Are you wondering how to do business development on LinkedIn?
Stuck with your LinkedIn growth strategy?
I know so many people out there are keen to use LinkedIn to help their business grow, but are at a loss as to where to start.
Now, I certainly don’t claim to be a LinkedIn expert, but I have been working on my growth strategy for a while.
When I started several years ago, I had roughly 200 connections. Fast forward seven years, and I’ve grown that to nearly 16,000. Sounds like quite the leap, doesn’t it? It means that the content I now put out reaches a considerably broader audience.
So, why should you even bother with LinkedIn? For me, it’s another crucial touchpoint in our digital presence, complementing our social media and email list efforts.
My LinkedIn strategy is straightforward because, let’s face it, aren’t we all a bit time-strapped? So, here’s my plan—practical, actionable steps that you can easily weave into your daily routine.
Step 1: Define Your Engagement Goals
Who do you want to connect with on LinkedIn? For me, it’s other business owners, HR professionals and executive coaches. For you, it may be lawyers, accountants or creatives. The key is to have a crystal-clear picture of your target audience.
Step 2: Commit an Hour a Day
Yes, I’m serious about spending a full hour, albeit broken into more manageable chunks. You don’t have to do it all at once, but perhaps 30 minutes in the morning and 30 in the afternoon. This allows you to post, engage and re-engage.
Step 3: Post Twice a Week
Content is king, and it must be relevant and valuable. Post something original and then share content from others. Authentic engagement means providing your insights when sharing.
Step 4: Respond to Comments
Engage actively by responding to comments quickly. I recently heard that you should respond to 60% of the comments in the first 24 hours, and then the rest later.
I am still experimenting with this to see whether or not that works, and to be honest I personally prefer to respond quickly than wait 24 hours. But as always, try things out and see what fits you best!
Step 5: Personalised Connection Requests
When adding new connections, personalise it! Don’t just send a request – think about crafting a unique message so there’s a little bit more context. This is a nice way to show genuine interest.
Step 6: Comment on Other’s Posts
Don’t just ‘like’—comment. Share what you found intriguing or motivational. Show that you’re paying attention.
Step 7: Connect with 10 People Daily
This practice nets you 100 connections per week. Not everyone will accept, so balance and maintain quality.
Step 8: Be Open Yet Selective
Sometimes the logic behind requests can seem dubious, but weighing pros and cons could reveal unexpected networking opportunities.
Step 9: Embrace Video
Stand out by using video content—only a mere 3% do! It’s worth the effort as videos receive higher engagement, and if you can be a bit brave and courageous, you’ll have the potential to do really well on this platform.
So, there it is—my LinkedIn strategy that you can adapt and make your own. You can always connect with me at Emma McQueen on LinkedIn, have a look at my profile and see how we keep our content varied and engaging.
Feel free to experiment and let your profile reflect who you truly are. LinkedIn doesn’t have to be daunting; it can be exhilarating. Let me know how you fare with these strategies. I can’t wait to see your results!
LINKS
For a copy of Emma’s book, ‘Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive’ – https://www.emmamcqueen.com.au/book/