LinkedIn: Not an Option Anymore! (Fall of 2020)

As I write this, we're going on 9 months of COVID Pandemic uncertainty. Remember back when we thought that this would all be over by Easter, and then Memorial Day, and then 4th of July and then Labor Day, and now, we're looking forward to Thanksgiving and wondering what this uniquely American and traditionally family-focused holiday will hold.

From a professional perspective, you've been through the mill and back. I was talking to my construction contractor son the other day and saying that is was time to

Go from Fear to..... Management!

COVID isn't going away with the election, or with the next round of holidays, or even with the coming New Year. The truth is that we can and need to start to thinking about how we can move forward as individuals and organizations to get what we really want and to achieve more of what really matters.

Can I just add a big......

NO DUH!

The great news is that many have used this time of uncertainty as a "gift of time" to reflect, learn, grow, and make some important decisions about what they want their future to be, what they want to have (or not have), and what they want to and can do.

What does this have to do with LinkedIn?

EVERYTHING! 2020 has been a year of change. First, as you and/or your circumstances have changed, has your LinkedIn profile changed with you?

Secondly, as I've helped professionals and organizations through change for the last 20 years, I've learned a lot. One of those ah-ha's was how important LinkedIn is to one's (individual and organizational) personal and professional brand, especially when change is happening. Here's why:

1. On the surface, LinkedIn might seem like any other profile that you fill out in order to share more about yourself. Rarely do we fill them out completely (me too!) or as completely as possible because we don't really think anyone will look at them. That might be true of other sites where your profile is buried behind photos, stories, newsfeeds, etc. With LinkedIn, your profile is front and center. People are using LinkedIn to learn more about you!!
2. LinkedIn is HIGHLY searchable. If someone searches your name on Google, Yahoo, etc., your LinkedIn profile will be one of the first results they see. And within LinkedIn, your profile shows up all over the place due to LinkedIn's powerful AI (artificial intelligence)! Don't believe me, take a look around LinkedIn and see how many times you see profiles of OTHER people pop up!
3. Because it's so searchable and because your profile is so visible, the IMPRESSION you make, through your profile, is unimaginably important. Think about it like this, if you were going to meet a prospective employer, client, new friend, colleague, etc. you'd at least take a last look in the mirror and make sure that you were prepared to make a decent impression. The more important the person was to your future, the more attention you'd give your preparations, right? Here's the good and bad news about LinkedIn, because it's so searchable, people are landing on your profile ALL the time. The important question is, "What kind of impression are you making?"
4. Speaking of searchable, do you know how LinkedIn makes its money? Sure, they get some of us to upgrade to a premium level of membership or to buy ads if we have something to sell, but the real money comes from the recruiters who use LinkedIn's powerful and expansive "backend search options." According to LinkedIn's 2018 annual report, 43% of their $5.3 Billion annual revenue was from Talent Solutions! The rest is a mix of premium subscriptions, marketing ads, and learning solutions. What does that mean to you? Whether you're actively looking for a job or not, recruiters and other HR-related professionals are using LinkedIn to find the best of the best and they just might land on your profile. If they do, what do you want them to see? Are you open to a new opportunity?
5. Along this line, sales professionals, business owners, etc. use the Sales Navigator level of membership to search, search, search for prospects. And guess what else happens? Those prospects see that someone from your company was looking at their profile and they do what? They turn around and start researching YOU, the company, and the other employees of that company. Remember, this is a prospective customer that your team may have unearthed. Again, what are they finding as they dig into your company on LinkedIn (because it's just so darn easy to do!)? NOTE: Does the idea of promoting your organizations brand by harnessing the collective power of your "affiliates" LinkedIn profiles intrigue you? It should! I call this a LinkedIn Brand Boost and would be happy to share more information with your leadership about how it can amplify your marketing efforts. Contact me to learn more!
6. And what about all of those ZOOM calls that we've all been on? People are doing everyday communicating online. It's perfectly normal for someone to be on a call with you, or preparing for a call with you, and go to your LinkedIn profile to learn more about you. WHAT WILL THEY FIND?
7. Finally, the LinkedIn profile is so comprehensive that when done right, it can tell an immensely compelling story about you. If you know what you want, and you know how to use it, its many tools will greatly accelerate your ability to get or achieve it. A new job, customer, colleague, piece of knowledge, awareness of your world are all at your fingertips!

In short, there are so many reasons to use LinkedIn but one of the most important is that someone you want to impress might land on your profile. And, often, you have very little control over who and why. What you can control is what they see, read and ultimately, learn about you. You can also control what activity your engaging in, e.g. sending a birthday or anniversary greeting to a connection, and what you're publishing on a regular basis, e.g. posts, videos, articles, etc.

So.....Control what you can control!

All of this makes sense, right? LinkedIn can help put you in CONTROL but you already knew that. The trick is to make it happen! You can

• DIY it. There's tons of info online with tips on how to write your Headline, About Section, etc. My advice is to begin by creating a compelling Headline (note that there's a new maximum number of characters: 220). Then, write your About section (new max of 2600 characters) in first person and as a deeper explanation of what you cited in your headline. Don't be afraid to reveal some of who and what you are. A little vulnerability goes a long way!
• Get help from a friend. It can be difficult to write about yourself. Sometimes those who know and love you can express it best!
• Get help from a professional. Ok, this is a bit of a shameless plug but honestly, I have NO problem helping you to uncover your brilliance and share it in a comfortable, compelling, STRATEGIC way. And with me, you don't only get a fabulous profile that works FOR you, I also teach you how to use it so that it keeps doing so (priceless!).

What's your story of 2020 going to be? Is this the year that ruined your life or is it the year that you woke up to your potential and made things happen? You know that I wish the second option for you! It's time!

Wishing you the BEST!

Peg Stookey, Personal Brand and Change Strategist, helping professionals and organizations unleash their unlimited potential and make change for the BEST!

Schedule a free intro call and we'll take a look at your LinkedIn profile and prioritize your next steps! No strings attached!