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7 Simple Steps to Generate Leads on LinkedIn

I recently received LinkedIn's highest badge of honor, and boy did it feel good!

Little did I know that after following only a few simple steps, LinkedIn would recognize me as an "All-Star!"

 

With LinkedIn All-Star status, your profile will receive 3x more profile traffic from searches and you're 40x times more likely to receive opportunities like connecting with new clients, breaching new markets, and making new connections in your area and industry! 😱

Only 7 simple steps to reach these results?! It's a no-brainer!

So, because I love to share the wealth, today I'm going to show you how you can get your very own shiny LinkedIn "All-Star" badge! I also designed a 10-Day LinkedIn Email Crash Course that will walk you through the steps little by little, as well as teach you what to post, how to participate in groups and more!

All star badge

 

Before starting ...

Before completing the 7 steps below, you'll want to check your meter to see where you weigh in. Maybe you're a step ahead and have already completed some of the steps in this post!

The social network's "Profile Strength Meter" will measure how robust the information in your profile is, then give you a score or "level."

There are 5 levels of LinkedIn profile strength:

  1. Beginner
  2. Intermediate
  3. Advanced
  4. Expert
  5. All-star

How to check your LinkedIn Profile Strength Meter:

  1. Click your profile photo icon at the top right of your LinkedIn homepage and select "View profile."
  2. Scroll down to below your top card, to find your meter. Move your cursor over the meter to see which level you're at and which steps you’ve already completed. 

How to see your badge level on LinkedIn

Depending on which level you're already at, you'll need to pay attention to the steps you haven't yet completed below to get your All-Star badge.

LinkedIn will even tell you what your next profile strength completion step is and you can follow the platform's prompts to get your badge. In this post, I'll give you tips and tricks for optimizing your profile at each step.

 

Here are the 7 steps to receive your LinkedIn 'All-Star' badge:

Step #1:  If you haven't yet, add your location (with ZIP code) and your industry.

To fill out your location and industry information, go back to "View Profile" and click the pencil icon to the right of your profile photo.

Scroll down to the "Country/Region" section and fill in the relevant fields. 

How to edit your profile details on LinkedIn

 

Step #2: Add your education information.

If you haven't yet added where you went to school, you'll first have to add this section to your profile. To do this begin in "View Profile" and start scrolling down until a bar appears at the top of your browser with a "Add Profile Section" drop-down button.

How to edit your education information on LinkedIn

Click the "+" option next to "Education" to add this section to your profile.

If you've already added your education information and would like to edit or view this info, simply scroll down within your profile until you see this section.

To edit select the pencil icon. To add another school select the "+."

How to view your education information on LinkedIn

 

Step #3: List 2 or more professional positions that you’ve held (including your current position), along with short descriptions of your roles.

Filling in your professional experience is very similar to adding your education information. If you haven't done so already, you'll have to add a profile section, as shown above. If you already have work positions listed, you can find them in your "Experience" section.

Add 2 or more professional positions to qualify for a LinkedIn All-Star badge. Also, be sure to add any work experience that establishes your expertise as a real estate agent.

RE/MAX Fine Properties agent, Jeff Fisher, does a good job of this on his LinkedIn profile. He lists his past experience directing critical departments for the City of Scottsdale (his current market) as well as his past experience working in a real estate investment company. Both of these positions give Jeff an advantage in the real estate industry. They prove that he knows his city from the inside out and has a keen insight into the Scottsdale market.

When adding your current and past work positions, make sure that each also has a short description of that role and your responsibilities there.  

Tips for writing a work position description:

  • Try to highlight any skills, experience or expertise that gives you a leg up in the real estate industry, like Jeff did above.
  • Be concise- keep your description under 2 paragraphs and only include the most important information and impressive accomplishments.
  • Include any quantifiable results or achievements if possible. For example: "My business is based on more than 80% referrals from happy clients." or "Over 300 transactions and $400 million in sales."

Get the LinkedIn crash course for real estate agents

 

Step #4: Write a professional summary.

Think of your LinkedIn summary like an intro to you and what you do. You know that very common, often dreaded, interview question- “So, tell me about yourself?” Well, that's basically what your LinkedIn summary is for. So let's go ahead and answer that question right off the bat.

Don't get too formal or fancy with your summary. Instead, try to treat this section of your profile like a conversation, between you and whoever is visiting your profile. Keep it light, relevant and interesting. Hit on a few main, impressive points and tie in some keywords for emphasis.

Your summary should incorporate your personality and your style, mention any strengths, specialties, or achievements and briefly touch on your professional experience (you already went into depth when you wrote descriptions for your past and current roles).

You've got 2,000 characters to welcome your visitors and tell them your story.

Here's a great example for inspiration:

Example of a great real estate agent profile on LikedIn

Step #5: Add a professional profile photo.

Did you know that LinkedIn profiles with a professional profile photo receive 14x the views?! 😱📸

Yup, that's right- your LinkedIn photo can make or break your LinkedIn reputation. So, let's make sure you've got a great one!

The 3 MUSTS of a LinkedIn headshot:

  1. Your photo doesn't necessarily have to be professionally shot, but it MUST be high- quality. If your photo is blurry, distorted or low resolution, don't bother uploading it. It will reflect poorly on your professionalism.
  2. Your photo MUST be recognizable (and look like you TODAY, not 10 years ago). Please, oh please, choose an up to date photo, and one that reflects how you look on a day-to-day basis. There's nothing worse than going to meet someone only to be startled by their in-person presence. Talk about a blow to your credibility.
  3. Your photo MUST be warm and welcoming. This should be a given (but you'd be surprised!). You want to come across as approachable and like an agent potential clients would like to have a conversation with.

Other tips for taking a professional LinkedIn photo:

  • If you can, try to choose a photo that reflects your personality.
  • Crop your photo just below the shoulders and make sure your face takes up at least 60% of the frame.
  • Wear something similar to what you’d wear to work on an average day.
  • Choose a simple background that's not distracting.
  • Use the same photo as your other social media channels to help with consistency and build brand recognition.

For inspiration, here are some examples of awesome LinkedIn profile photos:

Examples of great profile photos on LinkedIn

 

Step #6: Add at least 5 or more skills to your profile.

To receive your LinkedIn All-Star badge, you need to add at least 5 skills to your profile. Five is the minimum, but we don't suggest stopping there!

How to add skills to your LinkedIn profile:

  1. Click your profile photo on your upper right-hand toolbar and select "View Profile."
  2. Scroll down to your "Skills & Endorsements" sections and select "Add New Skill."
  3. From here you can either select skills from LinkedIn's recommendations, or begin typing a skill and select from the drop-down search.

You can add up to 50 skills to your profile. **Remember- add at least 5 skills to become an All-Star!

How to add skills and endorsements on LinkedIn

Take your LinkedIn profile to new levels! Learn how to get endorsements on your skills from your LinkedIn Connections and get LinkedIn recommendations to proudly display to your profile, sign up for our 10 Day LinkedIn Email Crash Course.

 

Step #7: Make 50+ connections.

LinkedIn provides several tools to help you find people within your network to connect with. To get started, navigate to the "My Network" tab on your upper toolbar.

My Network tab on LinkedIn

Option #1: On your left-hand toolbar, you'll find an area where you can sync your email address to LinkedIn. This will allow you to find and connect with contacts that you already know and have corresponded with. You can do this with multiple platforms and email addresses to make sure you're covering all your bases.

How to add personal contacts on LinkedIn

Option #2: Also under your "My Network" tab, you'll also find a section of connections "recommended for you" by LinkedIn, based on similar interests, work histories and others with whom you share mutual connections. Scroll through these recommendations to find tons of connections to add. In this section, LinkedIn also provides relevant groups you can join and companies you may be interested in following.

How to get people, groups, companies and hashtags recommended on LinkedIn

Option #3: As a third option, you can perform LinkedIn searches to find people to connect with. Because this last option is the most time consuming, I suggest starting with the first two, as you'll probably find most of your connections that way. If you're looking for someone specific though, this is the way to go!

Who to start searching for: friends, family members, current and past colleagues, and other alumni from the schools you attended. As a real estate agent, you can never have enough connections in your community!

Tip: Increase your chances for connection by taking your invites one step further- add a personal note to your invitation to connect. This can help spark a past client or colleague's memory or let someone know why you'd be a valuable LinkedIn connection to have.

 

Once you add 50 or more connections you'll be finished with the last step in the process and receive your LinkedIn All-Star status and badge!

All star badge on LinkedIn

 

Congrats, you did it!, you're officially an All-Star! 🎉🎉

Now that your profile is set up for success, you're ready to take things to the next level. For more tips and tricks to get the most out of LinkedIn for your real estate business, sign up for our 10-day LinkedIn Email Crash Course ⬇️⬇️

Get the LinkedIn crash course

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