The document provides 13 tips for optimizing a LinkedIn profile, including guidance on crafting a compelling headline, summary, and showcasing specialties. It emphasizes the importance of actively engaging with connections, gathering recommendations, and participating in groups to enhance networking and visibility. Additionally, the document offers suggestions for utilizing LinkedIn features such as status updates and introductions to foster professional relationships.

1. The Baker’s Dozen LinkedIn
Tips and Recommendations
1. Headline
This is not your title! Your headline is key to someone picking you out of a search.
The headline should address 2 things: 1.) what you do (functionally); and 2.) who you
serve (target market)
Create your new headline now:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Web links
Never use My Company, My Website, My Blog, or any preset phrase. Always select the
“Other” option. This allows you to personalize the title of the link. Always use all 3
links. Not sure if you have 3 links? Consider direct links to Twitter and Facebook
profiles (and any of the other secondary social networks), links to nonprofit
organizations you’re involved in, or use it to help promote a friend’s or family
member’s business.
List your 3 links:
1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
3. Contacts to Connections
Import your contact database/address book using the Imported Contacts function.
LinkedIn will crawl through Outlook and all webmail programs for you. If that doesn’t
work, you can always export the data in a comma separated value (csv) format and
directly upload. Only 3 fields are needed – first name, last name, and email address.
©2009 Crystal Clear Buzz http://crystalclearbuzz.com crystal@crystalclearbuzz.com (859) 391-6562

2. Why? LinkedIn will be able to tell you who is already on LinkedIn saving you time
searching for individuals. Additionally, when someone who isn’t on LinkedIn joins,
LinkedIn will let you know.
To Do – import contacts
4. Summary
Your summary is not your bio; it is your elevator speech. It should tell people why
they should do business with you today. It should include the following 3 components:
1. Services you provide/problems you solve
2. Who would benefit from working with you
3. What results you’ve gotten
To Do – On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite your summary.
5. Specialties
The specialties section should not be written in a prose style (sentences). Your
specialties should be keywords and key phrases that people would use to search for
someone looking for your services.
List your specialties:
©2009 Crystal Clear Buzz http://crystalclearbuzz.com crystal@crystalclearbuzz.com (859) 391-6562

3. 6. Experience
The Experience section is your resume and should be treated as such. LinkedIn now
has the capability to upload your resume and pre-populate all of the fields without
requiring you to type it in. Make sure that this area is keyword rich.
To Do – Upload resume or complete Experience section.
7. Groups
You can join up to 50 groups. Join the groups populated by your target market.
Actively participate in discussions and news postings. Generate discussions based on
your product/service messages. Start a group and create a circle of influence.
What types of groups should you join?
What type of group should you create? _________________________________
8. Box.net application
Install the box.net application and upload printed marketing collateral, work samples,
free content, etc.
©2009 Crystal Clear Buzz http://crystalclearbuzz.com crystal@crystalclearbuzz.com (859) 391-6562

4. What documents could I share using box.net?
9. Answers
By effectively answering peoples’ questions in the Answers section, you can earn
“expert” points and be listed as an expert on that topic. The person who asks the
question gets to identify the “best answer,” which automatically gives the responder an
export point in the categories relevant to the question.
What 3 subject categories should you monitor for questions in your area of expertise?
10. Introductions
LinkedIn was created for the introduction function, yet it is rarely used. A free
account allows for 5 active introduction requests to be open at any time. Study your
connections’ connections to find prospects and request introductions.
Identify 5 people and request an introduction:
1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
4. ______________________________________
5. ______________________________________
©2009 Crystal Clear Buzz http://crystalclearbuzz.com crystal@crystalclearbuzz.com (859) 391-6562

5. 11. Recommendations
Recommendations are a great way to demonstrate your capabilities and credibility.
Hopefully, some of your connections will submit a recommendation without asking.
However, you can use the Request a Recommendation function to easily ask those
with whom you have worked to make a recommendation.
Identify 5 people and request a recommendation:
1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
4. ______________________________________
5. ______________________________________
12. Status Updates
Status updates are a great way to stay in front of your connections. Use status
updates on a frequent basis to promote your business messages, successes and
activities. Share links to blog posts and other articles of interest. Since status
updates are limited to 140 characters, you can easily copy and paste them as a
Twitter status update too.
What’s happening in your business life right now that you could share as a status
update?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
©2009 Crystal Clear Buzz http://crystalclearbuzz.com crystal@crystalclearbuzz.com (859) 391-6562

6. 13. Email Signature
The LinkedIn email system is very basic. Unfortunately, there is no way to save a
signature within LinkedIn. A quick way to include a full signature block is to save it in
a format that is very handy to copy and paste. I like to use the Note feature in
Outlook. I open the little yellow note box and can keep it open to go back to
whenever it is needed.
To Do – Type and save an email signature block in a convenient location to use
when sending email messages inside the LinkedIn system.
** Bonus Tip
Interested in learning how to post a video on your LinkedIn profile? Send an email
message to me at crystal@crystalclearbuzz.com and request instructions!
Interested in LinkedIn Consultant Services from Crystal Clear Buzz?
LinkedIn Profile Renovation $100
Learn the tricks to get the most from your LinkedIn profile and strategies to reach your market.
1 hour, 1:1 hands-on LinkedIn profile review and update (in person or via online conference)
Review and comments of profile summary re-write if submitted within 2 weeks after meeting
LinkedIn Profile Setup or Optimization $250 Monthly LinkedIn Service $100/mo.
• 1 hour, face-to-face coaching & training • Weekly status update
session • Look for new people to connect with from
• Create basic profile imported contacts, people who join targeted
• Upload resume/experience from existing discussions, etc.
document* • Reply/approve/decline to requests to connect
• Write profile summary (approx. 300 words) • Search for and join target groups
• Add key web links • Post 1 discussion question per week in
• Import contacts and invite connections appropriate groups
• Install key applications • Post blog updates as news in appropriate
• Search for and join groups that involve target groups
market • Create 1 LinkedIn Poll question per month
• Request recommendations from people • Monitor Q&A for expert answer opportunities
identified by client and forward them to you to answer
* If there is no pre-existing resume, add $50 to manually enter • Create/manage group - additional $50/mo. per
all experience data
group
©2009 Crystal Clear Buzz http://crystalclearbuzz.com crystal@crystalclearbuzz.com (859) 391-6562