Are You Linked Professionally?

Linked Professionally is a new networking phenomenon. Kevin Appleby, co-host of The Next 100 Days podcast has launched a new service called Linked Professionally.

Go to www.LinkedProfessionally.com

In Episode 114 we talked to Ian Denny. He talked about making posts travel so they reach a larger audience.

Building on Ian’s advice, since then, we have been promoting the podcast. Since April 2018, we have DOUBLED the number of downloads. Before then, we used Twitter, but their change in banning repeat tweets we focused on LinkedIN.

LinkedIn Groups

Kevin researched two groups. Ian Denny has a LinkedIn networking group, called Online40, which Kevin used to start. He also used another LinkedIn group. he analysed what each was doing. The two groups were doing similar things.

Everyone was working together to promote each others posts, the rules the two groups had were quite different.

Neither of them fitted in with what we needed to promote the show.

So Kevin took the best of both and created our own group.

Linked Professionally was created

It has taken a little while to get a core group of people together. in the group at the moment are:

• people we know
• people who have been guests on the show
• early adopters out of The Next 100 Days Podcast Facebook group

The group is quite active. With pilot members.

How it works

Linked Professionally works by all members agreeing that they want to post on LinkedIn. Everyone wants to get our own posts in front of as many people as is possible.

Members undertake to make a post on LinkedIn at least once a week.

Everybody else undertakes to support those posts by LIKING the post and COMMENTING on the post.

It’s more than that

The group has emerged as a very strong networking group too. We are getting to know each other better. Co-ordination of the posts happens through WHATS APP.

The group is allowing others to understand more about the businesses of other group members.

It is similar to turning up to physical networking groups like BNI etc. Where you give your spiel, and get to know others. It is about the others PROMOTING YOU.

What happens?

As you like and comment, your post starts to be shown to lots of other people. It gets shown to a lot of your first degree contacts. But, it also starts to be shown to second degree contacts.

As you like and comment, this is seen by some of the comment provider’s connections.

It really works.

The Podcast has benefitted

Once Twitter decide recurring posts were no longer permissible on their platform, we turned to LinkedIn.

We had loads of content that was circulated, time after time at different times. The repetition was all about  gaming Twitter to get the tweets to more people at different times. To attract people to the show.

With 100 plus episodes, there was a lot of content to share.

However, we were not getting new listeners.

Following the move to LinkedIn, we have doubled downloads in 6 months. Our downloads in October 2018 was the best month we have ever had on the show. And by a significant percentage too!

Growth Also Overlapped with Adoption of Zoom

We have taken advantage of using VIDEO CLIPS in publicity posts on LinkedIn.

A 30 second video clip works really well on LinkedIn. Like this one…

Here’s Adam Taub enthusing about Graham and Kevin’s scientific skills!

We also discussed the 30-second video clip with Maureen Kane on the podcast too.

So which is it? LinkedIn or the effect of Zoom?

Short answer is both. We have the video to publicise the show with. But the LinkedIn Group makes our publicity posts travel way further!

We are creating better content and it is being seen by more people. Anecdotally, people say they have SEEN the show. The show is, of course, AUDIO.

People don’t want to be sold to on LinkedIn

Our posts are about the key message. The posts we have shared grab attention and encourage people to  commit and come along and use the content by downloading it and listening. Plus reading the show notes of course!

Adam’s video was in fun. We were enjoying ourselves and so that was put up. There was an educational video that could easily have been used in its place. But we released on a Friday and LinkedIn can be a little STIFF.

So, by reflecting the fun on the show is akin to a newspaper using a striking headline.

What you get with Linked Professionally?

As soon as you join, you get a series of teaching emails.

They discuss HOW you should communicate on LinkedIn. We want to be entertained. Don’t be stiff. Be professional. In fun.

However, Nick Bramley’s ‘educational’ video trailer, cut from the show, got the biggest set of downloads for the show. Here it is again…

Arguably, there was JUST enough content in this video, which would resonate with LinkedIn audiences for them to consume the video and hopefully download the podcast.

Kevin’s service is supercharging posts.

Here’s the short pitch…

Go to www.linkedprofessionally.com

Advice for Posters on LinkedIn

Text posts work well. There is a preferred format. Join up and you’ll get all the detail!

Talk about social things that relate to business.

Kevin’s text posts, start by posing a thought. That is a headline. Then bottom right there is READ MORE. If people click on it, it influences their algorithm. So LinkedIn gets the impression others are curious about your post.

So, the lesson. INTRIGUE with a great headline. Like Kevin’s post suggesting Kevin Keegan was back as manager of Newcastle United. He had 7-8,000 reading the video. Many from curious Newcastle fans no doubt.

Another good person to follow, for her great posts is Whitney Cole. Whitney, the Mission Maven as she likes to be called, is another former guest who is a part of the group.

What to do now?

Get on board.

It makes social media work. When you have got really gifted individuals and their content is NOT being seen, it makes you think how much potential they are missing.

Costs:  $25 per month

The model is light on administration. But it does take time.

The second reason for a charge, people take part because they are paying.

The wider effect is that you attract people as connection requests. You also see the number of profile views rises.

NOTE: Think about your profile page as your sales page. Less about your career history. Tell people about how you solve the problem people are seeking an answer to.

Who should apply?

• consultants
• people who use LinkedIn, but are not getting critical mass to make it work.
• people who want feedback

Linked Professionally – posts that travel with velocity

Sell by not-selling. Sell by building relationships. Address the people who might not be ready to buy now. It enables you to address desires, needs, problems that are surfacing in people’s minds now. Get them ready to buy, when they are ready.

For $25 per month, you can get your message in front of lots of the people who you want as new clients?

If you are posting today, you’ll only have to comment and like all the others who post that day too. That’s your commitment.

Do the leg work now.

Market across time periods. Because all people don’t buy at the same time, do they?

Sign up now at Linkedprofessionally.com