Your LinkedIn profile (full checklist)

Your LinkedIn profile is your online business card and storefront rolled into one. If it looks amateur, people assume you are an amateur — especially when you're asking businesses to trust you with their customers. Before any outreach, fix your profile.

Profile picture

A professional headshot showing your face — no caps, no sunglasses, no vacation selfie, no group shot, nothing blurry. A logo here feels impersonal. No good photo? Use an AI headshot tool (Aragon, HeadshotPro, Secta Labs) to make one from your photos. You can't complain about no replies if your headshot looks like a thumbnail.

Header / banner

A simple custom banner related to your vertical, or a clean generic image. Avoid rainbow explosions, anything garish, or something that looks like a cheap banner ad. Don't overthink it.

Headline (bio)

Keep it clear but not salesy. Good options:

• "CEO at [Company] | Get leads: yoursite.com"
• "Connecting [industry — e.g. home-service businesses] with verified customer opportunities"
• "[Founder / Owner] at [Company] | Focused on [specific niche]"

It should tell people your field without shouting "I SELL LEADS!". Avoid "Ninja", "Guru", or aggressive pain-point hooks like "Tired of crappy leads?".

About section

Write like you're introducing yourself at a networking event. Natural, conversational. A flow that works:

• Your area: "My focus is primarily within the [niche] space."
• What you do, simply: "I work with businesses in this sector to help connect them with potential new clients."
• Optional approach note: "We put a strong emphasis on verification and good fit before an introduction is made."
• End with your site: "To find out more, visit yoursite.com"

Avoid repeating "leads" over and over, aggressive openers, and hard CTAs ("DM me to get leads!").

Featured section

Add a featured banner linking to your company site — or an article you wrote, or a case study if you have one.

Experience & Education

List real companies that have actual LinkedIn company pages. Fill in your education — don't leave it blank.

Licenses, certifications & skills

List relevant certs/courses (adds validation). Add 10–15 skills: Marketing, Customer Acquisition, Lead Generation, Paid Advertising, Digital Marketing, etc.

Recommendations & connections

• Aim for 2–3 recommendations. No one to ask? Trade with a peer.
• A very low connection count looks inactive. Keep sending connection requests until you're 500+.

Profile checklist

• ☐ Professional headshot (clear, face-focused)
• ☐ Relevant, high-quality banner
• ☐ Headline optimized (clear, not salesy)
• ☐ About section complete (story, what you do, soft CTA)
• ☐ Featured section used (link/proof)
• ☐ Experience detailed (real companies)
• ☐ Education completed
• ☐ Licenses & certifications listed
• ☐ 10+ relevant skills
• ☐ 2+ recommendations
• ☐ 500+ connections

This matters double for you: outreach on LinkedIn (and the buyers who Google you after an email) all land on this profile. A credible profile turns cold outreach warm.

Next: your email setup — the other half of looking legitimate.