John Nemo’s Suggestions for Improving Your LinkedIn Profile
by David Marwick, KempMillJobAssist, 02.16.23
John Nemo makes his living by helping people improve their LinkedIn (LI) profiles and LI marketing.
(You can learn more about him at the end of this article.)
His philosophy for improving profiles can be captured in two statements:
- The riches are in the niches. That is, don’t try to be a “jack of all trades.” Instead, present yourself as an expert, even in a small field.
- Make your profile client-facing. That is, make it very easy to read and understand.
This article highlights his suggestions on how to improve three aspects of your profile
- your headline
- the introduction to your “About” section
- formatting your “About” section
Your Headline
Your headline is the text under your headshot. You are allowed up to 220 characters for this field.
In a 7-minute video, he offers advice on “How To Instantly Stand Out on LinkedIn!”
https://nemomediagroup.pages.ontraport.net/profile-headline-tips
He suggests that the ideal headline have two components:
- the service you provide and
- the niche audience you serve.
He also suggests that you avoid hype and hyperbole, Don’t describe yourself as a “ninja” or “guru.”
Finally, he suggests that you make your headline so clear and so simple that someone who views it will understand quickly and exactly what you do and whom you help.
For example, his LI headline is: “Done For You” LinkedIn Lead Generation [the service he provides] for Business Coaches, Consultants & Small Business Owners [the niche audience he serves].
The Introduction to Your “About” Section
His philosophy also informs his approach to the beginning of your “About” section.
A “client facing” profile does not focus on your education and experience, because potential clients don’t really care about these things. He quotes Dale Carnegie as saying, “Your customers only care about themselves–morning, noon, and after supper.”
Instead, it focuses on what you can do for your clients.
He offers the following formula for the beginning of your “About” section:
WHAT I DO: I help [target audience] achieve [their goal] by providing [product/service].
He provides three examples of excellent LI profiles:
- Kathryn J. Bishop (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-j-bishop-cpa/)
- Julian White (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hirejulianwhite/)
- Melissa (McAllister) Thibodeaux (https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissathibodeaux/) (Her current profile has been substantially changed from the version shown in the video.)
He elaborates on these themes in a 14-minute video, “The Key To a Client-Attracting LinkedIn Profile!,” which focuses on the first part of your “About” section. https://nemomediagroup.pages.ontraport.net/profile-strategy
Formatting Your “About” Section
One way of making your profile client-facing is to make it easier to read, but LI offers limited options.
In Word, you can use bold, italics, or underline to highlight text. But LI does not allow you to use any of these features.
However, to make your text more appealing, John uses CAPS to set off a series of short, readable paragraphs.
He also figured out a way to use “fancy” text to make it even more appealing.
Using CAPS for Emphasis
John’s “About” section poses eight questions–in caps–and then answers them.
Imagine that you’re holding a press conference and you get to pick the questions, not a bunch of hostile reporters who are trying to embarrass you.
Here are the questions he asks and answers in his “About” section. (For readability, I have used only initial caps.)
- What I do
- How I do it
- Why it works
- Services I provide
- Where you’ve seen me
- Big names
- What others say
- Ready to talk?
You can find his LI profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hirejohnnemo/. Notice that he uses his URL to pitch himself.
Another example is Debra Angilletta’s “About” section. She poses, and answers, five questions.
- What I do
- What makes me unique
- Why it works
- What accountants, bookkeepers, and financial coaches are saying
- Ready to get started?
You can find her LI profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/debraangilletta/
John helped format the profile of Tom Ziglar, son of super-salesman Zig Ziglar. His LI URL is
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-ziglar/
In an 18-minute video, John Nemo explains how he formatted Tom’s content:
John also helped prepare Terri Swinson’s profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terriswinson/
Using Emojis and “Fancy” Text
Although LI permits you to use only “plain vanilla” text, John discovered that you have more options.
Here’s a link to his 5-minute video about using emojis and “fancy” text to improve the appearance of your profile:
“How To Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out From The Crowd,” by John Nemo, 02.27.19
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-make-your-linkedin-profile-stand-out-from-crowd-john-nemo
You can find emojis at https://getemoji.com/
You can find “fancy” text at https://lingojam.com/FancyTextGenerator
Who Is John Nemo?
After working in journalism and public relations, John Nemo pivoted to start a career as an LI coach.
He started the Nemo Media Group a decade ago, offering LinkedIn and sales training to coaches, consultants, and small business owners.
You can learn more about him from his LI profile (linkedin.com/in/hirejohnnemo) and his company’s website (https://nemomediagroup.com/meet-john-nemo/).
John is in business to sell you his LI and other marketing services, but he provides a lot of content for free.