Got self-confidence? LinkedIn results await entrepreneurs who are bold!

To achieve success in any area, one must have self-confidence. Whether you are pursuing an educational goal, seeking a promotion or new employment, starting a podcast, writing a book...whatever the case may be, self-confidence is what propels you forward to achieve the goal.

If you are an entrepreneur, your goal on LinkedIn is to generate quality business leads. LinkedIn has over 740+ million users. Undoubtedly, there are many LinkedIn users who may be viewed as your competitors, others who offer similar services or products. With this in mind, you have to stand out like a golden egg to outshine your competition on LinkedIn.

Standing out like a golden egg on LinkedIn begins with trusting yourself. If you don't have full confidence in your skills and expertise, you are not going to boldly utilize LinkedIn. When you lack self-confidence, you hide in the shadows and do more scrolling than posting and engaging. Or perhaps you are fueling your self-doubt by tracking the LinkedIn activity of your competitors. This can create mental roadblocks for you as you falsely compare yourself to them. Maybe they have more connections or followers. Maybe they have more engagement. All of this can be a very costly slipup! You force your ideal clients/customers to go to your competition because you have not established yourself as their ideal match.

When you radiate self-confidence, you draw favorable attention. That leads people to enter your sales funnel and ultimately they become your clients/customers.

Being an entrepreneur means staying in business. This involves constantly increasing awareness about your business. Continual marketing is a must-do for all businesses. This is even more true for solo-entrepreneurs and small businesses without substantial budgets for traditional marketing. As the number one social media platform for professional AND business purposes, LinkedIn is the ideal platform to generate business leads. But this can only be done when business owners boldly leverage the platform. The process of entrepreneurs boldly using LinkedIn does not mean being overly salesy with their content or direct messages. It does mean using best practices that are appropriate for the platform. Feel free to read past editions of the 'Shine Online Bulletin' to learn about LinkedIn best practices.

To stay on track with being BOLD on LinkedIn, keep these points in mind:

• Boss up! Don't blend in on LinkedIn and be perceived as a job seeker, career professional or generic user. Your profile should scream that you are a business owner and that you are open for business!
• Own your brand! Make sure your LinkedIn profile is fully optimized so it clearly conveys your expertise.
• Lean into your competitive advantage! What sets you apart for your competition? What differentiates you from your competitors? Are you consistently telling the story of why your ideal clients/customers should select you over your competition?
• Dispel self-doubt! Step out of the LinkedIn shadows and be your biggest fan! Put the spotlight on yourself, your business, your expertise, and your successes on a daily basis.

Just as self-confidence comes across when we enter a room and as we talk to someone, the same is true in the digital world. Think of LinkedIn as your stage. Step on the stage with your head up high with confidence. When you Shine Online as an entrepreneur it can translate in your business revenue increasing. Can you afford to turn your back on the business leads that await you on LinkedIn?

For ongoing LinkedIn related information, join Clarene's private Facebook group, LinkedIn Power Moves w/ Clarene. She goes Live in the group every Thursday at 7 pm CST with a different LinkedIn topic.

What LinkedIn topic suggestions would you like me to cover in future editions of the 'Shine Online Bulletin?' Feel free to send me a LinkedIn direct message with your suggestions.