Cold DMs bringing you out in a cold sweat? Your LinkedIn marketing efforts do NOT have to be all about awkward pitches to your new connections, because I know how icky that makes you feel. Did you know there’s actually a way of attracting warm, inbound leads into your LinkedIn inbox via your content alone?
If the thought of seeing message like “your content spoke to me” and “I saw your post – can I book in with you?” feels WAY more exciting and reassuring than yet another heart-pounding pitch, read on.
In this blog, I’ll be breaking down the essentials of LinkedIn content marketing so you can start doing it and discover a nicer way of getting work from the world’s biggest business network 🤝
Benefits of organic posts on LinkedIn
There are SO many benefits of writing your own content on LinkedIn. Here are a few:
- Harness the power of personal – have you ever seen a company page post go viral on LinkedIn? Me neither. Personal accounts hold ALL the power, so whether you’re posting for yourself or your employer, putting out content from your personal account gets you seen more
- Please the algorithm – I’m not one to obsess over algorithms, but LinkedIn LOVES you to keep users on the platform, so creating your own original posts rather than sharing links is a great way to be seen and noticed
- It’s free! Paid ads have their place, but once you master how to post organic content your audience laps up it’s a forever skill you can continue using for free
So, what do you need to know about LinkedIn marketing to attract warm inbound enquiries into your inbox?
Here’s a list of 13 tips to get clients from your LinkedIn content – save this and let me know how you get on!
1. Complete your LinkedIn profile
Before you make any posts or start engaging with others on LinkedIn, it’s time for some housekeeping.
Complete your LinkedIn profile so when your dream client goes snooping, they’re super impressed by what they see.
This means filling in your:
- Bio/about page
- Header
- Skills
- Work history
- Profile picture
- Cover photo
It’s never been easier to create your own images for your profile and cover photo using Canva, as they have tons of templates with the correct sizing and style ideas to make you look instantly more professional and attractive to your ideal customer.
You can also reach out to existing or former clients to request a recommendation about you and your work – this creates a fabulous impression and gives an insight into what it’s like to work with you.
Doing all of this is the foundation you build so that your brilliant content becomes the cherry on the top of a delicious cake your dream client is desperate for a slice of!
2. CONNECT with your LinkedIn audience!
Literally the point of LinkedIn. But how deep are your existing connections? Are you building real relationships, or collecting followers for the sake of numbers?
LinkedIn’s mission statement is to: connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.
So, next time you go on LinkedIn set a goal to deepen your relationships with existing and new connections. Get to know your audience – THIS is how you create LinkedIn posts that resonate HARD.
3. Be yourself
There are plenty of people on LinkedIn who do what you do, but HOW you do it sets you apart. There is nobody else in the world who can do what you do exactly the way you do it, so make the most of that!
I’ll be honest, this took me a while. I hid behind graphics and tips for the first 18 months of marketing myself as a content writer on LinkedIn, because I was wrapped up in comparison and feared people wouldn’t like me. I thought I would come across as unprofessional because I’m not a corporate hun.
But you know what?
As soon as I let go of that and started posting as myself, something changed. I got messages from people on my wavelength who liked what they say. Like you, I only want to work with people I like, so this became an excellent way to attract those humans and repel anyone who didn’t vibe with me (which is just as important).
You are perfect just the way you are (Bridget Jones flashbacks)!
(P.S. Unsure what makes you different? ASK! Reach out to connections, customers, and leads to ask what stood out about you, then lean into what makes you unique. This is the way to stand out in a crowd and get noticed by people whose values align with yours.)
4. Be vulnerable
Being vulnerable in your content invites connections because it gives your audience something real to relate to.
Yes, LinkedIn isn’t Facebook as we read on a weekly basis, but it’s a social media platform full of fellow humans who all have vulnerabilities, hobbies, fears, personal lives, and emotions.
So, open up and watch others become drawn to you because they relate to who you are and what you’re saying.
5. Be consistent
Consistency is SO IMPORTANT for attracting enquiries through LinkedIn. And this DOES NOT mean posting three times a day.
In fact, you can post once a week if you like – as long as it adds value and becomes a habit.
Hint: there’s more than one type of consistency, so I’m not just talking about how often you post – read my blog on the three key types of consistency to see how to be consistent in all of the crucial ways.
6. Tell stories
My favourite (and most ironic statistic)?
We remember stories 22x more than statistics.
Stories are a powerful way to communicate with your audience because they’re relatable and memorable.
Plus, many of us are evolved versions of our ideal client, so telling the story of how you got to where you are, what you overcome, and how you felt then and now are incredibly effective ways to attract people into your world and compel them to take action.
Stories can be about you, your clients (storytelling in case studies is a fabulous way of bringing your successes to life without making it about you), or analogies to convey an abstract concept.
7. Use images
LinkedIn posts with images get twice the interactions of text posts, so adding an image to your content is a great way to expand your reach and engagement.
For me, selfies work better than glossy professional images on LinkedIn posts – the irony of my audience on a professional platform preferring “real” pictures reinforcing the point about authenticity and vulnerability.
Plus, selfies are free and a great way to show different sides to your personality through your surroundings and style.
8. Mix it up
Posting the same type of content all the time will quickly see your LinkedIn connections switch off. Instead, vary your content by posting a nice mix of educational, inspiring, emotive, and entertaining posts.
Try carousels with tips, videos showing your face, texts posts with hot takes on a trending topic in your niche, and images to illustrate your point.
However, a word of caution. While a healthy mix of content types is great, it still needs to be recognisably you or your audience will struggle to grasp who you are and what you do, so experiment gently and make sure your brand voice and visual style is always consistent.
9. Use a hook
You’ve scrolled through LinkedIn, so you know you only see a short preview of the full-text post, so you only have a few words to grab your audience.
This is known as your HOOK.
Look at the types of hooks that draw you in and craft your own carefully to make sure people stop scrolling and want to read more.
Quick tips for a good hook:
- Create intrigue – e.g. I did NOT expect this to happen
- Use numbers – odd ones do well!
- Be emotive – every purchase is led by emotions
- Offer personal insight – we’re all nosey, right?
- Make it visually arresting – consider the layout, emojis, spacing, caps
- Use superlatives – e.g. this is THE BEST way to XXX
- Be honest – clickbait is NOT the one.
10. Have a strategy
Like you, I’ve been guilty of posting on LinkedIn on the fly at 7am before the morning rush begins. Winging it is one way of doing things, but it can feel stressful and chaotic for you, and confusing for your audience if they’re unsure what you’re all about.
Creating a LinkedIn marketing strategy is all about defining your purpose.
A strategy is more than a content posting schedule. It delves into what you want to achieve from LinkedIn, allowing you to work back and decide what you need to do on the platform to accomplish that.
Once you have a strategy, everything clicks into place and works towards the same goal, which makes it SO much easier to plan your content and create posts that really speak to your ideal client.
11. Repurpose
I’ve mentioned how original content is the best way to keep your audience engaged and excited by you, but I didn’t say you had to create everything from scratch every time.
In fact, this is one of the biggest mistakes I see female business owners making in their LinkedIn marketing.
Repurposing your content is THE BEST way to save yourself time while showing up authentically and consistently on LinkedIn.
The way I like to do this, and the formula that works best for my clients to post with ease and attract warm inbound enquiries, is to write a blog each month then break it down into multiple LinkedIn posts and emails.
Tip: I’ve already written several articles walking you through the process of writing a blog post and turning it into a month’s worth of content (minimum).
12. Engage with your LinkedIn audience
Getting hot and spicy LinkedIn enquiries isn’t all about posting great content.
Actually, that’s only the half of it (literally).
As a rule of thumb, it’s a great idea to spend 50% of your LinkedIn marketing time on writing and creating your own posts, and the other 50% engaging with others.
Engagement must be meaningful to work, so I’m not on about dropping a bunch of “great post!” comments on every post you see. This is about actually reading the post and replying with something thoughtful.
Have you noticed how often your connection’s comments on other people’s posts show up on your feed?
Commenting is a VERY powerful way to be seen and show your audience how knowledgable and brilliant you are, whilst aligning yourself with likeminded accounts and individuals.
Plus, the algorithm (that again!) also tracks your inbox activity, so it’s just as important and valuable to build relationships through private messages as it is to appear in the public space.
13. Check your analytics
LinkedIn has great analytical tools you can use to delve into what types of content your audience likes best.
Knowledge is power, so look at your stats and see what people like and then do more of it!
Get support with LinkedIn marketing as a female business owner
Hey, I’m Ali, a content writer turned mentor empowering women to create content on LinkedIn that attracts dream clients into your inbox.
Would you like to have a chat about how you can build a solid LinkedIn marketing strategy that makes that happen for you, so you can say EYC ya to awkward cold pitches and OH HI to an inbox of messages saying “your content spoke to me – can we work together”?
We need to talk! Book a FREE 30-minute virtual coffee and let’s take it from there.
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