Why LinkedIn’s NOT Working for You

Why LinkedIn’s NOT Working for You

A Buried Secret Weapon

LinkedIn is this secret weapon just floating around in the background. People are on this platform poking around still trying to figure out what they should be doing. LinkedIn’s engagement numbers are impressive — people are actually here, and it’s the right people too. It’s the people who use your services… well, maybe not your services, but services in your industry. And that’s the problem and the opportunity.

I work for a company that is niche specific, we help Restoration Companies with their Digital Media footprint. We manage their social media channels, implement SEO strategies and even come alongside some of their recruitment efforts. We’ve figured this out.

In all my time in the Restoration Marketing industry I’ve learned that LinkedIn has the most untapped potential. But, people are not using it, they’re not realizing the rich mine of gold just under their feet. Because they’ve heard a plea for activity they now dabble here and there — but their sporadic activity hasn’t produced much. 

They’re miners turning over the soil with plastic shovels then taking a break on the seat of a backhoe.

I know, that doesn’t make sense, and that’s the point. Why use plastic shovels when you got a back hoe? Why re-post TIME’s most recent article, when you have experience, expertise and stories to share?

Why?

Well, there are a confluence of problems happening.

We have horrible examples

The influencers and marketing experts on LinkedIn are little more than models perpetuating their “personal brand” and desperately seeking attention and significance. To the average hardworking and savvy Restoration Owner that feels shallow.

And so the savvy walk away and do nothing, because they’re not shallow.

There are in fact some really good examples out there but you have to look. The people doing it the best are doing hard stuff in real life and they’re using the platform to do a little show and tell. They’re giving examples of projects they’re working on and their network is watching.

Austin Kleon, who is a creative and writes about the process of work, wrote a book called “Show Your Work.” I love this book, it’s short, straight-forward and intuitive.

So, you know. Show Your Work!

Let your customers and future customers see you doing what they need… and your business will be better for it.

We settle for less

Another reason LinkedIn isn’t working for you is because you’re SETTLING rather than INNOVATING on the platform — and not just you, me too.

What I mean is this.  

There is this standard set for us. Essentially, here is the traditional wisdom of what we should be doing. Make this type of post, do this, engage this way. We then take this standard and minimize it and we do the bare minimum.

What we get is a LinkedIn strategy that is lacking personality and engagement. It’s posting for the sake of posting. It’s what makes LinkedIn a joke to the naysayers — “a link dump” they’ll say.

I’m connected with lots of interesting people on the platform who are NOT interesting in their posting. They are either bland or completely missing in action. Don’t make this mistake.

What’s interesting about you are your thoughts, your opinions and your unique insight. Use it. Make posts that reflect your work and your opinions about your industry. This invites conversations, it positions you as a thought-leader and it creates opportunity for you and your customers to connect in a way that’s not sales-pitchy.

What I Mean Is This

So I end with this. Follow good examples. You have something to say, so say something. Put a little work into the platform and I suspect you’ll be surprised what you get out of it.

Also, check out this other article I wrote, Three Things Restoration Owners Need to Know About LI

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