Social media platforms are more than just a way to connect with your audience on a daily basis. They are a way for prospective clients to research you, find out more about your business, and ultimately determine whether you can help them in their times of need. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are excellent platforms for connection, but LinkedIn is the preferred platform for professionals.
Creating a professional profile on LinkedIn requires a little bit of effort and planning but unlike social media, it is only a small investment of your time because it does not need to be regularly updated. You can easily create your profile over the course of an afternoon and then only provide updates as you win awards or gain new experiences.
If you have some time on your hands and want to boost your business, these tips for creating a LinkedIn profile should help:
Choosing The Right Photo
The first thing that anyone will notice about your profile is the picture on display. It should go without saying that this photo needs to be as professional as possible. Make sure that you take the time to dress nicely and prepare yourself on the day you plan to do this headshot. It should be taken by a third-party, though this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go to a photography studio. It simply means that selfies should be avoided at all costs.
Make sure to take the picture in front of a clean backdrop. You don’t want anything too busy that might compete for your audience’s attention. Most people prefer to have a plain wall or neutral cloth behind them. A white background is a timeless and classic way to take a photo for your LinkedIn profile.
The background photo found on your LinkedIn profile is a little more lenient than your profile picture. For this, you can use anything funeral related. You may already have a collection of pictures from your other social media platforms that could be used here. Consider taking pictures of floral arrangements, beautiful memorial statues, and other tasteful images. If you can’t find a picture that will work, try using just a solid colour that represents your brand.
Name & Headline
After your picture, the first thing that most people will notice is your name. For the most part, you will want to list your full name here instead of your nickname. Remember, this is a professional platform so if you have any professional credentials, this is also the best place to list them.
Underneath your name is the all-important headline that lists what you do. Before you fill it out on the LinkedIn website, make a list of all the different duties that you perform on a regular basis. Most funeral home directors perform several different types of jobs to assist their clients. Whittle your list down to the most common duties you perform and list as many as you can in the headline. You will be limited to 120 characters so try to make the most of them.
Many people try to put the name of their funeral home in the headline, but this is unnecessary. It isn’t a bad idea to place it here if you have some character count left, but the name of your funeral home will show up as your current position so you don’t need to list it in the name or headline.
Company Website
Under the contact information section of your LinkedIn profile, you have the option to list your company website. By the time you are making social media accounts, you should already have a professionally developed website that caters to your customers. It should be easy to navigate and understand. The images should be tasteful, modern, and inviting. The website for your business should tell the story of who you are. If this describes your website, make sure to include the URL for it in the contact information section.
Some funeral homes are still working on developing their website. If you don’t yet have a sleek new website that you’re proud to show customers, consider linking to social media platforms instead. Most people will still click through the link to see the material you post on Facebook or Instagram. This is a great way to grow all of your social media platforms at one time.
You do have the option to add up to three websites, so consider which links are the most important to you. It may be worthwhile to add your website, your Facebook page, and your blog so that there is something for everyone.
Summary
Your summary is where you can brag about yourself. This is the first place where you can go into great detail about what you offer. However, it is recommended to keep it as brief as possible while still providing pertinent details. Consider the most important aspects of your business and what sets it apart. This is the best place to get potential customers sold on your services instead of those offered by a competitor.
Here are just a few things that you should consider adding in the summary section of your LinkedIn profile:
- Training and professional experience
- Continued education credits
- Awards
- Years of experience
- Professional organization involvement
Fit as many details as you can without boring readers. If something doesn’t fit in this section, you may still be able to add it to the rest of the profile. The remaining section closely resembles a resume and provides space for those extra details that simply don’t flow with the summary information.
Gather Up The Details
LinkedIn is a great platform for funeral homeowners and directors to brag about their experiences. If your training and award-winning service sets you apart from competitors, this is the place to let your customers know all about it. Before you start, sit down with a pen and paper to come up with a list of things that set you apart. From here, filling out your profile is as easy as can be.