Before we dig into really good stuff, it’s important that you get a correct perception about LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is the one social media channel you can’t afford to skip as a freelancer. Instead of considering linkedIn to be just about finding jobs try to consider it as a powerful marketing tool for people looking for connections that will pan out into business opportunity, which makes it an ideal platform for finding new clients.

Whether you have just started your journey as a freelancer or have expertise in your particular niche, you can be sure to reach your potential clients through LinkedIn.

So now the question arises, how do you attract potential clients or use linkedin as a way to boost up your business.

How to create an impressive LinkedIn profile?

To simply put, the more complete your profile, the better odds that potential clients will find you in the first place.

So, completeness is important from that standpoint. If anyone has clicked on your profile: he or she wants to know what skills you have, your past experience and what feedback you have received from your previous clients. And on the top of it, LinkedIn actually measures the completeness of your profile as you work and gives suggestions as to how you can make it stronger.

• Add a professional profile picture and a cover photo

LinkedIn is a platform for professionals. Your profile picture is the first thing that pops everywhere from your newsfeed to inbox messages. Choose a clear, friendly, and appropriately professional image.

The cover photo will be visible to everyone who visits your profile, use it to communicate who you are and what you stand for.

• Fill out your LinkedIn profile

Filling up your profile might feel like a grueling/mundane task. But it is worth the effort. A complete profile gives an insight to your brand and is more likely to get opportunities through LinkedIn.

• Write a Headline

Headline is the most visible aspect of your profile. Use that space to succinctly showcase your speciality. And also, it is critical from a search perspective. So keeping it short and crisp and keyword optimized is advisable. The more specific you can be about what sets you apart from the competition, the better. For example, SEO Content Writer, Mobile Developer, etc.

• Summary

Basically, your summary should be around 3-5 paragraphs long. It should walk the reader through your works, passions, key skills and unique qualifications. Be concise and approach it like a cover letter.

• Add your Work Experience

Use this section as your advantage, add your website’s link, projects you have worked on, articles you have drafted or anything else that can provide a more multimedia look at your work. For each entry include your core responsibilities, deliverables, measurables and outcome achieved.

As a freelancer, you can list down all the major works you have worked on. 

• Education

This section is crucial for networking purposes. Let people know your educational details including your degree and colleges you attended.

• Add relevant skills

It is one of the quickest of quick wins on LinkedIn- scroll through the skills and select the relevant ones. Doing so will help to substantiate the description in your Headline and Summary and provides a platform for others to endorse you.

Listing them is only half the job done, reach out to your former clients to get endorsements. Every endorsement you get improves your credibility.

How to use LinkedIn for client outreach?

Now that you’ve set your linkedIn profile, the next step is to bring potential clients to your profile. 

• Do your research

Sending a connection request and then pitching prospects out of the blue won’t earn you any results. Conducting research about your prospect is the best option you can follow. Find out their requirements and then send a connection request. Be sure to personalize your connection request.

• Build your rapport with the prospect

After your connection request is accepted, don’t pitch them right away. First, study their profile, engage with them, understand their pain points and what interests them. 

• Join Groups

Groups on LinkedIn are a great source of industry info- but if you use them smartly, they are also a great source of getting you potential work. The key is really making sure that you are using groups properly. For instance, if you are a content writer it makes a lot of sense to be joining groups in that particular niche- but don’t draw the line there. Also consider joining the groups that reflect the kind of industry that you are keen to work in.

If you are thinking of using linkedIn to find work- you’re unlikely to find it digitally socializing with like-minded people.

Instead, think about the place where your potential clients might hangout- and get yourself there.

• Build credibility with endorsements

90% of the people trust reviews and recommendations written by strangers online as much as they do a referral from a person online. This means that the more reviews and recommendations your profile has the more put together & credible your profile looks.

• Engage, engage and engage

Like all the good social media platforms, LinkedIn presents you with a newsfeed- a rundown of what your connections are doing. The newsfeed offers up an insight into where your connections have been liking, commenting and engaging themselves. 

You can do the same. Engage with these threads, throw your opinions, share professional tips. Once you start engaging you put yourself in front of the people who matter.

• Create content

Although it’s not something you need to do daily, it's really useful to create some useful content on linkedIn. What you decide on is entirely up to you. Have you got a side project you are working on that you would like to show off? Perhaps you have created something for your client and you’d like to share your efforts? Maybe you just want to share a motivational quote or do storytelling? 

Whatever you decide to create there is plenty of space on LinkedIn for transmitting your message and connecting with people. Your clients will find you approachable and credible if your voice resonates with them.

Regardless of your expertise, if you are in a hunt for steady stream of freelance projects is to build a personal brand. Build a profile, optimize it, grow your network and build relationships- all of these elements will guarantee that you will find the right opportunity at the right time.