LINKEDIN and your HEADLINE

This may be controversial. I don't mean it to be.


The fashion is for one's LinkedIn Headline to say something like, "I help individuals who struggle with..."


But when B2B tech AEs and SDRs approach me obfuscating their job, combined with a "soft sell" / ambiguous message, I feel like someone is trying to put one past me.


That doesn't help me feel more warmly toward the individual.


In fact, quite the opposite.


Especially after I scroll down their LI page to see what their actual title / role is - to help me contextualize their outreach to me – and I see they’ve hidden they are in sales.


Especially with LI Connection requests.

 

Better to be clear about who you are, and make your communication be compelling - educational, entertaining, and relevant to me.

 

I don't know the whole truth or the only truth.

Others may have a different perspective I've not thought of.


Maybe the “I help…” framework works for other roles approaching other ICPs.

 

But for the B2B tech marketing cases I see approaching me, obfuscating your job combined with a "soft sell" / ambiguous message doesn’t feel honest.

 

One man's opinion (shakes fist at a cloud... cloud calmly sails on...).



🔎 Prospecting
🤝 Networking
👥 Social Selling
4
HarryCaray
Notable Contributor
3
HMFIC
I’m with you. I find it pretty annoying when I see “Change leader passionate about digital transformation” or something. Dead give away that they’re in sales. It’s like they’re ashamed of saying that they’re an account executive or sales manager. I don’t get it. 

Plus those cheesy headlines can come off as fairly pretentious. 
PhlipOut
Politicker
1
Account Executive
I"m not for it. You can write the spiel on the profile description VS the job title. But hey, people make up all kinds of things on LI
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
My headline is my title and I help x do y. 

What are the latest LI guidelines?
MrBravado
WR Officer
1
VP of Marketing
I guess guidelines would depend on who you refer to for guidance - and your typical prospect?

From my perspective - which is just a single data-point, after all - getting your actual job title in ahead of the "I help X do Y" format is the best of both worlds.    
Incognito
WR Officer
1
Master of Disaster
Nothing makes me cringe more than a lot of buzzwords broken up by emojis. 
Trinity
WR Officer
0
BusDev
Interesting. I can see why you would distrust someone with this kind of tactic. Gosh, after all, we all sell one way or another regardless of our role/job.
Savagedoge
Tycoon
0
Account Executive
I try to find a balance between creating intrigue and letting folks know what I’m selling. I wouldn’t use generic shit filled with buzzwords, nope. I wouldn’t put my title on my Bio either.
7

LinkedIn

Discussion
12
16

Emoji’s in your LinkedIn Headline are for douchebags

Question
21
Emojis in your LinkedIn headline
49% You’re a douche
40% Probably a douche
11% I’m not a douche! 🕺🏻
230 people voted
16

LinkedIn

Discussion
14