Black Sales Journal

LinkedIn has basically revolutionized the online presence for business networking for professionals.  LinkedIn (History of LinkedIn – LinkedIn – Our Story) began in 2003 in a slightly cumbersome fashion in its onset but has emerged a well- constructed online aid for professionals in all lines of work who are networking, career hunting, or even looking to increase their knowledge of prospecting targets.  As of 2013, there were over 300 million LinkedIn users worldwide. If you are searching for the next position it could turn out to be almost indispensible.

Your LinkedIn Profile – Your Chance to Tell Your Story!

Today we will focus on your LinkedIn profile as an important portrait of you with all of your relevant information.  The most important aspect of this is that you have an opportunity to properly construct your profile.  This is fitting as this is your story and “you are the expert on yourself.”  No one can tell your story like you can!  If you are a sales professional, you need to exploit this online tool.

This profile underpins your online persona, so you need to really think over how you are going to construct it.

Do You Have an Existing Profile?

If you have an existing profile, you may want to refine it.  I have some quick tips that can help you.

Before you start revising your profile, you will note a button on the right hand side of the on the profile screen which will allow you to “broadcast” changes to your profile to those you are connected with.  I suggest that you toggle this switch to “NO” – “Do not publish an update to my network about my profile changes”. The reasoning here is that you are probably going to do these refinements and changes to your profile over the course of a couple or even a few sessions.  This will allow you to avoid sending numerous notifications to your network about things that many of them already know, and gives you a chance to complete and even modify your work without notifying friends of every change you make.  When you finish, if it is your preference, you can elect to have your profile changes made known to your contacts in real time.

Take time to review and modify your profile and keep it up to date.  Here is why:

• You are searchable- Potential employers can access your LinkedIn profile at any time.
• Electronic application – Many organizations allow you to apply for positions utilizing your LinkedIn profile.
• Added benefits – You can get the equivalent of a “short-link” code allowing you to send a link to your LinkedIn profile that you can embed on your electronic resume.

Don’t Have A LinkedIn Profile?

Whether you are an optimistic college senior or an accomplished professional you should consider taking this first step.

In my discussion above regarding refining an existing profile I suggested, “turning off” the update button.  I would suggest the same action when it comes to constructing your profile, as you may be building it over several sessions.  I don’t think that you necessarily want potential contacts and employer to see your profile in every phase of construction.

The ability to use this profile for job inquiries and increased visibility are big benefits.  I think of it as the job hunt tool of a lifetime! Before you begin your LinkedIn profile, you will want to do make sure that you have a copy of your resume handy as the profile simulates, and essentially turns into an electronic resume foyou.

Remember that your resume is something that you can share when you have an interest.  Your LinkedIn profile is viewable by LinkedIn users without permission.

With that in mind, you will want the profile to be cogently thought-out and without the “chaff” of insignificant short-term jobs.

Suggestion! – When you complete an actual application it is important that you detail all of your positions and the correct dates. If you do not have an actual application it is your responsibility to advise your hiring manager or HR person of the total sum of your positions by having a separate, all position inclusive, resume copy that details all positions you have worked.  This one is not used to garner prospective employer interest, but use this one to detail what you have been in your career.  This item is a necessity only when you actually need it.

The electronic view of you that your LinkedIn profile represents should generate interest by showing the scope of your experiences and the depth of your positions.  It should be concise and mistake free.

LinkedIn – Short link (Public Profile URL)

When using electronic mail (email) you have the ability to include a LinkedIn link to your profile.  If you are corresponding with potential employers regarding job opportunities, or networking with other professionals for whatever reason, you can include your electronic resume in the form of your profile by attaching this link.

At the profile page under the profile section is “Your Public Profile URL” which will allow you to edit, copy, and use this URL or “short link”.  In this section you also have the ability to create an HTML public profile badge that you can use in any HTML based web site, email, or other publication.
The use of a public profile URL is up to you, but it can be useful.

Remember These Points

You might want to give these profile suggestions some consideration:

If you currently have a profile refine it and keep it up to date.

• If you are newly constructing a profile, congratulations.  Do it well and realize it makes you searchable on the Internet by those who are LinkedIn as well.
• Avoid numerous updates being sent out as you refine or construct by turning off the automatic updates at least temporarily.
• Consider using the Public Profile URL as a way to send your information to others who are LinkedIn.

I will have more coming to you about maximizing your LinkedIn usage.  If you have any comments, please feel free to direct them to me at Michael.Parker@BlackSalesJournal.com.

Are you ever tempted to cheat?  Do you know some of your sales associates who have “went out of bounds” in this profession where they may be convinced that no one is watching?  Never give in to the temptation!

___________

I worked for a sales organization that believed in having sprint contests as well as sales incentives.  It was the nature of the beast to have a contest that had incentive trips, as many organizations have, as well as to have a contest to introduce, or spur the sales of slower moving products.

But this contest was different; it involved a sprint contest that would ‘pay’ on the basis of activity and not actual sales of the product.  In other words, you could get paid on the basis of working on something as opposed to the success of selling it.  Quite strange that an organization would be so desperate to get its sales professionals to work on a new product that they pay on the basis of working on it as opposed to the norm of selling the product.

Here is what I witnessed:

Sales reps in our office were buzzing as they talked about this new ‘program’ that they would be paid to deliver quotations on a new retirement product for small businesses and entrepreneurs.  You got paid for selling it, and if you did not sell it, you got paid in prizes and merchandise for getting to business owners to sit down and discuss it with you even if you did not sell it.  What could be better than that?

The unintended consequence of the contest was that unscrupulous sales professionals could easily augment their real activity with false activity in order to walk with some valuable prizes. As a matter of fact they could totally fabricate enough activity to walk away with stereos, televisions, sporting equipment, and gift certificates.  And that is just what happened.

Sales staff was tempted to ‘pad’ activity and those without morals did just that and were rewarded with a bounty of electronics and other items.  As a sales manager and a manager of sales managers for that same organization later in my career, it was clearly the example for what program never to undertake again.

Play Fair… Everywhere!

I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating.
Sophocles

Yes, companies can decide what programs not to implement again, but the bigger story here is not that there was a ‘dumb’ program; it is that when the moment availed itself, these sales professionals ‘cheated’ for trinkets.

They took the opportunity to ‘fudge’ their activity sheets for some items that they could already afford!  That is the problem with cheating.  Sales professionals work by a system, and the system can be ‘gamed’.   Even more, in most cases no one is watching many of the activities.

Mr. and Mrs. Clean

The impression that you will want to leave on your employer will be based on a squeaky clean image, which negates any perception that you might cheat.  The perception that you may cheat is as damaging as cheating itself.  You need to be Mr. or Mrs. Clean.  I have had this conversation with Black sales professionals on numerous occasions while mentoring.

With that in mind, you should note that if I were your sales manager, perception of your propensity to cheat would be based on some important points:

• If you will cheat your fellow sales professional or co-employee, you will cheat me!

• If you will cheat the IRS you will cheat me!

• If you will cheat on your wife, you will cheat me!

Cheating obviously occurs in more than the workplace.  In the areas that are above we must consider the possibility that if it is known you violated the truth, you can possibly do it to your employer.  You may have no intent to do it to your employer, but the perception that you could do it is what can damage you.

Your personal life is yours, but says a lot about you.  It helps you establish your credibility (Read This - BSJ 4/16– Credibility …You Can’t Buy it, You’ve Got to Earn It!) as well as build a positive perception of yourself as I stated BSJ 4/9/2012 Build a Positive Perception.

Cheating in the workplace includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Expense management
• Handling of company property (cars, computers, etc.)
• Your time management (while you are supposed to be working)
• Your sales prospect data

Protect you future and your career.  Put your energy into maintaining credibility and winning the right way.  Remember, it is always easier to tell the truth! (Read it in BSJ 6/30/2011 Telling the Truth…It Works Wonders for a Relationship).

Be the Best.

I welcome your comments.