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Why your LinkedIn headline isn’t working
If you’re like most executives and founders, you know your LinkedIn headline matters. It’s one of the first things people see on your profile. But here’s the thing, if your headline is vague or generic, it’s not doing you any favors.
Maybe it just says your job title, or it’s something like “Entrepreneur. Problem Solver. Innovator.” Sure, it sounds nice, but it doesn’t tell anyone what you actually do or who you help.
A strong headline is clear, specific, and compelling. It should immediately show someone the value you bring and why they should care. And the best way to create that kind of headline? You need to get laser-focused on your niche and your audience.
Step 1: Start with what you know best
Let’s keep this simple. Think about the broad topic you know inside and out. This is where you have deep experience or expertise.
For example, maybe your broad topic is leadership, marketing, finance, or technology. In my case, it’s helping professionals define their niche and communicate their value.
By focusing on a topic you know really well, you’re setting the foundation for everything else. Your experience is what makes people trust you, and it’s the reason they’ll want to work with you. Write it down: What’s the broad topic you know better than most people?
Step 2: Narrow it down to your niche
Now let’s take that broad topic and make it more specific. What’s the part of this topic you specialize in? What do people constantly come to you for?
For example, if your broad topic is marketing, maybe your niche is email marketing. If it’s leadership, maybe it’s executive coaching. The goal here is to find that one area where you can truly stand out.
Here’s an example:
- Broad topic: Marketing
- Niche: Email marketing
Or this:
- Broad topic: Leadership
- Niche: Building high-performing teams
The more specific you get, the clearer your focus becomes. That clarity is what helps people see the value you bring.
Step 3: Define who you help
This is the step that really makes your headline work. Ask yourself, “Who am I uniquely positioned to help?” Be as specific as possible.
For example:
- If your niche is email marketing, you might focus on helping seven-figure business owners.
- If your niche is leadership, you could specialize in helping startup founders scale their teams.
- If your niche is financial consulting, maybe you work with executives preparing for retirement.
Here’s the key: people want to feel like you get them. They want to know that you understand their unique challenges. The more specific you are about who you help, the easier it is to attract the right people to your profile.
Write it down:
- Broad topic
- Niche
- Audience
Putting it all together
Once you’ve identified your broad topic, niche, and audience, you can create a headline that speaks directly to the people you want to connect with. Here’s how it works:
Let’s say your answers look like this:
- Broad topic: Marketing
- Niche: Email marketing
- Audience: Seven-figure business owners
Your headline might be:
“I help seven-figure business owners grow their revenue through effective email marketing.”
Here’s another:
- Broad topic: Leadership
- Niche: Executive coaching
- Audience: Startup founders
headline:
“I coach startup founders to build high-performing teams and scale with confidence.”
This approach works because it tells people exactly who you are, what you do, and how you help. There’s no confusion or guesswork.
Why this matters for executives and founders
As a founder or executive, you’re busy. You don’t have time for messaging that doesn’t work. Your headline should be doing the heavy lifting for you, helping you stand out, attract the right people, and communicate your value in seconds.
When you’re clear about your niche and audience, it’s easier to build relationships, generate leads, and grow your business. A strong headline isn’t just about looking good on LinkedIn. It’s about creating opportunities.
What to do next
Take a few minutes to go through these steps. Write down your broad topic, niche, and audience. Once you’ve got those, experiment with a headline. Keep it short, clear, and specific.
Later, you can refine it as you get more feedback and insights. But for now, just start. The sooner you get clear on who you are and who you help, the sooner you’ll start attracting the right opportunities.
So, what’s your niche? Who do you help? Write it down, and let’s make LinkedIn work for you.