When you think of social media, chances are that you instantly conjure up visions of people sharing pictures of their dinner or funny stories about what their cat got up to. However, when it comes to business, LinkedIn can do so much more for you than that.

The power really is in LinkedIn, a social media platform that brings together business minds and has over 460 million users worldwide. Are you making the most of it as someone in the professional services field?

It not only can help with your career, but it can also help you to extend your network and your connections to. It really is an opportunity and you need to dive in!

The trouble is, that it can be tricky to make a good professional services profile for LinkedIn. This is where I am here to help. I have put together some of my top tips on how to embrace the power of LinkedIn and utilise your profile to really increase your brand presence and ensure that you develop that know, like, trust relationship.

Your professional image is sometimes everything

Now, by this, we don’t mean how you look in your profile picture, but how your picture looks. The worst thing that you can do is to use a selfie or a party picture as your profile image. Remember that LinkedIn is a professional platform, which means that you need a professional picture. Go with for a head and shoulders shot so that people can clearly recognise you.

Capture attention with a snappy headline on LinkedIn

The headline on your profile is what is going to capture the attention of your potential network. Many people have it as the default title or company name, however, these 120 characters can be used in a much better way. Be descriptive about what you or your business can do and really capture the attention of those viewing your profile.

I have just changed mine from freelance marketing consultant to Marketing Consultant | Professional Services & B2B Marketing | Interim & Fractional CMO | Impactful Marketing Strategies and Plans | Outsourced Marketing. As you can see this is much more descriptive and gives a really good snapshot of what I do on the search page.

Take a deep breath, it’s time to write about yourself

No one likes writing about themselves, this is a fact of nature, but sometimes you just need to take a deep breath and do it. A great place to start is with your LinkedIn profile. Use it to tell your career story so far and highlight all those amazing achievements that you have under your belt.

It is a good idea to try and break this down into easy-to-read paragraphs, aiming for between 200 and 300 words in each paragraph and if you’re feeling confident write your professional services LinkedIn profile in the first person. I always find it a bit odd when people write about themselves in the third person!

Getting yourself recommended is important in professional services

You can tell everyone how great you are at something, but the best way to show that you can walk the walk is to be recommended by your peers or clients. It’s always a good idea to ask people beforehand to see whether they would be happy to give you a recommendation. That way when they get the invite it doesn’t feel awkward. Start with asking colleagues and clients you know well!

Endorsements are another option to consider, but these don’t seem to have quite the same impact as recommendations do mainly because someone can just tick a box and they’ve endorsed you…

Remember to mention all your highlights

You may think that your voluntary work or any awards that you have received don’t have a place on your LinkedIn profile. But they do. These may be outside of your career or business, but they still show that you are able to take on projects and can expand yourself outside of your everyday tasks. I list my professional qualifications to position myself as an expert.

So, now you know some of the secrets of making the most of LinkedIn. Why not try it out for yourself and see what you can achieve?

Some of my services: 

Marketing Project Management

Marketing Consultancy Services

Need help?

If you would like help with your marketing then bringing on a marketing consultant with a fresh pair of eyes can make all the difference. I work with B2B businesses and professional service firms in London, Kent, UK and Europe as well as specialising as a Legal Marketing Consultant. Please get in touch or book a free 30-minute consultation.