Start thinking as others might think about you: why you-not the ego-centered you, but the professional you.
Now take a step away from yourself. Answer these open-ended questions in your own way:
- Why do people you know already continue to do business with you?
- What are your core values?
- Said another way: What is your value proposition?
- Or another way: Where is the pain others experience in business that you can relieve?
- Why would people you don’t know even consider you as a business partner?
- Finally, answer completely: why you?
If you can’t express this well, you have a lot of work ahead.
If you can’t describe yourself and your unique capabilities, no one can. And no one will consider you as a potential business connection.
We buy with our eyes and inclinations. If yours is not immediately attractive, the buyer moves along.
Sorry to be so negative. But sometimes we all need that kick in the butt.
What to do to start the process? Print your LinkedIn profile on paper and start editing the heck out of it. Keep tweaking it. The end result will be better than where you started if you answer the questions above.
Don’t delay. Your competitor just improved his/her profile and now looks like a better potential business partner than you! Uh oh!