1. LinkedIn 2017
One of the important functions of Social Media is maintaining a profile, visibility, access and social proof.
As with anything else, people tend to forget what they no longer experience and see: names, relationships
and experiences need to be regularly nurtured.
One platform that keeps you and your name ‘on the top of the pile’ is LinkedIn. The beginning of the year is
a good time to do an audit on your profile page.
For some people, your LinkedIn profile is where they will draw their first impression of you, so brand and
messaging are very important.
Things to check:
Your business deliverables
Skills| Services | Successes
Descriptions such as speaker, consultant, coach are 1990’s language
Make your brand “your client’s solution”
Not just a coach, The Million Dollar Real Estate Coach
LinkedIn Is Visual
Some people tell you that it has got to be a “professional photograph”; now that’s a loaded statement.
What most people hear when they read that is, “I have got to spend money on a professional
photographer.” But we all know that we don’t always get what we pay for. A picture has got to tell a story,
otherwise it is just a ‘yearbook picture’ that people will thumb by. Look at these ‘head shots’ on the left and
you tell me what you know about these people except they smile and they have a certain color eyes. The
picture on the right is a different story: he’s a ball player, looks successful and is on the field.
You need to be smiling the smile of success.
Successful people smile differently! They are smiling because something great has happened!
What does that mean? When you have your profile picture taken, be thinking about something you did that
exceeded expectations. It will turn up your expression to communicate that you are a winner.
Also, people who are successful smile at other people in a way that makes THEM feel successful.
Remember, LINKEDIN IS NOT ABOUT YOU! LinkedIn is about them when they are connected to you.

2. Your LinkedIn profile picture needs to provide a potential client, associate or employer a preview of what it
might be like to meet and work with you. All business is personal first and professional second.
PROFILE Description
When you begin to describe yourself, make sure your deliverables are clear, and experience isn’t enough.
Example: Headed up marketing for EYX Brokerage.
Better: Relaunched EYX Brokerage brand following 2008 market crash, increasing operating margins from
11% to 61% in 18 months.
If you have done it, don’t be afraid to talk about it. And never put in phrases such as “strategic
communication,” “strategic planning,” or “entrepreneurship.” You might be better off with such terms as
“niche brand development,” “product launching” or “lean start-up expertise.”
If you use strategy or strategic you are just a pack animal, sounding like everyone else in the pack, and that
says you offer no differentiation.
Sell Your Community
How dynamic is your community? Just don’t sell how great you are, frame your success around your
community and how you impacted the overall total value to your community.
Community can also include industries, as in my case, financial services and real estate. Depict or
characterize your communities as dynamic and exciting and, at the least, growing.
Choose four or five of your top accomplishments and present them without a lot of buzz-words, but benefit
words. Instead of words like ‘strategic’ and ‘efficient’ try ‘customer retention’ and ‘cost-savings’ and, of
course, ‘increased revenue.’
Example:
Vice President, JP Morgan Chase Securities, NYSE Governor, JP Morgan New Technology
Coordinator, beta-platform quality rollout. Led brokerage teams which out-performed revenue,
service and profit targets, resulting in high customer retention.
More Quick Tips
■ Keep your profile paragraphs no more than 3 sentences.
■ Use bullet points when appropriate.
■ Since you keep a business journal (You ARE keeping a business journal to track goals and benchmarks),
make sure that you are updating your profile where appropriate.
■ Make sure you customize your LinkedIn URL.
■ Proofread your bio. Look for typos and thinkos.
It’s All About Your Community
The dual mission of your LinkedIn profile is to create as many relevant links to your community as possible
and to be able to build-out your community with intentionality.
Anthony DiMaio
Anthem Communications Founder
Since 1990