The festive / looking forward to 2024 edition!

My first edition of this newsletter in November gained 475 subscribers - thank you! That makes this the difficult 'second' edition. Let's see how it goes.

I hope what I share is genuinely useful, and actionable, for busy business owners who want to step up their presence on LinkedIn?.

Grab a mince pie, dive in, take action, and let me have your feedback.

Want to ensure your business STANDS OUT in 2024?

ICYMI, I recently shared my thoughts on the importance of STANDOUT for businesses with the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce.

The problem I see most businesses suffering from is this -

And in today's noisy world (especially on social media) it's more important than ever to ensure your business stands out.

The easiest way to get beyond being average and blending in with others in your sector is to really focus.

What's your One Thing?

The problem you solve for others? The Benefit they get? What makes it distinct?

Who's your One Person?

Your best / ideal customer? Identify who they are and write for them, and only them. The beauty of being so specific is, rather than cutting yourself off from prospective customers, people will remember you.

Focus your Marketing

Don't spread yourself too thin, or continually chase the latest shiny new marketing tool. Be selective where you appear.

Identify c.3 marketing channels you can use to meet your 'One Person'. Hang out where they hang out, and will be receptive to your message. For most B2Bs I'd say LinkedIn? is a pretty good bet! ??

Then show up consistently and frequently.

Why?

People can only work with you if they know who you are - and 95% of your target market aren't ready to buy what you offer, yet!

Should you use mass messaging and automation on LinkedIn? to drive leads for your business?

If you're a business owner like me you'll have been inundated with messages through LinkedIn? and email this year promising 'X leads per day' or 'we'll scale your business from ￡1k to ￡10m per month' (ok, a slight exaggeration, but not by too much ??).

So, is it worth considering mass-messaging and automation through LinkedIn? to reach prospects and generate leads for your business?

No!

Just because something is seemingly easy to do, doesn't mean it's right.

Consider this...with a conversion rate of 1%, for every 100 messages you send you're coming across as a spammer to 99 people. Is that really the reputation you want to build for your business?

It's far, far better to use LinkedIn? to stand out, build and nurture relationships over time.

Richard van der Blom shares his perspective in this 58 second clip.

Want to better understand today's B2B buyer journey?

The latest The Whole Marketer podcast where Abigail Dixon FCIM/ICF interviews Antonia Wade is definitely worth a listen.

Antonia explains how the B2B buyer journey has evolved a long way from the funnel approach most businesses still use.

My key out-takes;

• Rather than a static funnel, think of the buyer journey as an information exchange - a series of conversations over time.
• You need to meet buyers where they are, with the information they need at that stage.
• If you're not in the buyers mind when they go to select a supplier, you haven't got a hope.
• Often B2B buyers are educating themselves a long way in advance - you need to be seen and heard consistently as part of their journey.

Want to learn more? Check out Antonia's book Transforming the B2B Buyer Journey: Maximize brand value, improve conversion rates and build loyalty.

LinkedIn? 'How To' round up

There's loads of great (and some not-so-great) 'how to' content on LinkedIn?. Here are some of the most useful ones I've seen recently.

Are you making the most of your LinkedIn profile Featured’ section?

Sam Browne ?? guides you through why it’s so vital and how to supercharge yours https://lnkd.in/emsJ953F

Have you contributed to collaborative articles yet?

Yes, LinkedIn? is using them to validate AI generated content…but they are also a great opportunity to demonstrate your expertise. Find the full list of articles here https://lnkd.in/ec9a9_Qu

Struggling with your Company Page?

Michelle J Raymond shares her ultimate guide to improving company pages on the B2B Growth Podcast https://lnkd.in/e-FUEX_w

I (and you, if you're reading this) have made it to the end of the second edition of Stress Free Social.

If you'd like to grow your presence on social media in 2024, get in touch. We're taking on new clients from February.

Have a fabulous festive break ??

I'm sure we've met, but just in case...I'm Dan ????

I lead the team at BrandWorks Social where we help B2B SMEs stand out and grow their presence on social media (LinkedIn? especially) through consistent and engaging content.

I welcome feedback - so please leave a comment, message me or drop me a line at [email protected]