Your advisors meet new prospects every day. Fifteen years ago, you would have told them to give each new contact a business card, but now your advice has changed. What is the best advice to give to advisors who will be connecting with new prospects? Work on your financial advisor’s LinkedIn summary!
The LinkedIn summary is the very first thing you see on a LinkedIn page under the contact information. It explains a person’s professional expertise and intentions to help new connections understand what a working relationship would be like.
The length of the summary should be comparable to your personal bio on your financial advisor’s website and should include information about the advisor’s professional skills, accomplishments, and goals with clients. Most summaries begin with a written statement, followed by a bulleted list of “specialties,” and LinkedIn now offers the opportunity to add videos, images, and documents to summaries to create a dynamic LinkedIn presence.
How to Write a LinkedIn Summary That Gets Results
Here are some basic guidelines for learning how to write a LinkedIn summary:
Your financial advisor’s LinkedIn summary must look professional and also meet compliance rules. Whether you craft your summary or hire a writer, your summary must be grammatically correct, well-structured, and polished. Your summary must include well-researched SEO keywords as well as your specialties, niche markets, and unique value proposition to target the best prospects.
Think of writing a LinkedIn summary the same way as writing the objective section of a resume. As briefly and concisely as you can, give readers a clear idea of what sets you apart and how you can help them. The primary difference between a LinkedIn summary and a resume is that the information you would typically provide during an interview must be communicated with your summary.
Communicate Your Expertise as a Financial Advisor
Your summary should define your advisory skills and how you can help readers with their financial planning. You should include your background and qualifications, outline your unique approach, and give readers an idea of what they can expect if they work with you.
Provide Proof of Your Expertise
From your education and degrees to awards you’ve received, it’s critical to “prove” your expertise to attract more prospects. Statistics, success stories, and other data give your authority in financial planning more credibility and a greater level of trust.
Highlight Your Unique Value Proposition
Avoid overused terms like “guru” or “master” and get to the point describing what makes you different. Do you have a specific service for which you have a particular proficiency? Are you a Social Security planning expert or specialize in retirement solutions? Include this relevant information when you’re writing a LinkedIn summary.
Add Video to Your LinkedIn Summary
Video is no longer a marketing and communication trend — video is a powerful marketing tool that engages your audience better than almost any other type of marketing. Videos can help establish your LinkedIn profile and generate interest within the LinkedIn community.
What Should My LinkedIn Summary Say?
Whether an advisor is writing a LinkedIn summary for the first time or updating an existing profile, here are some questions you can ask to point them in the right direction with their LinkedIn summaries:
LinkedIn Summary Examples
Now we can take a look at some LinkedIn summary examples that stand out and show off how it should be done.
Nicole Burdick
Nicole Burdick of Money Maven Financial
Samantha Russell
Susan Theder
Susan Theder of FMG
Learning how to write a LinkedIn summary is one of the most valuable skills for financial advisors who want to generate more leads. A summary that clearly conveys experience and expertise in an engaging way and outlines how you can help readers reach their financial goals will lead to more exposure and attract more prospects.
