Why Your LinkedIn Profile Isn’t Winning Clients (and How to Fix It)
Amber Hobson & Ed Deason (United Kingdom)
Spending hours on LinkedIn every day, but still not signing new clients? Here’s what could be holding you back.
For coaches and consultants, LinkedIn should be a goldmine – but right now, you might feel like you’re winging it with posts, relying on word-of-mouth for client acquisition and avoiding outreach like the plague.
While there are numerous variables at play, the most common problem holding coaches back from signing consistent clients on LinkedIn is their messaging.
In this article, we’re going to outline some simple fixes to improve your messaging and make your LinkedIn profile a magnet for your ideal clients.
Common LinkedIn profile messaging mistakes
Fire up your profile right now in a separate tab and try to answer the following questions:
- What big problem do you solve?
- Who do you solve it for?
- What desired outcome do you promise?
- How can your ideal client get in touch with you/take action?
If you can’t answer these questions within 10 seconds, your ideal client won’t be able to either.
LinkedIn has dramatically evolved over the last decade; it’s time to stop treating your profile like a digital CV and start treating it like an advertisement written specifically for your ideal client.
A few common mistakes with LinkedIn profiles include:
- Cramming your headline with corporate jargon or buzzwords
- Leaving your banner blank (or using stock images)
- Making the profile all about you, not your ideal client
- Not providing a clear call to action
If you recognise any of these problems with your profile, don’t worry, luckily, it’s easy to fix!
How to fix your LinkedIn profile
The best way to fix your messaging problem is to get crystal clear on your WHO, WHAT & WHY.
- WHO is the ideal client for my offer?
- WHAT burning problem am I helping them solve?
- WHY should they care or choose me?
Being clear on WHO you serve helps your ideal client self-identify with your profile and content; ensure you’ve filled your profile with phrases/roles/names that your ideal client can relate to.
Articulating the WHAT of your offer in the most compelling way possible is essential. Rather than listing the deliverables and features of your offer, ensure you’re using emotive language that describes the frustration of your ideal client’s problem, or how it will feel when they achieve their desired transformation.
Good lead-generative messaging doesn’t just call out a problem, it makes your ideal client feel seen and understood. The WHY of your messaging should make your ideal client feel as though you’ve read their mind.
Your headline
A good formula to follow with your headline could look like this:
“I help [ideal client profile] to [solve burning problem] without [something they want to avoid].”
Here’s how that looks in action:
“I help founders book consistent sales calls without spending hours on LinkedIn.”
TIP: Don’t get hung-up on the WHO if you believe your offer could work for anyone. The idea is to choose your most IDEAL client profile. You can always help others along the way!
Your banner
As soon as they land on your profile, your prospect’s eyes will be drawn to your banner. This space should articulate the biggest desire they have.
Source: iCN Issue 51 (The Power of Group & Team Coaching); pages 32
About Ed Deason
Ed Deason is an EMCC-accredited business coach with an MBA from a top UK business school. After 15+ years in corporate strategy, he now works with ambitious founders and freelancers to help them scale without burning out. Most of Ed’s clients find him through LinkedIn, using exactly the same profile, content, and outreach strategies shared in this course. His aim for the course is simple: give business owners the confidence and skills to keep their pipeline full, whenever they need to.
About Amber Hobson
Amber is a LinkedIn lead-generation expert and ghostwriter. She’s partnered with founders, coaches and consultants to turn their LinkedIn into a client acquisition and brand-building machine. Passionate about financial freedom, Amber’s mission is to help as many solopreneurs and founders as she can to win new clients for their business.
