After that webinar, I ordered Ted’s first edition of Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business and started applying the advice in the book. I started getting some traction, and I was so excited about my results that I sent a message to Ted and told him I appreciated him for writing the book.
Ted responded with a thanks and suggested I fix the headline on my profile, which I immediately did. That’s one thing that rings true with LinkedIn. Your headline is like the header on a billboard or the headline in a newspaper. It gets people to stop and read the rest of your profile. If your headline doesn’t grab readers, your chances of getting them to engage more with you plummet.
Another good decision I made was to start preparing for a military exit eight years ahead of time. My job in the Army was as an Army recruiter. In the beginning, recruiting was not my favorite thing, but if it had not been for recruiting, I would not have needed to study marketing. And that was what prepared me to live the life I have now.
It turns out there are a lot of people looking for someone on LinkedIn who can help them grow their business. If you can get their attention, you will be the one chosen to solve their problem. LinkedIn became the key to my successful transition from the military to civilian life. Throw in mentorship from Ted, and you have a turbocharged recipe for success.
Ted would give me tasks to learn how I think. At one point he asked me about my life story, and I told him how I went from being a failure to becoming a top producer in Army recruiting. He told me I should write a book about it. I followed his advice, but I was a little skeptical; at the time, I didn’t think anyone would want to read a book about an Army recruiter. To my surprise, the Kentucky National Guard purchased 150 copies and invited me to speak at a conference. That changed my life forever and set me on the path for life after the military.
After the book was published, things started taking off. I kept studying marketing and applying different techniques. I decided to experiment on LinkedIn in different markets, and I knew people love reading stories, so I started posting stories on LinkedIn targeting my market. Sure enough, I started getting traction. The key to posting articles on LinkedIn is knowing your audience and what they’re struggling with.
After a while, people started reaching out to me for different projects. You can’t beat the amount of high-quality connections on LinkedIn. It’s the only place I know where you can send a message directly to the CEO of a company and get a response without going through an assistant. Priceless.
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Cedric Crumbley is an entrepreneur and marketing consultant. You can connect with Cedric at https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedcrumbley/.
OVERCOME YOUR FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Doreen Hamilton, Public Speaking Coach
I had a Ph.D. and a career as a clinical psychologist, but I hid my fear of public speaking. It was easy for me to work one-on-one, but speaking in front of a group made me extremely nervous. What I discovered on my journey to overcome public speaking anxiety was a basic truth—it’s not about performance techniques; it’s about being comfortable with who you are.
The traditional approaches such as Toastmasters, which are aimed at reducing the fear of being in the spotlight, did not reach the place where I hid my weakness. And if I couldn’t back out of giving a presentation, my Ph.D. from Berkeley was a good cover to convince others that I knew what I was talking about. I was always nervous because I was always hiding.
The approach that finally helped me be authentic was Speaking Circles, founded by Lee Glickstein. In these groups, my fear dissolved because I could expose my fear, talk about it, experience it, and watch it dissolve naturally. And at the same time I found a way to connect to my inner voice. Now I know this is the most powerful asset I possess.
My book, Essential Speaking: The 7-Step Guide to Finding Your Real Voice, combines the work I’ve done as a training director, my experience as a psychologist, and my interest in mindfulness. The question I started to ask was how I could reach more people with my signature seven-step process.
LinkedIn was and is the answer. Using the platform, I’ve been able to fill my groups, workshops, and private coaching schedule.
First, I needed to become very clear on what I offered and to whom. It wasn’t a specific demographic. It was a psychographic, meaning that someone who suffers the fear of speaking in public could recognize themselves if I put in the headline a phrase such as, “Are you afraid to speak up in public?” This question elicits a yes or a no. Once I’ve grabbed the attention of someone who does have that problem and wants to solve it, they can read my LinkedIn summary.
In that summary, the potential client can learn more about me, the struggles I overcame, my programs, and how to take the next step. They can see from the way I’ve shared my story that I am interested in authenticity. My approach is not about delivering speeches; it’s about helping people find the confidence to express themselves in any situation.
To appeal to the kind of person I thought would most benefit from my methods, I searched LinkedIn Groups about public speaking, mental health, and mindfulness. One particularly useful one was Conscious Women in Business. I simply wrote invitations to group members saying that we shared an interest in mindfulness and asked them to connect. This was the first step in finding how LinkedIn could bring together people who share the same values. I scheduled calls with many of these women, and we continue to engage, share each other’s content, and refer to each other. I’ve been asked to be in their newsletters, blog posts, and podcasts.
In addition to Groups, I searched my 1st-degree connections for those I knew had a large audience and shared similar interests in personal and professional development. I then looked at the 2nd-degree connections and sent messages noting that we both were connected to such-and-such and I’d like them to join my network.
Another way I have found great connections is to like, comment on, and share posts by others whose material is relevant to my work or approach. In that way, I start to be known by a wider audience. And I often reach out to that person, say what I liked about their article, and invite them to connect with me.
Posts I make on LinkedIn are scheduled in advance. I make sure to vary them and offer value each time. I post inspirational quotes on images that also have my name and brand on them. I also post quotes from my book on images of my book. I share articles written by others about overcoming fear and speaking authentically. I have video clips of me leading groups.
By far, the most effective and engaging post I have shared has been a two-minute video I made in my office about the “7
Secrets to Fearless Speaking.” It has had more than 2,500 views with more than 150 comments. I asked people to simply write “secrets” in the comments and offered to send them my PDF of the “7
Secrets to Fearless Speaking” in exchange. The response has been amazing. I’ve been having conversations with people who have this specific kind of anxiety. And they want help. They are asking me for answers, and I’m engaging them with steps they can take with me to solve their problem.
My groups and workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area are full. And people are enrolling in both my three-month and six-month private coaching programs. It’s been a fun journey to develop what I love and find ways to promote it on LinkedIn.
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Doreen Hamilton helps business professionals overcome their fear of public speaking and learn how to be heard in meetings. You can connect with Doreen at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdoreenh/.
LINKEDIN NATIVE VIDEO SUCCESS
Deborah Herman, Book Publishing Professional
My experience with LinkedIn and working with Ted is indeed a success story. There is still a great deal to learn and implement, but his instruction and shared experiences from the group changed my understanding of the benefits of LinkedIn as a professional networking platform and helped me refocus my entire business.
I am the type of person who has education, skills, and valuable experience b
ut is unsure how to present my unique value to a prospective client. Before working with Ted and his group, I was straddling the fence in too many directions. This is the difficulty for those of us with too much creativity and a short attention span. We create avenues where any one of them could be the right one, and then we get stuck in the intersection, waiting for something to propel us forward. I noticed some of the other members in the course facing some of the same challenges.
Ted’s mastery of the LinkedIn platform helped me see how to reframe my disparate pieces into a cohesive and simple plan. This was not only beneficial to people seeking what I have to offer, but it also helped me understand how to choose the clients for whom I can be the most effective consultant.
My education began in law school. As is typical for me, halfway through my first year I discovered writing and created a dual degree with the Graduate School of Journalism. My ultimate goal was to write a true crime book, which I finally did in 2017 by co-writing the memoir of the youngest member of the Manson family: Member of the Family: My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside His Cult and the Darkness That Ended the Sixties. This was a breakthrough for me. I had already written 11 other books, but this gave me the experience of being a front list author and confirmed to me that I really do know what I’m doing.
This became my unique selling proposition. As I learned in Ted’s course, it takes at least 10,000 hours to become a true expert in a field. I have more than this in all aspects of the publishing industry. As consultants, we can be a bridge for our clients between that 10,000-hour learning curve and their goal. In only a few hours, I can analyze a manuscript to determine what will make it trade competitive. Sometimes it is an immediate instinct.
I began the course with an underused LinkedIn profile. Although I am still making improvements, I had not realized how important each section is in creating an image that will attract an appropriate network of colleagues, as well as generating leads for clients. The few changes I made over the next several months made significant improvements in my visibility and helped others know immediately what I am about.
I am not unfamiliar with social media strategy and digital marketing. After creating a social network for writers, agents, and editors, I realized I needed to know more about this new way of marketing. Rutgers University offers mini-MBA certifications, and I received one in digital marketing strategy, social media strategy, and entrepreneurship. However, I had not embraced LinkedIn. I thought of it as professional networking, and since I had a business already, I didn’t see the benefit.
But when you understand the community on LinkedIn and the protocols of how to network, the results are quick and discernable. I posted a video with a clear explanation of what was in it for others. I followed the advice of Ted and the group, who helped me word the offer in a way that was not too full of hype or obvious sales language. Ted taught me that people on LinkedIn are looking for specific things to assist in their personal or career development. That caused me to shift from focusing on my credentials to how my experience and credentials can help others reach their goals.
The video, which was the first I had done of its kind, got at least 4,000 views, which converted into requests for the PDF I was offering about “the basics of writing your book.” I did a second video about “how to get started writing your first book.” This one was also well-received, and I am still following up on the leads.
There were many tips and suggestions on how to optimize my profile and ways to automate communication with potential clients. In addition, I connected with people who can continue to help me grow my business. The best thing that came out of the experience is I have been completely redoing my own website to reflect my clearer focus on the three parts of my business, Micro Publishing Media.
The new website is clear about how we offer a team approach for authors on the early side of the learning curve. We can accommodate authors who want to pursue the traditional route of book proposal and submission to agents and large publishers. We can also publish and distribute books that fit in our various imprints. We strive for direct-to-consumer sales from our own ecommerce site, using the latest in digital marketing.
We are also an indie bookstore, like you used to be able to find in out-of-the-way places. I feel wonderful knowing exactly what I have to offer and having the confidence and focus to present it to potential customers and consulting clients. Working with Ted and the LinkedIn platform raised my awareness of my professionalism and the value of my skills that can benefit others.
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You can connect with Deborah at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bookpublishingexpert/.
HELPING WOMEN SALES PROFESSIONALS SELL MORE COMFORTABLY AND CONFIDENTLY
Natalie Klun, Sales Expert
I am a sales guide to women business owners, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs with more than 20 years of sales experience. I am passionate about merging purpose with sales. I guide women in sales on how they can create predictable results when selling, know exactly what to say in any sales encounter, and sell with unshakable confidence by overcoming the fear of selling through my signature program, the Sales Spotlight.
LinkedIn was an untapped resource in my business, and I was able to accomplish the goals I had using Ted’s Linked Accelerator system and tips from this book.
I started by optimizing my profile, adding clarity on who and how I serve and having clear messaging. I created a profile that is engaging and that spoke directly to my target audience. Afterward, I increased my social selling index by six points, from 71 to 77, and it continues to increase to this day. Prior to optimizing my profile, my social selling index was declining daily and my profile views were declining by as much as 67 percent. Today, my profile views have increased 109 percent.
Before implementing Ted’s tips, approximately 35 percent of my 3,246 connections were not my target audience. I lacked a clear LinkedIn networking strategy that fit within my business goals and objectives. I recently added about 100 new connections who are my ideal clients, and many of them have invested in my $97 mini-course after just a few LinkedIn messages.
My goal now is to focus on growing my network with quality connections who are aligned with my business objectives instead of randomly connecting with everyone who sends an invitation. The system I have in place has me on track to grow my LinkedIn network a minimum of 25 percent over the next year with my target audience and/or collaborative partners.
A crucial component of my daily LinkedIn plan is the message feature. I did some testing by sending short messages and questions to my network. Based on the feedback from the people I interacted with, I was able to identify a need within my network, which resulted in a free guide called “7
Steps to Selling with Confidence.” I produced a video and shared it with my network to offer the guide. This video had 2,050 views and generated 30 warm leads in just a few days. I’m planning to produce a weekly video and handout, as it has proved to be a valuable lead-generation tool for my LinkedIn network.
The lessons I learned from Ted and his Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business are:
1. How to get clear on messaging that will increase engagement from the first point of contact with an optimized profile.
2. Clarity on my target audience and how to find them on LinkedIn.
3. How to virtually network using the tools on LinkedIn—it’s about quality, not quantity.
The key for me has been to be proactive and intentional when networking on LinkedIn and other social networks. This has included engaging with connections for feedback and input, gaining insight on what my network needs from me, and then creating value-centered resources to grow my network and my business. These new products have so far engaged more than 20,000 individuals on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram and have increased my email list by 10 percent each week, significantly increasing potential profit to my business in the very near future.
Applying these steps has optimized my profile and taught me to use Linke
dIn as part of my daily business-building activities. It has also given me greater clarity on my target audience and helped me connect with them on LinkedIn as valued additions to my network.
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Natalie Klun helps women sales professionals sell more comfortably and confidently. You can connect with Natalie at https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieklun/.
THE ACCIDENTAL ENTREPRENEUR
Linda Lovero-Waterhouse, Social Media and Online Marketing Coach
I never spent a lot of time dreaming about running my own business, but I ended up unexpectedly buying one. It has turned out to be a journey of exceptional personal growth, as well as a way for me to live a life full of the flexibility and freedom I crave.
A few years ago, I was working for a small digital marketing company. The company was a franchise the owner had purchased a few years before, but he hadn’t really focused on growing the business until that point. I was hired to update the company websites and do search engine optimization. The owner, Lance, and I were the only employees, and we worked well together. We lost a few clients as we were restructuring our services, but we were gaining momentum. Lance had just signed a lease on some outside office space, we had a plan to acquire new clients, and we were raring to go. Lance’s first grandchild had just been born, and he was on a high.
Then the unthinkable happened: Lance died in an accident. Not only did I lose an incredible person, but I was also in limbo about what to do with our remaining customers and my career, since he was the franchise owner.
Lance’s widow came to me and asked me to take over the business and continue his legacy. I was very torn. I had three kids in school and felt strongly about having the flexibility to drive them to their activities and be available for them. Being the sole owner of the business sounded like it would take up more time than I wanted to spend working at that point in my life. I didn’t know anything about running a business and didn’t feel ready to jump into owning one.
Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business Page 24
