A website, social media presence, and portfolio are all essential tools for success for any graphic designer in the market – but do you have a LinkedIn profile? Whether you’re brand new to LinkedIn, or you haven’t touched your profile since college, you need to know how to optimize your LinkedIn profile to find your ideal clients! Simply having a LinkedIn profile is a huge step in the right direction, but by following these tips, you can easily leverage your profile and establish yourself as a leader in the graphic design world.
Check out these tips for using LinkedIn to your advantage as a graphic designer. Your next big client may be only one connect away!
Your Linkedin Profile
The best place to start when building your LinkedIn is on your personal profile! Potential clients and employers are looking at your work, but ultimately they are going to hire you. Infusing your personal profile with your personality and your branding shows off your style as well as your skills. Here’s what to include on your LinkedIn profile to set yourself up for success:
Header
- A polished profile photo – this does not have to be stuffy or business-y to be polished! A clear photo that shows your face (and your personality!) is great – even if it doesn’t have a professional background or editing.
- A cover photo that highlights your personal/professional branding, and can give potential clients an idea of your design style
- A headline that notes your professional title (aka what you do) – if you have a tagline or personal mission you use, this can go here too!
- Your current position and company, your industry, and if you’re currently “open to work” or accepting new clients!
about
Your ‘About’ section is next on your profile. Here you should include:
- A quick intro of who you are, what you do, and what you’re passionate about – why do you love graphic design?
- A brief overview of what you offer as a graphic designer, you don’t need to dive into every detail, but if you specialize in branding, illustration, or any other niche, this is a great place to mention it!
- Any recognition, awards, or accolades (but don’t sweat if you don’t have any)!
Experience
Finally we have your ‘Experience’ section:
- Note where you’re currently working (or if you’re freelancing), your current position, and how long you’ve worked there.
- Add additional experiences for other relevant positions. You don’t need to list your entire resume, or feel pressured to fill anything out in extreme detail – done is better than perfect!
Company Page or Services Page
From your personal profile, you can either create and link a Company page or set up a Services page. Having one of these options directly linked to your profile makes it easy for potential clients to find your business or see the services you offer.
Company Page
A company page is a great option if you are a business owner. You can highlight more about your company, its size, location, specialties, and you can even create separate posts on your company’s behalf. Make sure you link your website to this page so that visitors can find you!
Services Tab
We like to think about the services tab as the “lite” version of a company page. Here you can highlight your services from a predetermined list provided by LinkedIn, write a brief description of who you are and what you offer, and increase your chances of showing up in search when business owners are looking for freelancers on LinkedIn (which many do!).
Want to learn more about creating a LinkedIn Company page or Services Page? Check out our recent blog posts that highlight the process in greater detail!
How to Grow Your LinkedIn Network as a Graphic Designer
- Once your profile is optimized to showcase you and what you do – it’s time to start growing your network.
- If you’ve got a paid LinkedIn account, take advantage of LinkedIn Sales Navigator to build a filtered search that will connect you with your ideal client, potential employer, or potential employee.
- When you start connecting with people that you don’t know, always include a note! Keep it short, sweet, personal, and don’t jump straight into a pitch.
- Once you’ve started adding connections to your network engage! Comment on other people’s posts and engage in conversations happening on your feed.
- Create posts of your own! Visuals are big on LinkedIn, so don’t let your personal posting fall to the wayside! Create fun, engaging, and informative posts for your network to set their sights on! And make sure to engage on your own posts as well. The easiest way to build an engaged community is to engage yourself!
- After you’ve consistently engaged with and fostered relationships with your connections, then organically start a conversation that may lead toward a potential collaboration. Nobody likes to feel sold to 24/7, so just be yourself and show what you know you do best!
If you’re ready to make a name for yourself as a thought leader on LinkedIn by logging on, sharing your genius, and just basking in the glow of your newfound visibility- Thought Leaders Collective is the place for you!
You’ll get weekly LinkedIn prompts, access to our supportive Slack community, weekly co-working opportunities and much much more! Check it out and join us inside here!
Send us a message today to learn more and get started!
