profile, if you are looking for leads tell a personal story of your first new home purchase or first vacation property. Add your true feelings and your personal experience.
Was it easy? Do you want to create that same experience for your client?
Was it painful? Did your broker omit specific details that would have made the transaction happen more smoothly?
Potential Clients want to get to know you and understand what you’ve been through. They want to know you will have their best interest at heart and that happens with personal experience.
Detail your story first then your successes and finish by adding a tiny bit about your professional responsibilities.
Experience:
Why this is important:
Clients want to see what you are up to in the Real Estate world. Visual imagery goes a long way in making an impression in that 8-second window you have to impress.
If potential clients know that you are active in promoting properties and they can see your particular skill set or niche, they will take action and call or email you.
The Tip:
Not sure what media to use for this section? Use any flyers that were created to sell a property, only if they pop online. If they are not good, don’t use them. There are ways to build amazing flyers on your own, but the point of this post is to keep it simple and quick.
If you don’t have that option and you really want to enhance your visual imagery there are some programs you can use and graphics professionals you can contact. Contact Me for resources
If you work with a larger company, ask for any press releases, electronic brochures, infographics or research the marketing department may have on hand.
Not all of these will be pretty but will provide important data. A potential client will see that you are up on market stats, so it does have value.
Often I will take some of the tedious data and make it pretty for clients, but again this blog is for you to keep it simple.
Add volunteering:
Why this is important:
People perceive active members of the community as knowledgeable, respected and potentially the right person to find them a home in a place they belong.
They also perceive that you might also have the insiders track on investment properties and upcoming neighborhoods if you are out in the community.
I’ve found that most clients forget about all the volunteering they have done and pass this section or just add 1. Add them all, it’s a wonderful way to see how you are involved in the community.
The Tip:
If you don’t have any volunteer options listed, list them. I would also ask some friends to help you because you may find you volunteered more than you think.
If you haven’t done much volunteering, look to see what options are available that would make you happy. Knowing you need to get more involved in the community will compel you to take the steps you’ve always wanted to but didn’t.
Add more Skills and Endorsements:
Why this is important:
Having a robust skills and endorsements section sends the impression that you have advanced skills. Most potential clients will research brokers with advanced skills over others and choose those with the type of experience they want in a broker.
The Tip:
In this section on Linkedin, you can reach out to close connections and ask them to endorse you. Asking is all you need to do, it’s that simple, but you will have to reciprocate. Do a few endorsements at a time for those who helped you and this section will build up quickly.
Another strategy is endorsing close contacts, and then they are likely to follow your lead and reciprocate, but you might still need to ask. Small steps at a time.
Recommendations:
Why this is important:
Prospective clients can see that you are professional, well-liked and the right kind of broker that will be a good fit for them. Potential clients may not read all of them, but they will pick a couple and look at the number that you have, and that will make an impression.
The Tip:
Reach out to a substantial number of contacts who know you well. Ask that they write you a recommendation and that you will return the favor. Let them know simple is fine, but if they are too busy you could write something simple, and they could approve it. When I have offered to write my own, and they approve, most come back with “I can take 10 minutes to write something for you”!
If they write something, you have the opportunity to accept or decline. I would ask for at least five a week, and most likely you will get 1. Please make sure you always offer to write one in return; it’s common courtesy. If you don’t want to write one for someone, don’t ask for one.
Add more Groups that are industry related:
Why this is important:
Adding groups and influencers amp’s your feed and provides additional opportunities to read industry-specific info, comment and add to your ideas. Sometimes the industry information gets redundant, but it’s much easier to pick out the gems and write about it for your website and social media before the trend picks up.
You will look like a leader and an influencer in your industry if you are ahead of the trend. That is where I want my clients to always be- ahead of the trend.
Commenting on other blogs and on social media puts you in the public eye more frequently. I don’t subscribe to the always making “thanks for the info” comments to get exposure. I believe in adding a little bit of educated commentary to put you ahead of others and help you stand out.
The Tip:
Search around LinkedIn to find the groups, and I would find influencers that resonate with you. It’s a better opportunity to build online relationships in your industry because if they are influencers, they are open to new relationships.
Grow your network:
Why this is important:
The more connections you make, the more opportunity to build professional relationships and get new clients. I have had Real Estate brokers who picked up new clients through LinkedIn referrals.
They developed relationships with brokers/agents in other states, and when their good clients wanted to look at property in a resort community, the out of state agents reached out to their online connections, my clients.
The Tip:
Reach out to your online industry connections and let them know you are open to discussions and sharing information. For the colder connections write a note as to why you want to connect. It goes a long way with getting new, unknown connections.
LinkedIn provides the opportunity to see who is on LinkedIn that you have in your email connections, making it easy to send them an invite. Don’t invite everyone from your email list- you may not want all of that. However, pick your favorites and then explore who they are online.
Go out and add comments to others peoples content and articles:
Why this is important:
As I stated before adding quality comments on other people blogs creates additional exposure for you as a Real Estate Broker and a knowledgeable professional. Quality connections always lead to opportunities.
The beauty of LinkedIn is they make it easy for us to connect with other professionals without the annoying cold calling. We get to decide with whom we want to communicate.
The Tip:
Read articles from your group and influencers and put some thought into your comments. Try to comment a couple of times a week. If you are up on your industry, you should be reading at least 3 articles a week. Then it should be easy to comment and build your network.
Draft your own long-form content about your Niche:
Why this is important:
Let’s be honest this is not quick and easy. It’s challenging and takes time to create quality content. Content is valuable for your website, search and enhances your credibility. If you are posting your articles on LinkedIn you further increase your reach, and it’s definitely worth it.
It can take me anywhere from 3-5 hours to write a good post and those days of 300-word posts are gone. Quality long-form content is where it’s at online. Stats say a 2,000-word post has the best traction online and that’s good news because if you take the time to create a good post, it has online value for an extended period. Right now it’s 2 years or more, but as you know the internet stats change so, I’ll get back to you with any updates.
The Tip:
The most simple and quickest way to get into writing long-form content is to explore what other people are writing or reading and provide your perspective on it. If you comment on someone’s blog, it’s of interest to you and the comments are short. Take what they put together and add what you think in detail and bam you have a post. Don’t copy but re-write and comment.
There is not a blog post, article, book that I don’t take notes on and then look back at my original notebook and draft my blogs. I love looking for the gems and then I really take the time to put together an interesting and informative blog post.
9 Simple Tips to Update Your LinkedIn Profile covers the essential elements listed in order of how the LinkedIn profile is listed. You will enhance your LinkedIn Profile immensely if you follow these basic steps.
If you have any questions, please Call 720-583-3761 or EMAIL ME.
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