Oh no, she is going to look at my LinkedIn Profile Photo....
This is a common scenario for me whilst out networking: a new business acquaintance will ask me what I do. I tell them that I am a 'business connector - I save people time and money by finding them the right businesses to connect with, either as potential clients or strategic alliances for their business'. I then usually get asked how I do this and I explain that one of the tools I use for Social Selling is LinkedIn. Sometimes, however, their body language can then change dramatically. I have said the dreaded words 'LinkedIn Profile' which also means 'LinkedIn Picture'. You can sometimes see actual fear behind their eyes; we have swapped business cards and they know that I am going to go back to the office, look them up and see that picture - if indeed they have one. LinkedIn states that if you DO have a LinkedIn Profile picture, people are seven times more likely to click on your profile. But just because I am a LinkedIn Trainer, please don't be under the illusion that I am the only one who will be researching you from looking at your LinkedIn Profile and picture; nearly half of all B2B buyers will browse LinkedIn to find your profile.And studies have shown that it takes one-tenth of a second for someone to draw conclusions about you, based on that photo. 80 to 90 per cent of that first impression is based on just two qualities - trustworthiness and competence. Social Selling is about establishing credibility and giving prospects a reason to trust you. My top gripe is the 'selfie in the mirror' picture or the 'self-cropped shot' where the top of your head is cut off or you see part of the person next to you. These kind of photos should be reserved for Facebook and certainly not LinkedIn. If you are serious about your business or about getting a new job, you really should consider getting a professional photographer to take your LinkedIn picture. It needn't be a huge expense. I am not a fan of having my photo taken, but I knew that my photographer Tina Cleary of Clear Moments Photography would do her best to produce a photo that I could be proud of and she certainly achieved that. Read more on my website http://links2leads.co.uk/business/oh-no-going-look-linkedin-profile-photo