Key Takeaways:
1. Having a LinkedIn strategy only helps so much if you don’t use it consistently.
2. Start small! LinkedIn can be overwhelming as there is so much to do and can be hard to stay motivated if you are not seeing immediate results. Taking 20 minutes a day to connect, engage and share on LinkedIn is a great place to start.
3. Consistency is vital. Staying consistent with content, outreach, and updating is the best use of your time on LinkedIn.
Having a LinkedIn strategy is crucial, but if you don’t follow through with a plan and stay committed, you will likely be left wondering why you are not seeing results. I have talked to many clients who use LinkedIn here and there, log on two times a month, do 30 things and then log out again until the end of the month. I tend to remind them that consistency is key.
LinkedIn is a marathon, not a sprint. Seeing results and creating relationships on LinkedIn take time— it won’t happen overnight. Be committed to your process, share thoughtful insights, create meaningful content, and build relationships. Starting small will help to make LinkedIn and all of its features feel more manageable. You do not have to write eight pieces of original content a month! Start with 20 minutes a day of nurturing your network, following up with prospects, engaging with other people’s content, and sharing your own. You will be surprised how much you can accomplish in just 20 minutes a day!
Consistency with Outreach
Most prospects take multiple touches before they are ready to have a conversation or even respond. Think about how many messages you receive a week. Do you read them all? Thoughtful, non-salesy, and personalized messages are more likely to build a relationship. Following up, sending content, referencing a commonality or an event you both attended are all ways to build relationships via LinkedIn. Remember, there is a difference between following up and spamming someone.
Consistency with Content
We have written many blogs about how important content is, how it increases visibility, what performs best on LinkedIn, and the best way to share it. The key piece? Posting consistently. Your LinkedIn Company Page or you personally will benefit from sharing 2-3x per week rather than randomly throughout the month. Take the time at the beginning of the week to plan out your content with captions. Scrambling for content to put up just to say you did it is not going to benefit your page. Sharing, liking, and commenting on your connections’ content is also beneficial.
Consistently Keeping Your Profile Up to Date
Keeping your profile up to date is an important part of using LinkedIn. As you are continually doing outreach and sharing content, people are going to visit your profile. Make sure you have an intriguing headline, a recent headshot, and a nice background photo to tie it all together. Also, making sure that your experience is listed correctly and your about section tells your target audience who you are and what you do— people will be more likely to engage with you.
Are you looking for a LinkedIn strategy or need guidance on the best way to utilize LinkedIn for your organization? Our coaching, training, and profile development services can help. Reach out to us for more information on how you can maximize your organization’s LinkedIn strategy for business development, branding, and recruiting initiatives.
Be sure to check out our additional content on our company page, Instagram, and YouTube channel!
