Hello, hello, and welcome to the Amplify Your Authority podcast. I'm your host, Marissa Shadrick. I'm an online marketing strategist and AI implementation coach. And today I have a special podcast episode for you. I recently did a training on LinkedIn about LinkedIn, but really it's not about LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the vehicle, but we're talking about marketing and how do we secure more discovery calls with prospects. Now, we use different vehicles. We might use Instagram, we might use Facebook, we might use LinkedIn or YouTube, but ultimately we want to see if we can help them reach their goals with our products and services. So as you're listening to this training, listen for the marketing tips and implement it in your strategy. But before we get started, if you're listening to this podcast, I would love it if you would not only rate and review it, but continue to follow me on your favorite podcast platform. So without further ado, let's listen to the training and I'll come back at the end with some key takeaways. And more clients. And there's nothing wrong with that. That's why we're on platforms, that's why we create content. It's the method, the way people go about it, that sometimes people have a little bit of resistance about prospecting, about sales, about clients. But we're gonna talk about that today in a way that feels natural and a way that actually brings results. So despite all the posting that everyone is doing, not much is happening. And this is the struggle that we're seeing right now. Today really isn't a LinkedIn training. Really, it's a conversation about what has changed in marketing and how it affects how we show up, not just on social media, but throughout our messaging. So this is going to help you across the board on other platforms or the way you're creating your marketing assets. LinkedIn is simply the vehicle that we're focusing on today. It's my favorite platform, it's my primary platform. And I love being on LinkedIn. I love all its features. I love just the culture of LinkedIn. Very much a LinkedIn fan. So we're focusing on the vehicle today, which is LinkedIn. But what we'll discuss again can apply to all of your marketing assets. I'm Arissa Shadrick. I'm an online marketing strategist. I'm also a certified copywriter, and I'm an AI implementation coach. So it's really is wonderful to be here today and share a few things on marketing. I do love AI, but I caution people when they use AI to use it ethically. I have my own private membership, AI Lab for Solopreneurs, where we talk about marketing and implementing AI in an ethical way. So, how to book client calls on LinkedIn without posting every day. The reason why I came up with this title is because over the last few years we've seen an explosion of content. AI has made it easier than ever to create content. You've seen it, I've seen it. Every platform is more crowded, attention span is shorter, algorithms have changed, and many business owners are working hard to create content to stay visible. But content isn't just about visibility. Content is about building trust because content is our marketing. And marketing is all about building trust. It has a job. It is the part that brings curiosity that draws people to you. That is its job. And yet, that's not enough. That's one side of the coin. The other side of the coin is building relationships. You build relationships in different ways. You can build relationships one-on-one. You can build relationships by doing a live like this. You can build relationships by having text messages that you go back and forth or DM messages. So relationships is what leads to opportunities. Relationships leads to podcast invitations. Relationship leads to speaking gigs. Relationships leads to clients and also collaborations. So today I'll share what I've learned over the years of marketing, relationship building, and using LinkedIn as my primary platform. As we go through today's content, I want you to keep one question in mind. Are you spending most of your time creating content or are you creating opportunities? Because they're not the same thing. Does this sound familiar? Posting more, getting less, traction, algorithm anxiety, working harder online, not really seeing the results that you want. If any of these sound familiar, you're not alone. We've all seen this. We've all seen it recently, especially in the last two, three years, right? I understand this frustration in myself. Some years back, I tried keeping up with all the platforms. I was creating content consistently and not getting much traction to justify the time and effort I was putting in to all the content. But that's when I started realizing something important. The problem wasn't that I wasn't creating enough content because I was. Doesn't mean that the content is less valuable. Content is part of our marketing, marketing builds trust. Therefore, content should build trust. That should be the spine of our content. But content alone doesn't create opportunities. Content itself was never meant to do the entire job. That's why we say marketing and sales. We don't just say one word for marketing and sales. It's two different things. Content wasn't ever supposed to be the entire job. And yet we think if we just post, the rest will come. You might argue, but my followers are growing. I'm getting more followers, Marissa. I'm getting more people to comment on my posts. I'm getting more likes. You know, sometimes that helps because it creates visibility because of the algorithm, but I'm not an algorithm chaser. I think that's exhausting. But I understand why people value likes and comments. I understand that. But I'm going to propose a better way where you don't have to worry about the vanity numbers. It's great if you can get that. And don't compare to other people because oftentimes people say, well, this other person has a lot of comments and they're posting all the time. So I should do the same thing. Just keep in mind that some people might be further along in their business. They might already have a solid platform. So when it comes to followers and likes and comments, likes don't pay the bills. They don't. So that's one of the biggest mistakes I see confusing activity with opportunity. We post, we check likes, we check comments, we check impressions. And it's easy to believe those numbers tell the whole story, but they don't. Algorithms change all the time. So when you're starting to get likes and comments, you're stimulating the algorithm, but it changes. But human nature doesn't change. People still want to do business with people they know, like, and trust. So content builds trust because it's part of our marketing assets. But relationships is what creates opportunity. That's why people get on discovery calls to start building the relationship and see if they're ready to take the next step. Two sides of a coin. So let's challenge conventional thinking. Humor me, if you will. Let's challenge conventional thinking and bust some myths because I think we're living in a different time now because of all of the things that are going on. So let's see if you agree with me. So myth number one, treating LinkedIn specifically, this platform like social media. This is easy to do because we've been using scheduling tools, right? Scheduling tools came out. I remember way back, sweet, when it came out, we thought, oh my gosh, this is amazing because we can have one dashboard and see everything. And now there's all kinds of scheduling tools, right? And so we just put it in there and we send it out everywhere, hoping that something will stick. So it's easy to treat LinkedIn like another social media platform. So we post something, we wait, we hope to see some kind of results, we hope to get a few likes, comments, we do it all over again. But what about other people who have lots of engagement? This is what I'm saying. We can't compare ourselves with other people and keep doing it and think that more is better. So LinkedIn isn't really a social platform. By that I mean it's a business relationship platform. And this is what I love about LinkedIn. It's a professional platform, it's a business platform. Here's what's important to remember people come here, LinkedIn, to learn and to connect and to network with people. For coaches, consultants, service providers, and solopreneurs, that's incredibly powerful. The opportunity isn't necessarily more, more, more content. The opportunity is building relationships intentionally. So myth number two: the goal isn't to create more content. The goal is to create content that compounds. It's easy to create content when inspiration strikes. And sometimes we want content because we're putting it on these scheduling tools and blasting it everywhere. It's easy to post something because it's interesting to you at the time. It's easy to react to what's happening in the moment, right? In our culture, whatever it might be. But if every post takes your audience in different directions, your audience can't anchor you to one controlling theme. They need to know what it is that you do and they need to hear it often. This is why I believe every post needs an assignment. You need to assign a job to every post. Every post should strengthen your positioning. Every post should build trust. Every post should support a larger conversation. So you can segment a little bit your content, but it should be under the umbrella of a larger conversation, what you're known for. And all of this should be aligned in all of your platform messaging, whichever platform you use, whether it's Facebook or Instagram, whatever platform you use. It means every post serves a purpose. We're not just doing disconnected random posts. The goal isn't to create more. You can create fewer that has a lot of value. We're talking more about quality versus quantity here. Let's look at myth number three: automating relationships. This is a big one. This is kind of my pet peeve, but we're surrounded by tools that promise to automate everything, right? Automate outreach, automate messages, automate connection requests, automate follow-up, automate engagement, automate customer service. Now we all know how that is, right? I'm sure you and I have both experienced customer service by an AI tool. It's not the best yet. Maybe it'll get better, but it can be kind of frustrating, right? Because we feel like, oh gosh, I got a bot here trying to help me. It has no idea how to help me. It just has this standard thing it goes to, this default setting. And while technology can absolutely help us become more efficient, it can't replace relationships. It can't replace genuine interest in another person. So over the years, I receive plenty of connection requests that were immediately followed by a sales pitch. Has that happened to you? It immediately followed by a sales pitch. Almost, I mean, without a doubt, I accept the connection request and then there's a DM. And sometimes it's within seconds, no conversation, no relationship, no context, nothing, just a pitch. And I know you've received them, I received them, you don't like it, I don't like it. Nobody likes it, right? Because it just feels so transactional. And I think most of us know it's not relational either. Throwing in the line, trying to catch a fish, will I be able to reel one in? And it's it just doesn't feel right because we feel like it's a transaction and there wasn't really an interest to connect. It was just trying to see if they could sell us something. As AI becomes more common, authentic human connection will become more valuable. So if you pursue authentic connections and relationships, you will stand out. You will stand out from the masses with everything that's going on today because people can tell the difference. They really can. They know when you're they're being treated like a lead, and they know when they're being treated like a person. Technology can automate tasks, but it cannot automate trust. It can't. And keep in mind, I love AI. I have a whole private community, AI Lab for Solopreneurs. I love AI, but I've seen it misused and it leaves a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths, and it makes it difficult for them to use AI in a strategic, ethical way because they've seen it misused. It's like anything else in life, right? People can misuse money, people can misuse power, people can misuse a lot of things. And so I think that's why some people are sometimes hesitant about AI because they've seen the misuse of it. Trust is built one conversation at a time, one comment at a time, one interaction at a time, and one relationship at a time. That's why I believe the future doesn't belong to the people who automate the best. I think it belongs to the people who build the strongest relationships. So what still works? Let's take a look at that. What still works? Trust, being understood, relationships. So, you know, clarity is really important when we're trying to build trust because clarity allows people to understand immediately, just within a few seconds, what you're trying to say. And this is harder than we think, especially when it's for our own work. We can see it for someone else, but when it's for our own work, sometimes it's harder because we're so close to our projects, the things that we're creating, our offers, that it's hard. But let's look at what still works. There's no magic bullet, but here's what I've discovered: platforms change, features change, AI changes, marketing trends change, but human nature doesn't. So why not focus on the constant? On the constant. But it's really been there all along. People still want to do business with people they trust. People still want to feel understood. People still want solutions to their problems. So if you're that solution, if you're that answer, they want to hear from you. People still want relationships, and that's why relationship building remains one of the most valuable business skills you can develop. The more you can develop that skill, and it's not easy because people immediately have their defenses up because they've been sold to so much. So it's not easy. It does take time, but it's so worth it. So we pursue relationships not because it's trendy, not because it's a hack, because it's human. It's human. And frankly, I just think it's the right thing to do. Tools and technology will continue to evolve, but trust still matters, relationships still matters, and conversations still matter. Plus, think of all the conversations that you might have. It's a great way to do market research. It's a great way to see how aligned your offers are, or misaligned for that matter. And when we realize this, we stop asking, how do I beat the algorithm? And we start asking, how do I build more meaningful relationships? So let's look at some best practices and we'll wrap it up. So, best practice number one, people want to be seen, heard, and valued. One of the most valuable lessons I learned didn't come from marketing. It came from years of serving in ministry and nonprofit work. No matter where people came from, it didn't matter their background, their culture, or what they did, or what their status was or what challenges they were facing. People want just a few simple things. They want to be seen, they want to be heard, they want to be valued, they want to know that they matter. That's just fundamental and that doesn't change, right? And that's just as true on LinkedIn or any other platform. We need to remember that what we're doing is serving people, and it's not seeking a transaction. Although it can turn into a transaction, it can turn into a prospect, a lead, a client. But we want to make sure that we develop the skill and listening can be difficult because we're so used to talking. And the last thing we want to do is use the platform like a broadcasting tool where we're just broadcasting all the time. So using like a broadcasting platform. Well, think about it. If you're just broadcasting something that you're doing, something about your business, something that you want them to join, something that you want them to, you're just focused on you all the time, your business. And they're wondering, well, what's in it for me? Where do I fit into this story? Right. So when we take that focus away, we're not just broadcasting and we're meeting them where they are. And then we can say, but here I have a solution. And if it's something that you're you're ready for and you're considering, here's the next step. You know, there's a difference. So all of this, it's really subtle tweaks and adjustments in what we're producing that makes all the difference in the world. LinkedIn isn't like a sales tool, although many people think it is because they can use some features and paid features for it. It's not really a promotion channel. People are still in the curiosity phase when you're trying to get new leads. They're still trying to figure out can I trust you and can you help me? And so we have to remember that behind every profile, no matter what platform you're on, or even behind every email, if you have a large email list, there's a real person. There's a real person with goals, with challenges, with responsibilities, with dreams, with problems, with questions. There's a real person, a real person. And when we approach people with genuine curiosity, instead of an agenda, something changes. Relationships begin to form, trust begins to grow, conversations become more meaningful. Not because you're trying to get something, but because you're genuinely interested in people. I mean, think about it. It's such a great opportunity to be able to speak to people from all over the world. So ironically, that's also what creates the strongest business opportunities, these relationships that we're creating. Because you might get on a call and it might not be a good fit for them now, but it may be later. And they may continue to read and follow what you're doing on any platform. And then when they're ready, they're going to think of you. Or it could be a peer-to-peer connection where they could refer or maybe speaking. I've had speaking opportunities through LinkedIn. I've had clients find me through search engines. I had referrals on LinkedIn. I've had a number of ways that it opened up opportunities. So people remember how you made them feel, and they remember that you took an interest in them. So let's look at best practice number two. Every post needs an assignment. So posting just random things is just not going to help. Every post needs an assignment. So the biggest shift for me was to just stop just stop posting just to post and stay consistent. Because I don't know if you've experienced that, but there you are. And if you're trying to post every day and you're thinking, oh my gosh, what am I going to post about? Let's see. Let me let me see what's in my Google Alerts. Let me see what did I talk about this last week. And you're trying to create something just to check off the box and make sure you're consistent. And it's this random thing that doesn't really anchor itself to anything. So the biggest shift for me was to stop posting just to stay consistent, just to because it was on my calendar that day to post. For a long time, I thought consistency alone would solve all the problems. But just keep posting, just keep showing up, just keep creating content and they will come. But every post needs an assignment. And you don't have to do it as often. Again, quality over quantity and give it an assignment. In other words, every post should have a purpose. Every post should help people understand what you do, who you help, how you think. Every post should contribute to a larger story. Random content creates random results. When your content jumps from one topic to the other without a clear connection, people may enjoy the individual post. They may like and they may comment it, but they won't remember what problem you solve. And if they don't remember what problem you solve, they won't think of you when they face that problem and they need help. So the goal, again, isn't to just create more content for content's sake. The goal is to create content that compounds valuable content, helpful content, content that supports your positioning, that makes it easy for people to understand how you help. Best practice number three a conversation rhythm, not a posting rhythm. Now I was caught in this, right? I had a posting rhythm, right? Had a calendar. I knew when I was supposed to post, but very few people focus on creating a conversation rhythm where you're actually connecting with people. So that's why I spend less time worrying about posting frequency and more time focusing on meaningful interactions, responding to comments, checking in with people, congratulating someone on a milestone, sharing a resource, continuing a conversation, following up on something, serving people. That's all, just serving people. And you can do this just 10-15 minutes a day. And it's amazing what happens. A lot of times, when I do this with a post that I really enjoyed and I saw the work behind it, and I leave a comment. A lot of times, you know, people when they see you comment on their post, they're very grateful. And oftentimes I get a connection request from them. So this is how we begin to create these relationships. I know this is not what you normally hear, but you need both. You need content and you need to reach out and build relationships. So imagine what could change, right? Quality over quantity doesn't necessarily mean you need more time because if you're not spending all the time creating content, you're going to have some time to spend 10, 15 minutes reaching out and connecting with people. Imagine what changes when every piece of content has a purpose, right? When you're known for something instead of trying to talk about everything, imagine what changes when your content builds trust over time and you begin to make these wonderful connections. Client conversations become more natural and more frequent. Not because you mastered an algorithm, but because you invested in people has a better return. So marketing has always been about people. Marketing, to me, the simplest definition is the process of building trust. That's all marketing is. So if content is your marketing collateral, then that should build trust. It only makes sense, right? We have more technology than ever before, more AI tools, more automations, more ways to reach people around the world. But marketing hasn't fundamentally changed. It hasn't. And marketing is not sales. Sales is a different thing, right? We have to have the marketing first to have the opportunity for sales. And marketing is creating that curiosity, helping people to maybe get a little bit more information and begin that process of trusting you. Marketing is still about understanding people, serving people, helping people solve problems, building trust, tools of change, but human nature has not. Welcome back. I hope you enjoyed this training and I hope you caught some of the key takeaways. We went over some myths. The first myth was not to treat LinkedIn like a social media platform. So how does that fit for you? Don't treat whatever vehicle you use as just a vehicle, as just a tool. It's a means to connection. It's a means to a real person with real struggles, with real dreams and goals. So look at the resources that you're using and try to figure out how I can show up a little bit more human. How can I make those personal connections with the tools that I'm using? Another myth was random content. Your content and all the activity that you do should be pointing toward an outcome. It should carry some weight. It should help you get to the next step. So whatever you're using, it shouldn't just be random and one-offs. They should all be working together to reach your goals. The third myth we went over was automating relationships. I mean, there's nothing more frustrating than trying to get customer service and you get either a forum or you get some kind of AI bot and nobody's listening. This is what I mean about it. Some things we just can't automate. We need to be available and connect with people one-to-one. And I think one of my favorite best practices is making sure that we help our audience be seen, heard, and understood. You don't know how many times I read online where people talk about their business and they start with I and we and me. And it's nothing about the audience. They want to know what's in it for them. They want to know, do you see me? Do you hear me? Do you understand me? We have to lead with them. So even your about sections or your about page on your website is really not about you. It's about your audience and how you come alongside and help them with the problem that they have. Well, I hope you enjoyed this training. And if you want to join me live on LinkedIn, I would absolutely love that. I'm going to be sharing a training once a month. You can go to LinkedIn or you can go directly to my website, learn.marissaShatrick.com forward slash events. And here's the best part. When you register with me, you will get a notification when LinkedIn Live is going live. But you'll also receive my bonus bundle. It is amazing. Nine resources on marketing. You're going to love this resource. One opt-in, nine documents that's going to cover from email list growth to copywriting to sales, discovery calls. It's all the fundamental resources you need to build a business. So I hope I see you on LinkedIn and I hope you continue to listen to Amplify Your Authority. Until next time, take care.