How to use LinkedIn as a coach
LinkedIn is a great ice breaker, it’s really useful at letting people get to know you and what you’re all about. It can also be a place of noisy sales posts and unsolicited messages. So how can you make the most of LinkedIn and use it to grow your coaching business rather than use up your valuable time!
In our Monday Masterclass, we were joined by LinkedIn expert Laura Fox, one of the few LinkedIn consultants who has actually worked at LinkedIn. She shared with us her LinkedIn wisdom.
Laura started by explaining how she sees Linkedin as being like a conference that is happening all the time. You can choose how you show up, you can go there and say hello to everyone you meet, sit back and listen, or get involved in the conversation.
I think we can all agree that when done right LinkedIn enables meaningful conversations, helping you move from focusing on conversions to conversations. In our Monday Masterclass all about LinkedIn Frances Khalastchi shared how she sees LinkedIn as a way of moving on from “Sales Vom” that results in nothing, to taking the time to learn a bit about the person you want to talk to and having a meaningful conversation.
Some people hold back when posing on LinkedIn, Laura shared that she believes it’s ok to be strategic after all most people are on there to win new business so it’s about being useful rather than simply shouting into the crowd. No one wakes up and thinks “I wonder what Laura is doing today”, they might not be actively seeking out an update from you, but your ideal client will be interested in the useful content that you share.
Something we talk about a lot and Laura agreed with was that it’s time to get used to video. All the trends point to videos being what is working well and getting engagement so it’s time to get out of your comfort zone and start to make some more video content. This doesn’t have to be you talking to the camera, you could record a conversation like we are in our Monday Masterclasses and share this content as we do on LinkedIn.
Should I add people I don’t know on LinkedIn?
Laura thinks that you should add people you know, have met or who have mutual value to you now or in the future. The downside of connecting with people who are out of your industry sector is that it dilutes your news feed and fills it up with non-relevant content. This is why it’s important to know your niche and who you want to be talking to in order to focus not just on your content creation efforts but also on where you spend your time making connections and interacting.
Can you game the LinkedIn algorithm?
Laura explained that the algorithm is complex and always changing. It will do its own thing so you can try and game it, which might work once or twice, but what really matters is quality and consistency. Don’t get hung up in the hacks and tactics. We all agreed that whatever content you put out or interactions you have make sure they’re useful and quality. LinkedIn’s algorithm is looking for micro-interactions and it knows when people are really ‘engaging’ with your content and activity. The most effective thing you can do is keep coming back and showing up.
What if no one is engaging with my content?
The key is not to focus on vanity metrics (likes & views) as long as you keep posting people will notice you over time. If a post doesn’t land then try writing it a different way, flip the idea on its head and try it again. People don’t see everything you post and they will like the way you’re able to consistently explain concepts and ideas to them.
We closed by reflecting that it’s ok to follow what others are doing up to the point you’re comparing yourself to them. It’s good to use others as a barometer for what the market is doing but it’s always best to play to your strengths and make content that you enjoy making, even if this means getting out of your comfort zone a bit to get started.
You can follow us on LinkedIn for coaching specific marketing content and you can connect with Laura for more LinkedIn wisdom.
If this blog has inspired you to do more on LinkedIn then get some inspiration of what content to create, how to repurpose it and how to attract better clients with our coaches marketing course. It will guide you through the marketing essentials step by step and help you map out your marketing and grow your coaching business.
