Guest Blog “7 Mistakes To Avoid Making On LinkedIn As A Virtual Assistant from Warren Knight of Think Digital First.

As a virtual assistant, do you feel overwhelmed by the online world, and don’t know what will get you the best ROE (return on engagement) inside of LinkedIn?

Over the last 12 months, I have worked with, and delivered trainings to a number of virtual assistants, including Amanda and have found that LinkedIn is one of the most powerful social networks for virtual assistants to find, and engage with potential clients.

One of the biggest problems I have found within the world of virtual assistants is actually understanding LinkedIn, and the mistakes that need to be avoided when looking at generating success through the B2B social network.

Here are the 7 mistakes you need to avoid making on LinkedIn as a virtual assistant.

1. You, You and… You
Whilst your profile does need to talk about you and your experiences, what your clients will really care about is how you can HELP them. A potential client will be much more interested in what you can do for them, than they are about you so always keep this in mind when writing your bio, and when you talk about your work experiences.

Think about your skills as a virtual assistant, and how you can position them in a way that solves the problem of the target customer you are trying to connect with.

2. Your Profile Image
I have just written a blog all about using the right professional profile image on your LinkedIn profile. I have seen so many LinkedIn users using an image that is unprofessional, as well as not using a visual at all.

If you are looking to build your personal brand, and want to portray a positive first impression, consider using a photo where you are smiling, with your teeth showing. The way you dress in your profile picture will have a huge impact on the way someone will perceive you. A smart, formal outfit will help show your influence, as well as competence.

3. Un-engaging LinkedIn Headline
The first thing a potential client will see when landing on your LinkedIn profile will be your headline. You have less than 5 seconds to make a great impression, and your headline must reflect your experience.

You have 120 characters to talk about who you are, your expertise and how you can help a potential client through your knowledge and experience. Use keywords that define what you do as a virtual assistant. If you manage Social Media for clients, this would make you a virtual Social Media manager.

4. Not Linking To Other Social Profiles
Social proof is something that seems simple, but can be easily forgotten. To show that you are active online, and that you are trustworthy, share all of the other social networks you are active on. If you only use LinkedIn and Facebook, just link your Facebook account, as well as including your website address.

5. Lacking Recommendations and Skills & Endorsements
Another part of social proof is actually having existing clients doing the selling for you through recommendations, as well as endorsing the skills that you have as a virtual assistant. Make sure that when you do on-board a new client, you have a process in place to get a recommendation on LinkedIn. If this is something you feel uncomfortable asking for, think about the importance of giving and taking. If you’re asking for a recommendation or a skill endorsement, offer to do the same for your client.

6. Failing To Personalise Connection Requests
Whilst LinkedIn make it easy for you to send a connection request to a user, think about ways in which you can add a touch of personalisation to their experience with you and a great way to do this is by writing your own connection request.

Do your research on the person you want to connect with, and make what you write personal to them. This will not only increase the chances of them accepting the connection request, but also decrease the chances of them reporting you for spam.

7. Forgetting To Follow Up With New Connections
If someone has requested you and you’ve accepted, or vice versa, don’t forget to send them a personalised InMail saying thank you for connecting. Avoid hard selling your virtual assistant services, and rather ask them how you can help them, and if they have any questions for you.

The user you connect with may receive 50 connection requests a day, so you might just slip past them so make sure you do follow up, and offer a great customer experience by personalising your message.

I hope the above 8 mistakes will help you better the LinkedIn experience for your connections.

Do you ever find yourself wondering why you are not reaching your full potential on LinkedIn?

AND HERE’S WHY YOU SHOULD CARE:
● LinkedIn users are FOUR TIMES more likely to visit your website than Facebook users
● LinkedIn generates the HIGHEST visitor-to-lead conversion rate at 2.74%, which was 277% higher than Twitter
● 40% of users use LinkedIn DAILY
● 94% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn to distribute content

Find out my 6-step power formula to generating LinkedIn success in just 21 days! I have built a LinkedIn community of over 13,000 connections, 14,500 content followers and daily engagement that attributed to a 6-figure income AND I will share with you how you can do the same as a virtual assistant.

You can sign up to access a copy of this live webinar recording below.

Recording Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7781151813211094019