Do you struggle with feeling like LinkedIn is a good platform for you to be? Whether you think your ideal clients are here or not, having a presence on LinkedIn is good for business.

Now, given that there are 750 million users (and growing daily) I’d guess your ideal client is on LinkedIn.

So what’s holding you back from being active on the platform? I hear this all the time…

“LinkedIn is just so stuffy, it's too corporate and too ‘professional’. I don't know how to fit my creative, unique brand and personality into the platform”.

Know this… you’re not alone and there are a lot of people the same way AND there is a way for you to be more active on LinkedIn as an entrepreneur. Below are 3 tips on how to show up confidently on LinkedIn so you can serve more with your business.

Once you get into your groove on LinkedIn, you’ll know what to talk about on the platform and  figure out what posts resonate best with your audience. 

1. Know your bigger purpose

In order to show up fully and confident on LinkedIn, you most know your vision and mission for yourself and for your business. Who do you serve? How do you serve them? Why is that important to you?
When you know who/how/why you serve, it helps you create your message and content for an audience that is on LinkedIn. The best example I have of this is from a bootcamp student who, before starting with the bootcamp, was nervous and unsure how to “be” on LinkedIn. For context, Melissa is an occupational therapist and sleep consultant. She helps parents and care providers to get babies and little ones sleeping through the night. Before joining the bootcamp, Melissa asked herself, “how can I use LinkedIn? It feel big box corporate, for Fortune 500 businesses only. Who the heck on LinkedIn is going to want to hear what I have to say or need my services?” Here’s the reality, there are TONS of working parents on LinkedIn that have babies at home, trying to figure out how to get more sleep at night so they can have a productive work week.
Once Melissa realized that in fact, the people she’s looking to serve are on LinkedIn, it was a game changed for her! She started posting content regularly, connecting with those she knew she could collaborate with, and within weeks she gained over 300 connections, and was asked by a few organizations if she’d be willing to speak at their seminars.
Melissa is a great example of this concept. When you know who you serve, why you serve them and how you do it, posting content, reaching out to the right connections comes naturally and confidently. Know that with over 750 million users on the platform, your ideal clients are here and looking for your knowledge and expertise.

2. Be YOU
   

I encourage you to be yourself on LinkedIn, honestly! This might be more of a mindset shift than anything since I know the stigma of LinkedIn is ‘professional’. Here’s the deal, you are a professional. Who said you can’t show up as the professional CEO of your business? Remember, as a business owner, as a CEO, as a head consultant, or a coach, you’re still a professional at what you do.

Did you know that the definition of professional is, “belonging to a specific profession” or “is engaged in specific activity as one’s main paid occupation rather than a pastime”. That’s the definition of professional!  So if you’re a full time business owner, you’re a CEO, you’re a professional in your industry. Don’t let the word “professional'' keep you from showing up as your true authentic self on LinkedIn. Be the professional, badass CEO that you are with your raw, realness. People are craving authenticity more than ever! If you represent your brand and your business that’s organic and real on LinkedIn, you will stand out significantly.

3. Know what you’re talking about
   
   Did you know that 6/10 users on LinkedIn come to the platform specifically looking for educational or valuable content? They’re looking for insights! This applies across industries too, it doesn't mean those only tech, hospitality or the banking industries are the only ones looking for quality information. This applies to everyone. This gives you the confidence that no matter what your niche is, you have a place to add value and educate people with your content.
   
   Now, that might be easier said than done for most. Sometimes, we can be so knowledgeable in an area, we don’t know where to begin in sharing our info. And by the way, it’s impossible to overshare valuable content, k?
   
   Clip of twitter quote: you cant overshare

The best thing you can do is create content pillars. It’s a great way to make sure your content is aligned and focused on educating, serving, adding value and keeps your creative juices flowing. Plus, when you create these pillars, you won’t feel overwhelmed by the content creation process. If you’ve ever sat in front of your computer asking yourself “what they heck am I going to talk about on social media today?”, then this tip is for you!

I suggest having 5 pillars to start with, one for each day of the week. The two pillars to include are your personal story as it relates to your business (and written in ways that inform the reader, educate them, list out takeaways from your experiences, etc.) and your client process or journey. Meaning, you talk about your personal client process when someone works with you and you talk holistically about what it’s like to work with someone like you.  

Let’s use Melissa as an example. She works with parents and care providers on how to get better sleep at night for everyone in the house. Topics under her Pillar of Client Process could be “The 5 things you need to look for when working with a sleep consultant” or “the 3 things to ask any sleep consultant before hiring”. This is a great way to not only educate those looking for a sleep consultant, but a way to showcase your client process as well. Someone reading will not only think “these are things I need to keep in mind” AND “I wonder if this is her process as well? I’ll ask!”. 

If your brand voice sounds more ‘personal’ or casual, great! USE IT! Your ideal client will resonate with you even more when you talk, write, sound like a human and not a stuffy company. If it’s your voice to write content as if you’re speaking to your best friend then do it! If you like using emojis in your posts, go for it!

For more tips on writing and creating content on LinkedIn as an entrepreneur, download my free guide, “Yes! You should be on LinkedIn!” here.