How to avoid using clichés on LinkedIn

If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

I’ve been pondering this Zen riddle lately in relation to LinkedIn posts. Specifically, the way people fall into using clichés. Everyone is “delighted” when they announce something. But I bet they’re not delighted by the lack of engagement with the post.

Try this: scroll through your LinkedIn feed and see if there are any posts where people are “delighted to announce”. There are usually four main reasons LinkedIn users are delighted:

              …to welcome a new colleague

              …to announce a qualification in [insert CPD here]

              …to share an update about [new website, workshop or webinar]

              …to be appointed as

I’m not saying that people aren’t genuinely delighted by any of these professional developments (go you!). But I do think that there are other more imaginative ways to make announcements. To be honest when I see the word “delighted” in a post my eyes glaze over a bit. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who scrolls on to the next post that stands out more.

If someone announces something on LinkedIn without being “delighted” have they announced anything?

So how can you avoid using the word “delight” in your announcements? Is it simply a case of resorting to the thesaurus and going with joy, glee, pleasure, satisfaction, or relish?

I think you can do better than that. Try to think about who you really want to see your post. Who is it most relevant to? Who can make the vital introduction you need, or provide funding for your project? Think about why they might care about your news. Spend an extra few minutes thinking about how to make your post more interesting to them, make it stand out in a sea of other delighted announcements. Make it relevant. What you’re announcing is undoubtedly important to you, now make it important to “them.”

You don’t have to outrun the lion, you just have to run faster than the other gazelles.

By no means am I suggesting that you turn your LinkedIn posts into clickbait. “Irish copywriter shocks other LinkedIn users with this one clever trick…” All you have to do is make your post even marginally more interesting than the other delighted LinkedIn posters.

Here’s how you could flip the four posts above.

Announcing a new work colleague/board member

Instead of “I’m delighted to introduce Joe Bloggs…”

Try “Meet Joe Bloggs. Joe’s experience really impressed us at interview, especially his five years as customer service manager when he lived in Brazil. Today is his first day in his new role with us as…” In other words, actually introduce Joe Bloggs: tell people something about him, his experience and how having him as an employee will be beneficial to your clients.

Announcing that you’ve qualified in something or have done well in exams

Instead of “I’m delighted to announce that I’ve passed my exams in…”

Try “After 4 years of getting up early to watch webinars, staying up late to finish assignments and chewing the end of my pen in exams I’ve just got my results in…”

Or even “Did you know that the chances of an alien invasion in the next 15 years is 1 in 10,572? Neither did I until I completed an actuarial course on alien invasions. It’s part of my professional requirements to complete X number of hours of training each year, but it was so interesting that I got up at 5 every morning to study before work. Today I found out that I got a First.”

Sharing an update about your workshop, course or webinar

For a course/workshop or webinar think about what skills participants will learn and how it will improve their lives.

Instead of “I’m delighted to announce my webinar series on sewing”

Try “Is your wardrobe full of shirts with missing buttons? Can you hem a skirt or replace a zip? Would you like to learn how? Over the next five weeks I’ll be teaching….” Yes, some people might still scroll past but others will definitely recognise themselves as needing to take your course.

Announcing your new or revamped website

When your new website goes live it’s always nice to thank the people who helped you to create it, after all LinkedIn is a social network. Obviously you could include the web designer, developer, photographer and copywriter (ahem!) but you could also thank the clients who contributed testimonials, people who referred you to the right experts to help make your slick new website look great.

Instead of “I’m delighted to announce that my new website is now live.”

Try “Remember when websites’ home pages used to say ‘Welcome to my website’? I’m laying out the welcome mat on my brand new website today – especially for the following people who helped to make it happen…”

Announcing your new job title

So you’ve just been appointed as CEO of Acme Corp. Why did you make the change? Why this company, this role and not another one? What aspect of the job are you most looking forward to or will you find most challenging? Bring a bit of a story to your announcement.

Instead of “I’m delighted to announce that I’m the new CEO of Acme Corp.”

Try “Anyone who knows me knows how much I love working with creatives. Next week I’ll be starting my dream job as CEO of Acme Corp., which has been coming up with creative ways to try to catch Roadrunners for over 50 years. I can’t wait to get to know my new colleagues and devise new ways to help all of our Wile E. Coyote customers…”

Be the island in a sea of delighted announcements

Obviously, I’m having some fun here, I don’t know anything about the odds of alien invasions and everything I know about Acme Corp I learned a long time ago on Saturday mornings. But I do know that LinkedIn is a crowded place. If you want to get people to stop scrolling, to like and even comment on your posts then you need to do something a little different to everyone else.

Don’t just be as delighted as everyone else is, be your original, interesting self. If you were texting or phoning a friend with your good news what would you say? More likely “Guess what?” rather than “I’m delighted to announce…” Be a little bit more creative and you’ll seem a lot more human.

Recently I had something to be delighted about. An article I wrote appeared in the Sunday Times. Instead of announcing it with delight I went with something completely different, even a bit cringey,. I quoted the lyrics of Fame and tagged the people who made it happen: Ireland Together and my photographer, Eadaoin Curtin of Firechild Photography. So far, it’s been viewed over 7,000 times. And I’m really d… dumbfounded.

If you need help to make your company’s communication more interesting get in touch.