LinkedIn Profile Mini-Audit for Speaker (Michala Liavaag) Ep 74

Unlock the secrets to transforming your LinkedIn profile into a magnet for speaking engagements and sales opportunities with cybersecurity expert Michala Liavaag and me, Brenda Meller. 

We review Michala's LinkedIn presence, pinpointing how to make her speaker identity pop with her header image and finessing profile components to shout her cybersecurity prowess from the virtual rooftops. Listeners will snag actionable tips on leveraging stage photos to beef up credibility and the art of crafting a message that reels in the ideal audience.

Dive deep into the craft of tailoring a LinkedIn profile for speaker bookings, as we emphasize the goldmine of having your contact info at the fingertips of future collaborators. Learn to spotlight your speaking triumphs in the featured section, finesse an about section that captures attention, and sidestep common blunders like broken images. Plus, don't miss our spotlight on Innovation Women, an incredible network bolstering female speakers worldwide, and a warm nod to our own Michala for her contributions. Join us and supercharge your speaking career with the insights from this episode!

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15 LinkedIn Profile Tips for Coaches and Consultants

FREE Download at mellermarketing.com/list

This checklist provides 15 quick and easy ways to update your LinkedIn profile TODAY and help generate more leads for your coaching / consulting business.

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My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie.

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast)

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:00

Hey, this is Brenda Moller, back again for another LinkedIn profile mini audit, and today I am joined by Michaela Leavage. Now did I say your name correctly, michaela, or please correct me if I said it wrong?

Speaker 2: 1:12

Very close. It's Lea Vorg at the end there, but very close.

Speaker 1: 1:16

All right, very good, thanks to have you on today, and today we're going to be looking at your profile Now, before I pull your profile up on screen, michaela, could you please tell us what is your signature? Talk of them so.

Speaker 2: 1:27

I've got two that I'm still toying between. One of them is about the queue of cybersecurity talent and getting it moving. The other is what I call a tale of two keyboards, which is focused around my career in cybersecurity, so from journalist to cybersecurity leader.

Speaker 1: 1:45

Okay, wonderful. And then are there any specific questions you have about your profile or about LinkedIn, before we start looking at it together?

Speaker 2: 1:52

I'll be really interested to see how I come across actually and particularly interested in how I can maximize leads through that, whether for speaking or other sales engagements as well.

Speaker 1: 2:06

Okay, let's look at it together. I'm going to pull your profile up on screen here in the background and as we get started, the first thing I'd like to look for is it clear to me that you're a speaker. So there's a couple ways that we can help identify that, and one is inside your headline, and I do see that you have the word speaker in your headline, so that's a good clue to me that you are a speaker. The other thing I'm looking for is what is the topic that you speak about, and I want to make sure that it's clear to me in the headline or in the header image, or in both of those areas. So it looks like your headline is reading protecting organizations through cybersecurity, leadership and training.

Speaker 1: 2:41

And then I see a couple other keywords in there cybersecurity, consultant, creator of the cybersecurity, conductors, companion as well. So I see a heavy focus on cybersecurity in your header image at the top. Now, stability is at the name of your company. It is yes, okay, very good. And then your is your tagline demystifying cybersecurity, or what is that a part of your logo as well?

Speaker 2: 3:05

It is part logo as well, but yes, it's the tagline.

Speaker 1: 3:08

Yes, okay, very good. And then underneath that, there's another line that says empowering leaders to build customer trust and protect their organizations. And then it says CSIO advisor the CSIO mentor and speaker. So one suggestion I have for you if you're looking to use LinkedIn to generate more speaking engagements, I want you to think about this header image that sits behind your headshot photo. It's like a billboard that we see on the side of a highway and I want you to think about, if you look up, look down and look up, what are your eyes drawn to? Now, my eyes are drawn to the name stability and then your photo.

Speaker 1: 3:43

And regarding the photo, here's my recommendation for you. We've already got your headshot photo in the lower left hand portion and that headshot photo will always be there. It's always going to accompany your LinkedIn header image. What if, instead of and it's a different photo you're wearing different as higher in there? But what if having, instead of having, a second photo of yourself? What if you were to take that out make the company logo small? Because, while the company logo is certainly important to help to brand you, I think really the message that, the key message you want people to walk away with, is that tagline demystifying cyber security. So what if we made that more of the focal point and made the stability logo smaller on that? What do you think about that?

Speaker 2: 4:27

I suppose the only thing is because it lit. That line is literally part of the logo. We'll end up with it twice.

Speaker 1: 4:35

Yeah, I see what you're saying. So, behind your headshot photo, I can see it. Actually, let me point over here In your zoom screen, we can see it. So stability and demystifying cybersecurity those are all one stacked image on there is what you're saying yeah, if that always stays together, then what if, instead, in the lower right-hand corner of your header image, where you have right now your headshot photo and your name, by the way, we also see your name and your photo in the lower left? Those are all.

Speaker 1: 5:06

It's the joke I use and this will help you to remember. It's the Department of Redundancy Department. We have it in there twice. The thing is, if we take out some things that are redundant, it gives bigger emphasis to items that are only listed in their ones. Then if we were to take out the photo and the name and you move your logo with the tagline down to the lower right-hand portion, then you could bring up the size of empowering leaders to build customer trust and protect their organization, so you can make that a larger focal point or emphasis in there. So, since I'm going to think about, I'm just giving you different modification. What do you have on here? I'll be honest with you, mikhail. It's a good, solid header image. In here. I'm just looking at what could we do differently to change it up and maybe to dial it up. Another thing you could do is do you have any pictures of yourself speaking on stage? By chance? I see yes, okay, so what you could do is instead of the yeah, from the website.

Speaker 1: 6:01

Instead of the generic illustrative photo that's in the background, what if it were a picture of you speaking on stage? Or we can see the audience either over your shoulder, the audience speaking, or you speaking off to the side, so we can see that it's you on stage with the audience and that says speaker, without even having any words in there at all. You certainly could superimpose words on their keynote speaker on cyber security, or you could put the name of your signature talk or something to that effect. But what I like to think about is like periodically changing out that header image with something new, because you'll have people that come to your profile multiple times. I like to call them readers, not stankers. Or sometimes people say I'm stalking you or I'm what's the other word that they use?

Speaker 2: 6:43

You can't think of it right now.

Speaker 1: 6:44

There's two words. They both sound negative to me. Instead of like I'm stalking you or it's really. What we're doing is we're researching people and some people will come to your profile multiple times before deciding to book you as a speaker so we can give them a different imagery. At the top, maybe a photograph of you speaking on stage. It shows that experience in the background there. Okay, I do want to commend you.

Speaker 1: 7:06

Next to your name, I see that you are using the name pronunciation field. I did play that before the call, but I forgot, if I remember. One thing to keep in mind is LinkedIn does give you 10 seconds for that name pronunciation field. So what I would recommend that you do is say the pronunciation of your first and last name. If there's any clues that you give people as to how to say it, then emphasize that. For example, in mine, I say it's Brenda Meller. It's like Keller, but with an M. What clues do you give people on how to pronounce it? I have a friend his name is Mark Strucheski and it's really long and difficult to sound, but it's just like chess the game and the key that you put in the door. So that helps people to know how to say the name in there.

Speaker 1: 7:50

By the way, as a speaker you could say hi, this is Brenda Meller. I do signature talks on how to get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie, so you've got 10 seconds in there and you can do a little bit of a plug for the talk that you give in that field as well. I have never thought of that. That's great, Thank you, yeah, absolutely. Now I'm going to click next on contact and no, keeping in mind that, for the most part, the only people that are going to be able to see this contact info are people that are first level connections. So, if you're a speaker, one thing I expect to see inside here is, within the website section, you can do three web pages in your contact info. Are any one of those three a link that would take you to a page where I can book you as a speaker?

Speaker 2: 8:31

Not directly. No. The first one, disabilitycouk, does have a page for speaking, but not directly, no.

Speaker 1: 8:39

Okay. So what I'd like to think about is using the contact info very strategically, and you can always swap out and put different web pages in here. It can be a home page, it can be a secondary page, it could be a YouTube video, maybe your speaker demo reel, if you have one. It could be an article showing you as a speaker, or things like that. But let's think about if speaking is one of the goals for your business. Let's make sure that one of those pages points to the speaking page of your website, keeping in mind that once they're there, they can always navigate back to the home page or navigate to other pages on the website, but it takes people to that desired section there. Okay, thank you, you're welcome. And then, since we know that some people are not going to be connected to you when they're visiting your profile, the next thing I'm looking for is it clear to me how I can get a hold of you when I'm poking around the other areas of your profile. One section you could do that is in featured, and I see here that we can work with stability. You can choose on-demand or booking. There's a booking link in here. You can certainly use something inside the featured section to promote yourself as a speaker, whether it's an image where somebody has booked you for an upcoming event, picture of you up on stage again, youtube video, so you could use at least one of these items to promote your speaking business. And then, as we scroll down in here, I'm looking at the about section next and I see, right in the first paragraph, are you an event? You're speaking directly to that speaking audience. Right there, are you an event organizer looking for a speaker, moderator or panelist, podcast host or guest or host? One thing I would suggest is keeping in mind that you're about section. You can do 2,600 characters in total. That's including spaces. I like to maximize that. But I also like to think about what's in the previewable area in the first four lines, because most people, mikaela, will not click on C-more. I want you to think about that. I like to think about it's a very precious real estate in the first four lines. Now what I like to do is maximize that by filling in as much as I can in the first four lines Before I get to the C-more break.

Speaker 1: 10:40

Your goal is to write it for people. Even if they don't write it, they don't click on C-more. But also what I like about this is right in the beginning. Are you an event organizer looking for a speaker? You have the link in there that they can visit to learn more. One modification that you can do and this can help to use some of that space is talk specifically about my signature. Talks include X and Y, or I'm an expert in cybersecurity and cybersecurity leadership training, so give them like two topics, for example. So if they're looking to book a speaker, moderator, panelist, podcast guest or host on the topics of A or B, so you could weave that inside there.

Speaker 1: 11:25

Then once we click on C-more, I'm looking in here. What I like about this is you've got short snackable chunks of cloppy. It's a marketing term, but I think it helps it to understand. It's easily to skim. I like your use of all caps in there. I like the fact that it's written in the first person. I like those emojis which are relevant to LinkedIn and they're strategic and how you're using them. So it makes it a little bit easy to skim through and read in here. And you've got all the items I look for description of you, a little bit of that backstory, why you're passionate about what you do, and now you've also got in here in the top skills section.

Speaker 1: 12:00

I was looking for public speaking and there it is. It's listed in there as well. Yeah, I think just the main thing would be just to modify the first four lines. What's in that previewable area? Is that helpful for you? Yeah, that's very helpful. Thank you Wonderful. And then, as we scroll down, I like to look for is there in the experience section? Is there a link for me to book you as a speaker as well, or to learn more about booking as a speaker? Because some people will skim on past the about section. It'll go right down to experience. They're not going to read anything except experience. Some people will only read about in that experience. So I like to think about duplicating information in both places so as you click on to expand that out, keeping in mind that I can't see your contact info unless we're first level connections. So either give them a website and or a phone number and or an email address where they can get a hold of you and make sure that's clearly spelled out in the experience section.

Speaker 2: 12:55

Okay. Would you actually include a speaker talk example in this role?

Speaker 1: 13:01

You certainly could. Related to that, I see that you do have some media in here. I'm not sure if there's two images that appear to be broken or there's not a preview image as associated with them. It happens for two reasons. One is LinkedIn's not picking an image it's not a social share image, has them and set up with it. The other is it could be a link that's no longer valid. Sometimes, when that happens, that broken link that appears.

Speaker 1: 13:22

But you certainly could upload in that media section a photo of you speaking on stage, for example. It could be the same photo you have in your header event, or it could be a different photo of something in there, or it could be a link to a YouTube video. It could certainly be a LinkedIn post in something in there as well. But just make sure anything that you have, that the thumbnail that we see here, is intentional. Okay, all right, I think we'll start to wrap up here for today, mckaylin. I just want to thank you again for reaching out and I've enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about you here today, and I just want to thank you so much for allowing me to give you the profile many out of today. Was this helpful for you? Yeah?

Speaker 2: 13:58

Thank you so much for giving your time on this today, because that's been really helpful, really insightful, and particularly about using that pronunciation space as a mini advert as well. So that's great, thank you.

Speaker 1: 14:09

Wonderful. Thank you again and hopefully I'll see you on a speaker friends Friday, and I'll give a little plug right now for our friends over at Innovation Women. I will drop the link into the show notes as well as in the YouTube video. If you're interested in learning more about Innovation Women, which is a wonderful organization for female speakers, or if you're an event planner looking to book female speakers, do you check us out, and we have a free call with Bobby Carleton every Friday morning at 8.45 am Eastern time. Now you're in the UK, so is it 2 pm your time or what time of day is it your time?

Speaker 2: 14:39

1.45 in the afternoon.

Speaker 1: 14:41

Yes, afternoon. I think she plans it strategically so that we can get folks from both sides of the plan joining us, so it's late to have that chance Awesome. All right, makayla. Thank you so much for joining, and have a wonderful day you too. Thank you, bye-bye.