Why you need to STOP sliding into my DMs (plus my 10 Commandments for building trust on LinkedIn)

I recently posted a mini-rant on LinkedIn on a whim of angst and frustration.?(Yes, this is the mega version. Welcome, dear reader.)

It was about my mounting intolerance for so-called ‘personalised’ sales pitches (from complete strangers) that land in my LinkedIn inbox on the daily.

And, judging by that post’s high engagement, it resonated. (Looks like I’m not the only one fed up with the endless streams of irrelevant sales messages they receive on LinkedIn. Fancy that.)

Of course, we all know that unsolicited LinkedIn messaging is just a modern-day version of good ol’ fashioned cold calling – which has been around in some form since the dawn of time. Growing up in the 80s, for example, I recall my parents shooing away one dodgy door-to-door salesman after another every Sunday afternoon. Encyclopaedias, vacuum cleaners, insurance policies, bibles. You name it, they were selling it.?

Some people will swear black and blue that this old-school sales approach can be successful. But don’t you think that depends on how you define 'success'?

You see, cold calling is simply a numbers game: If you knock on enough doors – or slide into enough people’s DMs – a tiny percentage of buyers may inevitably emerge.

But does that really mean your approach has been a ‘success’??

Sure, you may eventually sell one vacuum cleaner at the end of a long day’s work. But how many people have you pissed off along the way? How many people will now run and hide at the mere sound of your approaching (proverbial) footsteps next time??

(Not the smartest way to go if you care about long-term brand equity, if you ask me.)

Ok, so let’s leave the 80s behind and fast forward to today’s version of cold calling which inspired this post: unsolicited sales pitches in our LinkedIn inboxes.?

Have you noticed that most of the people sending you these messages are consultants and coaches looking for long-term client relationships? Unlike Mr Encyclopaedia or Ms Vacuum Cleaner, they’re NOT looking for a quick sale.?

They’re selling their expertise – as an ongoing service.?

Now, as a service-based business owner myself, I can tell you this: I’ve never wanted to work with just anyone. In fact, the more selective I am about who we take on as a client, the better it is for everyone involved.??

But hold up… isn’t identifying a target audience Marketing 101??

What coach or consultant doesn’t know that throwing spaghetti at the ceiling and seeing what sticks is the least efficient and strategic way to find your ideal clients? (Not the ones you’d want to hire – trust me!)

And right there is the ultimate irony about this cold sales approach – especially in today’s world of digital marketing sophistication: Many of the people sending these DMs position themselves as sales, marketing and branding ‘experts’ who are at the forefront of their field.?

Excuse me, but WTF??

Surely that means they should understand – and practise – the basic principles of these disciplines. I’m talking about the non-negotiables like:

• Defining and homing in on your ideal customer
• Understanding your audience’s specific goals and pain points?
• Offering relevant content that speaks directly to those goals and pain points?
• Garnering trust and building your brand over time?

(Another irony that would have Alanis Morrisette salivating: Some of these people want to share their secrets for making ‘7 figures’ in under a year… because they’ve supposedly done it themselves. Now I don’t know about you, but if I recently made millions, I’d be jet-setting around the world, sipping champagne on my private yacht. I wouldn’t NEED to be blasting all corners of LinkedIn looking for my next client – that’s for sure! Credible much?)

Not for a moment am I suggesting that building trust on LinkedIn is easy. And I fully acknowledge that as a marketer and copywriter of 20+ years, this stuff comes more naturally to me than it does to most.?

Plus, creating quality LinkedIn content is time-consuming. And you must be committed to the cause. As I often say: It’s a marathon, not a sprint.?

But that doesn’t mean you should resort to becoming a LinkedIn SPAMMER and putting your personal and corporate brands on the line. Instead, learn and follow the basics of LinkedIn content marketing – and you will see a return on your investment. In time.?

So without further ado, here they are: My 10 Commandments for building trust on LinkedIn through content marketing.?

1. Thou SHALT be yourself

Post relevant content that aligns with your expertise… and your personality. Be real. Be vulnerable. And always, keep your tone conversational. No one’s scrolling through LinkedIn to read a corporate snooze-fest.

2. Thou SHALT offer genuine value

You know and understand your ideal customer – their needs, goals and pain points – so share content that’s genuinely relevant and helpful. Don’t think of it as ‘giving away free advice’. Think of it as building trust by demonstrating your value without asking for anything in return.

3. Thou SHALT engage, connect and interact

Reply to comments. Connect with people who reacted to your posts. And engage with other people’s posts you enjoy. This helps to build your profile – but more importantly, shows your connections that you’re supporting them too. After all, we’re all in this together!

4. Thou SHALT repurpose and recycle

Struggling to find something to say? Inspiration eluding you? Get into the habit of digging up old posts that performed particularly well – and republishing them (perhaps with a tweak or two). Trust me, people won’t know it’s a rehash. Their memories are not as sharp as you think they are.

5. Thou SHALT tag

Whenever you post about people or companies you work with, tagging them will extend your reach significantly. ‘Nuff said.

6. Thou shall NOT solicit and slide into my DMs

Want to be trusted? Want to position yourself as an expert? Want to start building relationships? Stop with the unsolicited bullshit!

7. Thou shall NOT sell sell sell

Even if you steer clear of people’s private inboxes, you can still easily lose trust by posting too much salesy content. Consider the 80/20 rule: At least 80% of your posts should provide value, such as insights, tips or industry news in line with your predetermined content strategy. You can then sprinkle in some promotional content… around 20% of the time.?

8. Thou shall NOT take shortcuts on quality

I know, I know, ChatGPT can feel like a massive time-saver. But your followers are not stupid either. Most of them can smell a slab of unedited ChatGPT text a mile away. Also, resist the temptation to delegate your LinkedIn content writing to a junior team member. Post quality content that’s distinctly you.?

9. Thou shall NOT post every single day

Posting consistently does not mean posting frequently. If you try to post too often, you may run out of steam (and ideas) too quickly and throw the towel in altogether. It’s okay to go through phases. You may post twice in one week – and then not again for another 3 weeks. Just try not to disappear from your followers’ feeds for months on end.

10. Thou shall NOT try to go viral

First, here’s bad news: 99.99% of posts – no matter how amazing they may be – will never go viral. But here’s the GOOD news: Your posts don’t need to go viral for them to ‘work’. Instead, focus on posting content that’s consistently relevant and engaging. I assure you, your followers will notice you – even if many of them don’t ever engage with your content. But when they have a need for the service you offer, they’ll know EXACTLY who to call.

Looking to elevate the quality and relevance of your content on LinkedIn? Or perhaps you’re ready for a more holistic content strategy for your brand? Get in touch with the content strategists and copywriters at Refresh Marketing.