LinkedIn has been making many changes and one of the most exciting ones is updating the endorsement process in order to make it easy for other’s to endorse your LinkedIn page and vice versa. This new feature helps establish social proof and sets you apart as an expert in your field. Of course you can choose to not show them on your profile, which could be a good idea if you don’t have a fair amount, but if you are getting a lot of endorsements, you should certainly consider showing them off in order to gain the benefits.
To get started with the new LinkedIn endorsements feature, add skills that will show on your public profile. Ideally the skills will be relevant to the products and services your business is based around as that will help build trust for your business if you have a high number of endorsements for skills that would be of benefit to potential customers. You can add skills by going to “edit profile” at your LinkedIn account. As you enter skills into the box it will give a choice of pre-populated common skills, or you can add other skills that don’t all ready show up. Adding your most important skill first will be the most helpful for getting the most endorsements for that skill.
When you have your skills filled out you can search through your contacts and give them endorsements for the skills they have added to their profile. This will help encourage them to offer a reciprocal endorsement. This is also a great way to keep networking relationships growing. You can choose which skills you endorse others for by clicking the “X” next to the skill that you do not wish to endorse. When you have endorsed someone, they will get an email letting them know you have endorsed them.
Using the new LinkedIn endorsements feature, you can increase your social proof and instill your reputation as an expert in your field. Remember to add relevant skills to the products and services you are currently selling. Give other’s endorsements and consider sending them a “thank you” message when they also endorse you. As the endorsements are exchanged and you get more endorsements, you will begin to see an increase in your brand exposure. You will also start to get more attention from potential customers who can quickly tell that you are well endorsed by other professionals.
