My article on inc.com has been enthusiastically received so I think more detailed discussion than what I outlined, on each of the 8 ideas, is in order.
Create and use your own shortened LinkedIn URL. Look more polished when you use it on your website, resume, blog, slides, email signature, marketing materials, business cards, everywhere that can be used to learn more about you on LinkedIn.
If someone else has your same name at the end of the URL, be creative yet logical in what you choose.
If this looks familiar, it is a reprint of my March 10, 2016 blog post. It amazes me how few people take the time to shorten and personalize their LinkedIn URL so taking executive privilege, I will repeat it:
More pictures than narrative in this back-to-basics blog post.
When you joined LinkedIn, they assigned you a URL that includes your name but a lot of extra characters and numbers at the end. Take the time to make it reflect the care and attention you give your profile: shorten it with your name.
Edit your profile and find your LinkedIn URL and click the gear. Then edit the original URL and make your name end of the URL, and claim it. Perhaps that’s taken; add esq if you are an attorney or cpa (no caps allowed) if you are an accountant, or something else that you devise. Try again. I hope you can use your own name at the end of the shortened URL.
Then once it’s claimed, it’s yours for life. Use it:
- in your email signature
- on all your brochures
- on your business cards
- on your resume, if applicable
- on all your slides in a deck
- anywhere your material goes that will lead the curious mind to ask, “how do I find more about this person?”
That takes them to your fine-tuned LinkedIn profile, expressing why you do what you do, in your own words. You will then look better on LinkedIn,. more detail-oriented, for having taken the time to claim your own shortened, personalized URL.
