Examine how entrepreneurs and small business owners can leverage LinkedIn.com to help build their professional brand among customers.
Gordon has a growing business with his food truck. The local factory workers would line up for his amazing food and desserts. Customers would routinely ask about his online ordering through his website or ad. However, Gordon just brushed the questions off as if they weren’t important. Several months later, a new food truck emerged. This new food truck slowly started pulling business from Gordon. To not be denied, Gordon sent one of his employees to investigate what this new business was doing. When the employee returned to Gordon, he noted that the food was pretty average. Yet, the owner had an amazing website, app, and social media presence that stood out. The company made it easy to order and pay them. Customers love convenience. The biggest bump was the number of reviews on Google. The owner has an incredible online presence.
How does an entrepreneur or business owner create an effective online presence? The answer is not to simply ignore the role of an online presence, given the aftermath of the pandemic. With a strong brand, a business can attract more customers and stand out ahead of the competition. According to a Stackla report, 88% of consumers stated that authenticity is an important quality in building brand loyalty. Forty-six percent of US customers noted that they would pay more to purchase from brands that they trust. Thus, building an online branding that is authentic and trustworthy will provide a competitive advantage in this digital economy. Although many individuals may depend upon social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, one of the underutilized resources is LinkedIn.com. While some companies may benefit from a LinkedIn page for their businesses, most entrepreneurs would greatly benefit from a strong personal brand on Linkedin.com. This article examines how entrepreneurs and small business owners can leverage LinkedIn.com to help build their professional brand among customers.
Today’s entrepreneurs need a strong online branding. Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha, authors of The Start-up of You, explain, “With change comes new opportunities as well as challenges. What’s required now is an entrepreneurial mindset… Entrepreneurs deal with these uncertainties, changes, and constraints head-on. They take stock of their assets, aspirations, and the market realities to develop a competitive advantage.” During the pandemic, several businesses were forced to shut down in the United States. Millions lost their jobs. The economy was crippled, and second-quarter GDP plummeted to a low of 29%. Yet, the world bounced back. With that being said, the pandemic of 2020 taught organizations, that if you do not have an online presence, you don’t exist with your customers, patients, congregations, and clients. Having an online presence is essential in a digital economy.
What is a personal online brand? As Digitalmarketing.org points out, personal branding is a crucial and continual process that involves crafting and cultivating the reputation and impression of an individual, group, or organization. Personal branding is about leveraging your skills and experiences to create a distinct and compelling outer image. By utilizing online platforms like social media, individuals can project their personal brand to a wider audience, including customers, stakeholders, and even competitors.
What is LinkedIn.com? LinkedIn.com is the world’s largest online professional network, having more than 467 million members in over 200 countries and territories. Professionals are signing up on LinkedIn.com at a rate of more than two new members per second. In fact, 89% of employment recruiters have been hired through LinkedIn.com. Getting started on LinkedIn is easy. Connecting with the right person can increase career networking opportunities with the basic “Six Degrees of Separation” principle. When a person is established on LinkedIn, the individuals can see how their connections are linked to other influential people. To get the most attention on LinkedIn, individuals need to achieve the “All-Star” status. Some of the requirements include a completed LinkedIn profile, including a professional photo and summary.
Below are steps to build an effective personal brand on LinkedIn:
- Create a unique LinkedIn URL for your profile.
- Invest in a professional photo that highlights your personal image.
- Add a catchy headline aimed at potential customers or strategic alliances.
- Write an incredible summary statement.
- List appropriate work and volunteer experiences.
- Upload presentations and written documents that showcase your professional abilities.
- Post relevant articles on your LinkedIn profile (i.e., LinkedIn Pulse) that demonstrate your critical thinking and writing style.
- Endorse others to further your influence.
- Obtain recommendations from customers, suppliers, strategic alliances, and other influencers who can speak to your character and leadership abilities.
- Join LinkedIn Groups that add to your professional network.
In today’s highly competitive global marketplace, entrepreneurs and small business owners are constantly seeking ways to gain an edge. Fortunately, LinkedIn offers a unique and effective platform to help them achieve their goals. This article showcases how entrepreneurs and small business owners can harness the power of LinkedIn.com to enhance their professional brand and expand their business opportunities online.
Unlike other social media platforms, such as Facebook, LinkedIn is specifically designed for professionals to connect, network, and cultivate relationships with potential clients and partners. Through LinkedIn, individuals can establish valuable professional connections, access critical resources, and foster strong business relationships that can ultimately help them achieve their goals.
Management guru Tom Peters explains, “Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me, Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.” Creating an effective LinkedIn Profile can garnish great career and professional networking opportunities. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
© 2023 by Daryl D. Green
About Dr. Daryl D. Green:
Dr. Daryl D. Green is a business strategist, speaker, and noted author. He is the Vice President of Marketing at AGSM Consulting LLC. He is the author of the business book Small Business Marketing.
Dr. Green has been noted and quoted by USA Today, Ebony Magazine, and the Associated Press. He provides consulting guidance and management training for today’s small businesses. Additionally, he is an award-winning college professor, developing new innovative approaches for today’s small businesses. If you would like more information about this article or business assistance, please contact Dr. Green at drdarylgreen@gmail.com or visit www.drdarylgreen.com.
