Previously, I wrote a piece called “Can MSPs really use LinkedIn for lead generation? Absolutely – and here’s how.” It’s something I still feel incredibly strong about, and it’s also a perspective that I think has been reinforced by everything currently going on in the world.
Capitalizing on virtual networking opportunities like LinkedIn is of paramount importance. Now, I’d like to go one step further and talk about the starting point for this larger experience you’re about to have – your LinkedIn profile.
First impressions matter
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- Nail your profile photo:
For years, psychological researches have known that first impressions do matter, and without a doubt the first impression you give on LinkedIn is your profile photo. My advice is to leave out anything cute, funny, or too personal. Yes, showing your human side is a very important piece to the overall MSP marketing puzzle, but this is not the place for a family photo or for that matter, anything but a professional headshot that shows that you are serious about your business and serving your clients. If you’d like to use this space to stand out, do it in a way that makes sense. You can customize your photo with your brand colors, or add a cover photo that explains what you do and the benefits you can provide – if you can include some social proof here, even better.
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- Get your name right:
This may seem obvious, but it is important enter your name correctly on your LinkedIn profile. Resist the urge to include your certification information or any acronyms after your name. Doing so makes it far more difficult for people to find you on LinkedIn as when they search, they’re really only going to look for your first and last name. LinkedIn generously provides a “Licenses & Certifications” section for this type of information.
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- Pay attention to your headline:
Your headline is a great way to distill what is unique and special about your MSP into a single sentence that people will immediately see. If your business provides innovative IT solutions to dentists in Georgia that helps them create better experiences to retain 35 percent more patients, your headline would be an excellent place to share that information in the most concise way possible.
The LinkedIn profile intro section
Why the LinkedIn “About” section matters
The second section of your LinkedIn profile is the “About” section. When you first view your profile, only the first 250 or so words will show – making them absolutely the most important part of this section. Your goal with this short teaser is to hook your profile visitors in with something so strong that they are compelled to click that “see more” and find out the rest of your story.
As you fill out your expanded “About” section, focus on making it not about your MSP, but instead what your MSP does for your clients. Frame everything first by letting your ideal clients know that you understand what types of challenges they’re facing on a daily basis. Mention that you’re well aware of the consequences that they may experience by failing to address that problem and provide real-world examples.
Then, go into detail about the solution that will solve everything – a solution that just so happens to be offered by your MSP. This technique is a great way to make them understand that not only do you care about them and empathize with them, but that you’re also ready to help solve their issues once and for all.
The teaser for your LinkedIn profile’s About section – your hook
The Background section: Telling the story so far
If your “About” section focuses on your ideal client, the “Background” section is where you finally get to tell the story of YOU: or at least, you get to outline all of your experience and expertise.
I recommend that your work experience section focus as much as possible on your CURRENT experience – meaning that you shouldn’t treat this like a resume. Use the description of your current position to outline what your MSP does and what makes it special.
In terms of education, always mention any undergraduate or postgraduate degrees have earned, and connect your profile to the schools in question. This will make you a “member” of that institution, helping you stand out to the prospects who happen to be your fellow alums.
In this section, you will also get the opportunity to list your “licenses and certifications” – something that MSP business owners tend to have a lot of. If you have any volunteer experience as an MSP, be sure to outline that too – particularly if it’s local volunteer experience that you can use to attract the attention of people in your area.
Skills, endorsements and recommendations: The power of social proof
Finally, you’ll want to take full advantage of the skills, endorsements and recommendations section. After listing up to 50 skills in your profile, your visitors will be able to “endorse” you for a particular skill. I recommend focusing these skills on what your customers will care about most: things like customer service, budgeting and strategic planning.
Endorsements as well as recommendations are great ways to get validation from your connections, so try to get as many of them as possible. If your prospects see can that you’ve been endorsed and recommended time and again, they will come to you with a level of trust already built up that would be hard to gain any other way.
The Recommendations section is one of the most important – yet often overlooked – sections of your LinkedIn profile
Is LinkedIn the right move your MSP?
Using LinkedIn to effectively generate leads for your MSP is a nuanced process. You can follow all of the advice in this article and still walk away empty if you’re not hitting that elusive product/market fit. How can you ensure that your LinkedIn strategy is poised for success?
I’m happy to help you find out. Schedule a one-on-one strategy call with myself or a team member at Tech Pro Marketing and we’ll not only discuss your LinkedIn strategy, but how it fits in with the grand scheme of things so that you can take your MSP to the next level.
Photo: JuliusKielaitis / Shutterstock
