Are you making these mistakes in LinkedIn?

I had the chance to talk with Jason Alba a few weeks ago. I’ve followed him on LinkedIn for awhile and really like his open, honest approach to his business and how to best use LinkedIn.

My question: “What are some of the biggest mistakes you see entrepreneurs making in LinkedIn?”

Here’s what we talked about:

1. Your profile is not comprehensive enough. When someone lands on your profile for whatever reason – whether it’s through a common connection, a purposeful search, or by complete accident – what will they find?

Will they stay to read more?

Many of us are not taking full advantage of our profiles. Your profile shouldn’t read like a resume – in fact, far from it. It should allow others to get a true sense of who you are from a professional standpoint. Take time to create a header that stands out, use a professional and friendly photo, and spend some time on that summary! Your summary is your story – it should intrigue your reader, make them want to say, “Wow! I need to get to know her!”

2. You’re a passive, once-in-a-great-while user. Like any succesful networking and relationship building, LinkedIn takes involvement. Search for keywords and companies to find people in your target market that you want to connect with – and seek people out. When you meet people at live networking events, follow up with a LinkedIn invitation. Search and join groups where your target market hangs out.

One last thing . . . make sure that profile is as clean, clear, concise, and pristine as possible. As a business owner you’re expected to be the best!