LinkedIn Question: I want to build a client base & strong network on LinkedIn, where do I start ? (Q#116)

LinkedIn Question "I want to build a client base & strong network on LinkedIn: where do I start ?"

There are more business people joining social media every day: on LinkedIn in particular. So it seems the opportunities are growing rapidly. And they are.

But so is the "Noise" ...

so start by choosing your role (Noise / Entertainment / Purpose)

and then by defining your audience:

The problem is: as the opportunities grow so does the noise. The never ending deluge of messages and contents.

(Seth Godin: Permission Marketing is a great read to provide insights into how this works. Permission Marketing versus Interruption Marketing)

On LinkedIn are you:

adding to the Noise ? or

part of the Entertainment ? or

on Purpose ?

(1) Are you LinkedIn's target market (i.e. client) ?

The first trap on LinkedIn is the illusion that:

• LinkedIn has been created for you: so that you can build your network and your opportunities
• you are the client / beneficiary of LinkedIn

You aren't.

LinkedIn is set-up for the benefit of LinkedIn and their clients (advertisers)

You, your content and your attention and the "noise" you create: you are the product of LinkedIn to the extent that you add to the Noise (and "Entertainment") to grab the attention of others.

The more users there are on LinkedIn and the longer they spend on LinkedIn (the more of their attention that LinkedIn grabs) ie the more "audience attention" LinkedIn can offer to its clients the more advertising revenue LinkedIn can charge.

Park that thought for now: we will come back to it later in our journey together on LinkedIn

Lets get back to you, your network and your client base.

(2) The apparent ease with which you can reach so many: it's one of the social media traps

The second trap on LinkedIn is the apparent ease with which it appears you can reach so many so easily.

The trick for you to avoid this trap is to focus on how effectively you can reach the few so they become your clients.

In order to do that you need to be very targeted with who you want to reach: i.e. your audience.

(3) If you dont who your audience is, how will you reach them ?

Defining your audience is a critical step in defining your successful journey on LinkedIn: if your audience don't think that you are speaking to them specifically then why would they bother listening to you ?

The "Starting Point" to achieving your success on LinkedIn is answering this question: Who is your audience ?

• Your audience is who is supposed to be attracted to your profile (this delivers the Connections you want)
• Your audience is who is supposed to be interested in consuming your content (this delivers the Conversations you want)
• Your audience is who you want to have conversations with ... (this delivers the Clients you want)

If you don’t know who your audience is then how will know how to start on LinkedIn ?

Here is a quick set of questions that will help you to start with an updated version of your audience definition:

1. Who is your audience. Describe them in a sentence or two
2. Where are they ? their Location(s)
3. What Organisation(s) are they part of
4. What is their Role / Title ?
5. What is the Challenge they are facing they you address

This will help you find (search for) your audience on LinkedIn.

In our efforts to try and appeal to "everyone" we too often find ourselves appealing to "no one"

Take action: (1) make an initial definition of your audience (2) test the definition: see if you can find them on LinkedIn (3) share the definition with others (send me a description via Direct Message) (4) keep refining your definition as your understanding of LinkedIn, what you do and your audience evolves

Side note 1: this is what we are working towards:

Your success on LinkedIn depends on effectively sharing your own high value content, targeted to a specific audience, to encourage mutually beneficial conversations that create the opportunity of converting your audience into your customers / your connections (LinkedIn Maxim #1)

Follow here for more on LinkedIn Maxims

Follow here for more answers to questions that will help you to get LinkedIn to work for you

Q#116 #linkedin #thelinkedinstrategist #startups #digitalmarketing