So, this is a perfect time for focusing on business growth – and what better place to start than by getting your LinkedIn profile spick and span?

Here are a few quick tips to get your profile popping:

• Choose a fantastic profile picture: we can't stess enough how important your photo is. People do business with people – especially on LinkedIn, so don’t have a logo, group photo or cartoon. Be your lovely, smiling self, engaging and ready to connect.
• Add a background image: the large banner space behind your photo is a wonderful opportunity to show off what you do. Make sure it grabs people’s attention, is branded and self-explanatory.
• Let your headline work for you: your headline (or tagline) doesn’t have to be your job title – you can give a clear description of what you’re offering to potential clients. Loads of people will see this if you’re active on LinkedIn, and it’s a brilliant opportunity to sell yourself and your services.
• Summary or story: your LinkedIn summary doesn’t need to be a boring rendition of your CV. Write as you speak – enchant people with your personal story or explain why your work matters. What can you do for them? Why should they connect with you?
• Be convincing: LinkedIn’s rankings of over-used buzzwords include: ‘experienced’, ‘specialised’, ‘focused’, ‘strategic’, ‘passionate’ and ‘expert’. There's nothing wrong with describing yourself like this, but make sure you’re able to demonstrate to people that you have these qualities.
• Show off your skills: list skills that are relevant to you – ones that you actually have. This means that other people can endorse you, which strengthens your credibility. There’s no doubt that a good bank of endorsements helps to increase your credibility. And it’s nice to endorse other people.
• Ask for recommendations: a personal testimonial from someone who can genuinely substantiate your work is fantastic! Don’t feel shy or embarrassed to ask – if they’ve been happy with your services, there’s really no good reason why they should object to spending a few minutes telling the world.