Capture the Attention of Prospects with a Captivating Headline

Financial advisors can now leverage their prospecting strategy by taking advantage of LinkedIn's newest features. They are able to identify and add several ideal prospects to their one card system (or similar prospect inventory) daily. Key to success comes from their deployment of a simple but effective marketing strategy which includes:

1. Optimized LinkedIn headline & summary to appeal to a specific clientele
2. Sequential messaging to capture the attention of prospects
3. Strategic daily posting of authoritative content relevant to their target audience

All of this can be done quickly, compliantly, and does not cost anything. The first and most important step consist of developing a LinkedIn headline that captures the attention of the intended target audience. Beyond the obvious, there are several other benefits to crafting a compelling headline.

Your Headline Appears Everywhere

Creating a descriptive LinkedIn headline is crucial. It always appears right underneath your photo and name whenever you like, share, post, comment, or write an article. The more active you are on LinkedIn, the more individuals will see your headline. Think of it like a newspaper headline: make it interesting and relevant to compel viewers to read your whole story (profile).

Search Engine Target

A captivating headline is also important because it is the main target of Google, Yahoo, LinkedIn and other search engines. Use key words that succinctly state what you do, whom you serve, and how your clients benefit from working with you. An intelligent headline, peppered with key words, will increase the odds that search engines will succeed in bringing your profile to the attention of prospects who are searching for solutions you offer.

Three Structural Components of an Effective Headline

Studies have shown that effective LinkedIn headlines have three important structural components:

1. Clearly state what you do
2. Whom you can help, and
3. How your customers benefit from working with you

Does your current headline clearly answer all those questions in a way that tells your prospects what's in it for them? If not, take a few minutes to update it right now!

Crafting an Effective Headline / Examples

Your headline must speak to your target audience. Therefore, your focus on a specialty, or familiarity with an industry or profession, will be key to selecting the right words that will appeal to your ideal prospects.

In another article, we discussed why dentists represent an optimal clientele for financial advisors. If that were your target market, you might attempt to capture their attention with a headline similar to:

I advise dentists on practice management intelligence to guide them through business development & succession strategies

Note we are using every single one of the 120 characters LinkedIn provides to communicate clearly what we do, whom we serve, and how they benefit from working with us.

Of course, it's easy to translate that headline to appeal to individuals in many other industries or professions. Following are a few additional examples of effective headline components.

• I specialize in working with resident physicians to simplify their financial life and provide monetary peace of mind
• I assist construction company owners to monetize their business and turn it into a secure lifetime retirement income
• I collaborate with architects on new business development and tax-efficient practice succession strategies
• I serve physicians with cost-effective risk mitigation strategies and tax-efficient practice succession planning
• I work with farmers to take advantage of special tax strategies that apply to the transfer of family farms
• I educate CFOs on how they can acquire life insurance without expense to earnings

Let's Collaborate on the Development of Your Headline

Financial advisors who take advantage of LinkedIn's newest features are adding several ideal prospects daily. They are able to score easy appointments and convert a high rate of prospects into clients. I invite you to connect with me so we can collaborate and optimize your own LinkedIn marketing strategy.

Last revised 04/08/2019