By Francis Newman

Convert your LinkedIn profile into a lead generating marketing hub.

The LinkedIn profile template was originally created for professionals seeking career opportunities. But if you’re a small business owner wanting to generate new business leads you’ll need to modify the template.

You might say, what about company pages? They work well for medium to large businesses, especially those with big product ranges. But the personal profile is better suited to the small business owner offering services based on their own expertise.

Here are some simple profile changes you can make

I’m not going into how you should write your profile, build your network and create groups because there are many excellent books and tutorials on those topics.

1. Professional header
Limited to 120 characters including spaces

Make the first part of your header your main proposition. Use the second part for services or your talks/books (if you’re an accomplished speaker/author). Make sure you include your main keywords.

2. Summary
Body text: 2,000 characters including spaces

This is your opportunity to attract people using a friendly and helpful voice. Your summary should flow like a good conversation. Explain how you’ve helped your clients and the services you provided. Write in the first person. Include your main keywords, but don’t over-do it. Use your own words and avoid jargon and hyped claims.

List your services at the end of the summary.

Use the media buttons to add articles, case studies and videos to support your summary.

There are two media buttons: ‘Upload’ and ‘Link.’ Use the ‘Upload,’ button to upload file images, videos and presentations to the LinkedIn server.

Use the ‘Link’ button to link to external websites such as your blog or video channels. Just paste the source url into the box and click save. Your content will appear as a thumbnail image.

3. Experience section
Title: 100 characters including spaces
Body text: 2,000 characters including spaces

The experience sections are normally used to list the companies you worked for, your role, responsibilities and success stories.

So instead of adding a company name use a ‘service area’ such as ‘copywriting services’ in the ‘Title’ box, then in the ‘Company’ box add a role relating to the service area such as ‘copywriter’ and ‘marketer.’

These services should relate to the list at the end of your profile summary.

In the ‘Description’ box, add a list of services relating to the main service area and include keywords relating only to that service area. They might include: Marketing propositions, website restructuring, articles, case studies, videos, capability and product brochures.

You could expand your services by adding another paragraph.

Use the media buttons to add a service icon, article, case study or video to support your service. Adding media is carried out using the same process as the summary section.

Repeat this procedure for all your services. Make sure the ‘Share with network’ button is enabled.

Create a new experience section for your business trading name
Title: 100 characters including spaces
Body text: 2,000 characters including spaces

Write a capability profile that sums up your approach, knowledge of what you do and the way clients have improved their business performance.

Repeat the list of services used in your profile summary.

Use the media buttons to add supporting case studies, reports or articles.

Create a new experience section for a client business
Title: 100 characters including spaces
Body text: 2,000 characters including spaces

List the services you provided.

Include a case study summary paragraph.

Use the media links to include support material such as a case study, web page, video or report highlighting your results.

4. Skills and endorsements section

Repeat the list of services used in your profile summary.

You can also add complementary services below main services.

5. Testimonials section

Ask your clients for testimonials. They can be useful in confirming your reputation.

6. Publications
Title: 250 characters including spaces
Body text: 2,000 characters including spaces

The publications section is useful for adding articles, case studies and reports. Insert the title and your website url to add publications.

7. Groups
Title: 200 characters including spaces
Body text: 2,000 characters including spaces

Setup your own group or join groups based around your expertise and interests. Post your website articles and ask questions to engage people.