You know those notifications you get from LinkedIn?
The ones that tell you, “Hey! Someone’s looking at you!”
No matter how often it happens, I still get a little rush of excitement…and anxiety.
You see, there are more than 467 million people on LinkedIn today. In an ultra-competitive market, where everyone seems to have a brand and a following, standing out is more important than ever.
If you’re seen as just another marketer / business owner / accountant / whatever you call yourself, then you’ll never make the meaningful connections you need to grow yourself, your career, or your business.
Here are 3 simple steps you can use to stand out from the 467 million others competing against you on LinkedIn:
STEP 1: DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF
Saying that you are a turns you into a commodity. The truth is, you are not just a “Consultant,” you are Strategic Business Mastermind or a Visionary Management Architect. You are different in at least one very distinct way.
Don’t be afraid to use adjectives here, they are your friends.
Pro Tip: If you’ve taken the Fascinate® Test, find your 5 Specialty Adjectives inside your profile. These words give you a big head start in differentiating yourself from others. If you haven’t taken the Test yet, you can get a taste at how you add value right here.
STEP 2: EXPLAIN HOW YOU ADD DISTINCT VALUE
Your highest distinct value is what you bring to the table when you are at your best. You can start to identify your distinct value by asking yourself these questions:
What do I do best?
What type of project or challenge makes you feel totally in the flow? When you love what you do, you are more engaged and thus, adding more value to whatever you are working on. Let people know what it is that you are best at, so that they can keep you top of mind for these types of projects.
How do I do it differently than anyone else?
This is where your personality comes in. Build off of the adjective(s) you used to differentiate yourself. Instead of saying that you design corporate logos (dull), say that you deliver iconic corporate branding that helps businesses stay relevant for years to come.
These two questions form the basis of your Anthem, a tagline for your personality. Anthems are a great shortcut to helping other people understand what you bring to the table. For example, an In-the-Know Business Strategist could have this as her Anthem: “At my best, I deliver informed strategy.”
Haven’t built your Anthem yet? You can do it in less than an hour, here.
STEP 3: BACK IT UP
It’s not enough to simply claim that you can deliver something in the future. You also need to illustrate how you have added value in the past. Think of at least one time when you solved a difficult problem or overcame a challenge. Highlight this story by tying it into how you are different, and what you do best.
You are a valuable person who can accomplish great things. Make sure that other people take notice, by following the three steps outlined above. You’ll immediately stand out from your competition, and you will start to make more meaningful connections every day.
