One of the most often over-looked slides in a deck is the speaker’s LinkedIn profile page. We say this because it’s a sure bet that before, during or after you give a presentation, at least half of the audience is checking you out online to see just how much they should listen to what you say. If the profile looks amateurish, you’ll be written off faster than you can say, “I don’t do social networks!”
It’s important that presenters take the time to build a professional profile page that succinctly but thoroughly summarizes their experience and expertise. Here are a few tips:
1. First Impressions Last 7 Seconds (and probably shorter online): Your title, industry, and the first couple of lines in your bio text are the first and sometimes only things people scan when they view your profile. Make it count: your title/headline should be both relatable and unique, and the first paragraph of your bio text needs to capture what it is you do for people who pay you money.
2. Make It Interesting: To the extent that you have good media available, adding video, presentations, white papers and other documentation that reflects your expertise is key to communicating credibility. People don’t have to view everything for it to count, either: the appearance of a completely built-out profile page is often enough to suggest you know what you’re doing.
3. Extend the Education: People are on LinkedIn to develop professionally. Part of this is to connect with people; the other part is exposure to ideas and information. A lot of this we get through LinkedIn Today (the news section), Groups and our news feed. But your profile page can be a useful resource for getting your advice out to the people that land there. In addition to video, presentations and white papers, you can go to ‘More’ —> ‘Applications’ to find things like readings lists, share travel schedules and even get your blog embedded into your profile.
The point is to make your LinkedIn Profile a hub for people checking out your credibility to not only walk away impressed, but to be inclined to check back in from time to time because, as a personal brand, you provide enough utility that they find value in said action.
Remember, anytime you present, people are going to your profile page. So take a moment before every presentation to peruse the page and make sure everything is up to date and reflective of the message you want to deliver.
Question: How do you incorporate your LinkedIn presence into your presentations?
