Hit the Mark with Bullets on your LinkedIn Profile
We all work on a shorter schedule nowadays. More and more often we try to ingest knowledge in bite-sized increments. The LinkedIn environment is no exception.
When we glance at LinkedIn profiles, we tend to only “read more” if it passes the “glance test”… if the ease of reading pulls us in. One way to draw people into your LinkedIn profile is to use bullets, like in a list. Using bullets breaks up the monotony of words and paragraphs and makes it easier for a viewer to see the most important points of what you are about in short order.
Bullets are:
♦ Easy to glean information from
♦ Attractive and soothing to the eye
♦ A sign that the writer cares that you understand
The bullet technique works best when used sparingly. We’ve all seen profiles that are either all bullets or are so heavy in it that we turn away; instead of reading, we hit the Back button. In addition to bullets, numbered lists also work well when appropriate.
Here’s how:
1. Write your profile in a word processor and copy/paste into LinkedIn
2. Pick a bullet “symbol” (or two) like this for example: ♦
3. Don’t use the outline formatting; instead insert the symbols themselves
4. Don’t let your bulleted lines wrap—its ugly and harder to read
5. Make sure the bullet topics have something in common
6. Try and keep the # of bullets to 3-5; combine them if you need to
It’s best to avoid starting or ending a section with bullets. The best place is somewhere in the middle, where they break up the text a bit. Imagine a good story that mixes it up a bit, taking you on a journey.
A block or a stair-step layout is the absolute best in terms of layout effect. For example:
♦ XXXXXXXX
♦ YYYYYYYYYYYY
♦ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
I hope this helps you make your profile more readable and actionable to others who may stop by for a look at you. Maybe they will stay a little longer and even reach out as a result.
I first discovered the ability to use symbols in the LinkedIn profile back in 2007 and the practice has spread, proving its effectiveness. I’ve done a lot with bullets and callouts in my LinkedIn profile ever since and it’s working well for me. Our clients make effective use of this particular technique as well.
Continue reading here: Sales Manager: Why Don't You Formally Meet 1:1 Monthly with Every Salesperson?
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