1. 13 Steps to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn is becoming a more important tool in both networking and business development. While I’ve
had a profile for many years, it wasn’t until I became a marketing director at a regional CPA firm that I got
serious about my own profile and helping others in the firm update their profiles. Here are a few basic
steps you can take to improve your profile.
1) Add a profile photo - I once heard someone describe not having a profile photo like showing up
for a cocktail party wearing a paper bag. While I think that characterization might be a little over the
top, remember that social media is a tool for building and enhancing relationships. If someone's
never met you in person and you don't have a profile photo, think about how important having a
profile photo is for allowing them to feel a sense of connection with you. Your photo doesn't have to
be an expensive headshot from a professional photographer, but make sure it's a flattering and
professional image as opposed to something you'd post from your family's 4th of July cookout.
2) Complete your profile - While I spent over six years with an incomplete profile, I never spent more
than 10 hours per year on the site until 2012. Because I'm now using my profile and my company's
page to promote our firm, I'm taking a much more serious stance on updating and maintaining my
profile. While I wouldn't advocate spending hours from your work week updating your profile unless
that fits with your professional responsibilities, I would recommend that you think of your LinkedIn
profile as the first place potential clients can learn more about you and your employer. More
importantly, an incomplete profile shows a lack of attention to detail - that's probably not a message
you want to send to prospective clients.
3) Connect with affinity groups - Whether you are an accountant, an engineer or a marketer, there's
a good chance there is a group or professional association you'll find useful to join on LinkedIn.
Whether you interest is in elevating your standing in a professional association, participating in
discussions or elevating your visibility, you'll find many opportunities with on-line groups. You will
need to evaluate the groups you join by reading and possibly responding to posts. One of the first
posts I received from an alumni group I joined was "How to get a flat belly and 6-pack abs". At 49,
I've either got the abs I want or the abs I'm destined to die with, in either event, I'm not sure LinkedIn
is the ecosystem in which I want to evaluate those choices. By the same token, another group I
joined, the association for accounting marketing (AAM), had a number of useful and informative
posts.
4) Connect with your co-workers - whether your interests is keeping up with posts or just expanding
your network, your co-workers can be a great source of additional personal and professional
connections.
5) Follow your company's LinkedIn page - You may not always be connected to the latest company
buzz, so being connected to the company page can yield interesting tidbits you might not get through
the grapevine. Staying connected with your company's page will also allow your connections to get
updates on what's happening in your company.
6) Connect with your clients - chances are good that your clients respect your work, they probably
like you, and they probably want to hear what you have to say – professionally speaking. Give them
a chance to tune in and provide feedback.
7) Follow your clients' company pages - This is a great way to gain insights on what's happening in
your client's firms. You can follow information they post as well as press releases and get insights on
their services and product offerings. This may also be a channel for picking up additional information
you may not get through your normal channels of communication.
8) Connect with former colleagues - Former colleagues can be great sources of information, but
they can also be champions for you and for your company in their new form. There's always the
chance that a former co-worker, knowing you and your firm's capability could become a great new
client.
9) Connect with target accounts and prospects - If you are already connected with contacts in target
accounts and prospects, you can learn more about them by connected. If you are not already
connected with people in these target accounts, you can learn more about them by doing research

2. 10) Connect with family and friends: who has a greater interest in seeing you succeed than friends a
family? If they can, they'll help you connect with potential clients and prospects and they'll be among
your biggest cheerleaders.
11) Connect with college and graduate school classmates - Like friends and family, your college and
graduate school classmates have known you for a long time and have a vested interest in your
success. Connect with them, and work with them to leverage their connections to help extend your
reach.
12) Use LinkedIn for research - Your basic LinkedIn membership allows you to get information on
your first and second degree connections (your friends and your friends' friends). If you have a
reasonable number of connections (I have over 500), your network of connections could extend
beyond 100,000 first and second degree connections. Think of what this could mean in terms of
connecting with new clients, prospects and professional contacts.
13) Ask for endorsements - In an increasingly on-line world, the value of endorsements and
recommendations will go up and the value of advertising will go down. Leverage the strength of your
LinkedIn profile by having your clients and colleagues endorse you. They are the people who know
your work best and they’re also interested in your success.
Edward D. Warren is Director of Marketing for Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC.
SEK&Co. is a regional CPA firm serving client in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and
West Virginia. Ed earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the
University of Baltimore and an MBA from Loyola University of Maryland. Ed has over 25
years of sales, marketing, business development, and general management
experience.