Here’s what you want your LinkedIn profile to say about you:
“I am clearly pet industry savvy.”
“I make the right business connections."
“I maintain good relationships with my connections.”
“I care about making a great first impression.”
These steps will help your profile convey these messages:
1. Focus on keyword optimization
Optimize your bio with specific keywords that will land you at the top of the search list. Why? Let’s say a reporter is searching LinkedIn for a Pet Boarding Expert in Nashville or a Dog Trainer in Houston. Much like Google, you want to be on the first page of the LinkedIn search engine by adding keywords that apply to your type of pet service.For example, if you are a dog trainer, you will want to have words like “dog training” and “dog trainer” all over your profile. This way, when a potential client or business partner searches for these words, your name is more likely to pop up within the first two pages.
Use specific keywords in these areas:
Headline
Summary
Work Experience
Skills
Interest
Now there are bound to be other pet professionals thinking the same thing. What you can do is be even more specific with your keywords. Incorporate your city into your keyword, for example, “Sonoma dog trainer”.
Ask a friend--or even better, someone who is not a connection--to search for your keywords and see where you end up. This will show you whom else you’re competing with and give you ideas on how else you can optimize your profile.
Summary
Work Experience
Skills
Interest
Now there are bound to be other pet professionals thinking the same thing. What you can do is be even more specific with your keywords. Incorporate your city into your keyword, for example, “Sonoma dog trainer”.
Ask a friend--or even better, someone who is not a connection--to search for your keywords and see where you end up. This will show you whom else you’re competing with and give you ideas on how else you can optimize your profile.
2. Ask for recommendations
Be proactive in getting recommendations. While an enthusiastic recommendation by one of your staff members is always appreciated, recommendations from accredited professionals are even better on your LinkedIn profile. Write one for their profile and you’ll have a better chance of receiving one.The recommendations show up in their own section alongside a picture of the LinkedIn member who wrote it. It does happen occasionally that someone will post up a recommendation on their own; but you can significantly increase the number of recommendations you have by simply asking people to write them for you. When you ask them to write a referral for you, ask them to include your keywords or give them ideas of things you would like them to highlight about their relationship with you. You don’t need to write the referral for them and you don’t want to go overboard but offering some food for thought goes a long way to help motivate the person you asked to get it done.
Good people to target are:
Pet care professionals you’ve partnered with on big projects
Business partners you would refer to your own clients
Veterinarians of the local community
Valued customers
3. Participate in Relevant Pet Industry Groups
The groups you follow and contribute to are important in demonstrating that you have pet industry knowledge. You can also create a strong support community within groups where you can ask other pet service business owners about how they have handle specific things about operations, marketing, or client services. Become a member of pet tradeshow and event groups where you will be able to make connections and get insider information from others attending. Having similar connections and commonalities with other group members may also place you in their “People You May Know” section.Here are a few pet industry groups to get you started:
Dog Lovers
Pet Industry International
Pet Industry Professionals
Superzoo
If you already follow several pet-related groups, find a new group filled with entrepreneurial minds like yours so that you can receive general tips of the best business practices. You can join up to 50 groups so put yourself out there and see where you find your time is best spent.
4. Make Connections!
LinkedIn like other social networks is more valuable and farther reaching the more contacts you have. Add all of your current customers. When reaching out to your customers, include a brief words of thanks for their business and then ask for the connection. Your customers are the best source of referrals and for recommendations.Take Action
Grab a piece of paper and start making lists of answers to these 3 questions:1. Who do I want a recommendation from?
2. What groups do I want to follow?
3. What specific keywords do I want to target?
Once you have these lists, it will be easier to make your LinkedIn profile more complete. A more complete profile will get you noticed as a pet professional, and soon partnership opportunities will be coming to you!
Throw Us a Bone!
What else do you think LinkedIn Pet Professionals should have on their profiles? Do you think LinkedIn should be integrated into your kennel software?JuliusKielaitis / Shutterstock.com
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