Do you have a strategy or know ways to make LinkedIn work for you? LinkedIn is different in comparison to Facebook. LinkedIn is a ‘professional’ network and if used correctly can help you stand out from the crowd of others that are in the financial advisor profession. Consider these four key areas in your LinkedIn strategy:
1. Profile
Include a recent professional photo and a biography of who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Keep this area clean of text that tells other things such as personal information. This is where you showcase that you are a financial advisor and should include education, securities licenses, former positions, and companies you’ve worked for in the past 10 years. If you’ve been with the same company over 10 years, list two companies. Include professional organizations you belong to.
2. Connections
The connection game is not about how many, but the quality and similarities to what you do and who you are. In the financial advisory business, connect to others you know in your profession such as regulators, wholesalers, company managers, and people you met at conferences that were speakers, etc. Your connections should show that you are ‘connected’ in your industry and community (think non-profit connections).
3. Posts
Posting can be either your own posts, purchased posts, or articles on line that pertain to your industry and clients. Posts should be short, current and cover a wide range of topics in your industry. It is not necessary to post daily, but post once a week at a minimum to show your activity (this leads to new profile views). Post content that is relevant to the financial services industry, and avoid posting political or other content that may be considered offensive to others. Posting a quote should be done at a minimum and should never be because you think you have nothing else to post.
4. Followers/Reposts
Take time to read other posts from your connections. This will help you find content to repost or writers and publications to follow. Choose people or publications that write short, accurate information so that your post is easily understood by clients, prospects, and the general public.
