Is Your LinkedIn Headline Costing You Money?

article by Ritch Long and reprinted with permission
 
Warning: You only have 5 seconds!
When someone views your LinkedIn Profile, they only spend about 5 seconds reading your Profile Headline and deciding if they want to know more.
We are all busy. Our time is precious. And we are sure not going to waste it.
Fact, your Headline is the most important text item in your entire profile!
If your Headline doesn’t reach out and grab the reader’s attention, they will usually not read the rest of your Profile, and you have a lost opportunity.
120 Characters
That’s all the real estate you have in your LinkedIn Profile Headline (just below your name) to grab someone’s attention and get them to read about you and your offering. No matter if that offering is your product or your service or even if it’s YOU, when you’re searching for a new opportunity.
Your 120 character LinkedIn Profile Headline can make you or break you!
Want to increase your sales with just one tiny secret change to your Headline? Want to get twice as many viewers of your LinkedIn profile and have more people reaching out to you?
The Secret to an Attention Getting LinkedIn Profile Headline
LinkedIn only gives us 120 characters to create a mini-advertisement they call a Headline. This is actually an incredible opportunity for us, so it MUST BE GREAT! No Exceptions! 
Perfection is required! You MUST spend time on your Headline to win big!
Editing Your Headline - access your headline using the Edit Pencil at the top right of your Profile. Roughly divide your 120 character headline into thirds. 
No rules here – each “third” of your headline can vary in length.
The “Secret of Thirds”... 3 Tips and Tricks 

• Tip #1 - The “1st Third”

The 1st third must be the most attention getting short phrase you can muster. You have about 40 characters, give or take. Use one of these techniques:

• Briefly state a serious problem you are solving
• Ask a brief question
• Make a brief attention getting statement about what you do

Tip #2 - The “2nd Third”
Answer the statement you made in the “1st Third”. Use one of these techniques:

• Tell how you solve the serious problem you stated
• Answer the question you asked
• Explain why you are the expert that can help them

Tip #3 - The “3rd Third”
Create a Call-To-Action statement with urgency (use “Today or Now” etc). Use one of these techniques:

• Send them to your website or landing page
• Offer a demo, pdf, podcast or webinar etc
• Invite them to call you – and it’s ok to enter your phone number right in your headline 
• Say something like “Message Me To Chat Today”

Tip: For ideas, search for other eye catching LinkedIn Headlines for people in your field. Give yourself an hour to write and re-write your Killer Headline. 
You will love the results. It works!
And because it’s so important, I am going to repeat myself:
Your 120 character LinkedIn Profile Headline can make you or break you! 
As an example, here is my Headline from my LinkedIn Profile:
► Laser Targeted LinkedIn Lead Generation ► Trusted LinkedIn Marketing Expert ► Live Demo ► Message Me To Chat Today! 
And here is another example Headline from my client Art Kinkade in Orlando FL:
Have You Tried 3PL's and FAILED? I Help Businesses Control Their Logistics Costs. Message Me To Chat Today 
Art wrote to me after he had updated his Profile Header and said: "Thanks to you Ritch, my profile views are now over 350 a week, instead of a month."
Tip: Capitalize the First Letter of every word in your Headline, for maximum impact. And feel free to use a special symbol (sparingly), just keep it professional.
About Me
Having spent over four decades in high tech sales and marketing to customers such as Boeing, Southwest Airlines and NASA, I have a passion for helping people.
Over ten years on LinkedIn has also enabled me to meet, help and network with an incredible group of business owners and professionals.
Please share this information - and let me know if it helps you. 
-Ritch

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