1 consolidated way to make your LinkedIn profile stand out

You are one in a million. But what if the number totals 500 million people in 200 countries? That's LinkedIn for you folks, where you digitally co-exist along with five percent of the world's population. Getting noticed in this jamboree is difficult, no doubt. But some researchers are claiming that there's a single way to make your profile stand out in this sea of ties.

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John Nemo's eye-opening article on the same topic starts out interestingly. He says, almost visualising the deep groans and sighs of his readers, “It can feel counterintuitive at first, but this approach works wonders in attracting new clients on the site.” Cutting short his suspense, he almost immediately says, “The key is to remember a golden rule of sales and marketing - the riches are in the niches!” Let's explore.

In advertising, there's a popular advice doled out by senior creative people to those starting out – don't try to talk to everyone in your ad, you won't be able to. This advice has stood the test of time valiantly. Not only does it sharpen one's message (imagine having to convince a mother, a banker, an athlete, a musician, a lawyer, and a businessman to buy a washing machine, all at the same time and under 30 seconds. It's not going to work), it also personalises and customises the message in such a way that all those spoken to believe that they are the only one's roped in on the benefits of the product. That's indeed the golden rule of doing most business – creating a personalised illusion. But how best can you apply this to ‘generate new sales leads, add clients and increase revenue’ on LinkedIn?

Give people what they truly need not what you think they need

According to business coach and consultant John Hawkins, “When you provide a service and you help people where they're at, with what they need versus what you think they need, all kinds of doors get opened and all kinds of people become interested.”

Research is an active process. And also the best way to target those who are truly in need of your product. If you nail the first TG, be rest assured, a good word of mouth, appreciation on social media will follow. This in turn, would attract those people who would have turned down your products if it did not have the push of credibility. Change the belief system from starting small to starting sharp and you will know exactly what to do.

Define your niche. Repeat it. Own it

Ask any propagandist and they will tell you that repetition is the name of the game. But before repetition comes the truth. Know what you are truly able to offer, study the market and make your offering stand out from the rest, do an on-ground research of your insight. Once all results work in your favour, roll with it.

The key factor here is, as Nemo puts it, is “the industry-specific vs. topic specific” approach. Choosing the right approach would help you narrow down your niches, until you reach that defining niche. And that's what will prove to be the game changer.

LinkedIn is a networking platform before it's anything else. Your success depends how well you can improvise and implement upon ideas that might unnerving at first. But the mark of any innovator is their ability to bank on their faith and build their faith on knowledge and research. When your intention is to connect because you foresee a mutually beneficial synapse, magic happens on LinkedIn and in life.