30 LinkedIn Tips in 30 Days: 24/30 - Show me the benefits

 30 short, useful, actionable LinkedIn tips in 30 days from Doctor LinkedIn?, David Petherick. #30x30

#24/30: Show me the benefits.
What's in it for me to do business with you?

 Don't say that you offer a special service to small to medium enterprises and individuals. Tell me “I can save you 22.6% on your shoe polish and make your shoes last 3 months longer.”

Ok, so you may not be in the shoe polish business, but my point here is that you need to sell people on the specific benefits you offer - and the more specific you can be, the better. People want to hear about benefits, not features. So include these in your LinkedIn profile.

FEATURES (Yawn!)

• 85mm x 55mm x 2mm
• Pink or Green
• USB Docking

BENEFITS (Oooh!)

• Smaller than a credit card to allow you to take it anywhere
• Pink or Green colour to match your style and complement your outfit
• Rechargeable battery - good for the environment, and good for your pocket, with fast 'drop and forget' recharging by just connecting to any USB port

You need to tune in to Radio WII FM

There's a radio station everyone listens to: Radio WII FM.

That's Radio 'What's in it for me?'.

That's the radio station everyone tunes into. I want to know what you can do that will help me solve the problem I have right now. So - what's in it for me?

And do remember, you are selling to me, one person, not “people like me.” Address me as an individual.

• I want to hear how a profile makeover will power visibility and business development, make me look better, connect better, and bring me more business. 
• I want to know exactly how much money I can keep in my pocket every month if I save 22.6% on my shoe polish.

I want specifics.

Tell me a story about an instance where you really did your stuff. Or even better than that, have a customer tell the story of how you helped them.

Where you can't readily come up with a list of benefits, link them to features with the magic phrase “which means” - for example: “24 hour service - which means the last-minute inclusions for your conference pack can still arrive up to 8pm, but we can deliver packs to you at 6am the next morning for distribution to delegates on arrival.”

Tell me why it will benefit me to do business with you - precisely, exactly, measurably, and specifically. If possible, add an example, testimonial or a recommendation from a real person who is also on LinkedIn.

• “David wants his clients to be the best they can be, and to be seen as such. He is thorough and incredibly knowledgeable about LinkedIn. He is creative and acutely focused on finding his client's unique descriptors that have relevance for the intended audience. Since David made over my profile, not only have I been noticed more, but I have been commended on its appropriateness.” - Marc Dhalluin

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David Petherick writes LinkedIn profiles for a living. He is Director of First Impressions at Amazes.Me and Consultant Surgeon at Doctor LinkedIn. David makes your online presence visible, legible and credible. Follow him on Twitter at @petherick or click the 'Follow' button below for LinkedIn updates.

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