With expertise alone, you're not going to make it in a competitive marketplace

Online business, (online) marketing and sales - they are inseparable. Because without marketing and sales no turnover. Without sales no right to exist. And that is where many knowledge experts falter.

They are very strong in content and want to help people, but they hate marketing and sales. And then I hear them say, "I'm not an entrepreneur. I'm a professional, a practitioner." And I understand. I had that when, after 20 years of corporate business, I suddenly had to become visible online from my new position. Here I also had an internal struggle, limiting thoughts and fear of being seen and criticized.

Only times have changed. And you also have a business. Because you didn't want to do this as an employee (any longer). You wanted the freedom to start using your potential and expertise your way. The way you know is the best way. You also wanted the freedom to run your life and business on your own terms. 

But somewhere, things start to wobble. Your business is growing. Nice to have those own terms, but that freedom seems increasingly lacking. Your calendar is full of appointments with clients, and actually that marketing and sales needs to be scheduled in there as well. Where do you get the time and energy? You want to make more sales, but not work (even) harder. At those other businesses you see online that you're competing against, they seem to be doing well.

Well, if you want things to be different, it's time to take a good look at your position, strategy and actions. Doing everything by gut instinct works well for a while, but now is the time to take the next step. Because with only your expertise, you're not going to make it in a competitive market.

The power of LinkedIn

The number of people on LinkedIn is rising. But the number of people consistently posting weekly is really shockingly low. And it's been that way for years. So more new members are joining, but the number of people actively posting and being visible is not increasing proportionately.

LinkedIn is my top platform where I am active daily. Where I have built a warm and valuable network through my own strategy. I have experienced as an entrepreneur how great the power of a good LinkedIn profile, strategy and network is. 

I myself emerged as an invisible gray mouse after 20 years of corporate business and yes, actually a dormant LinkedIn profile. When I started my business, I made a very conscious decision to start on LinkedIn to start my online visibility, build my personal brand, presentation and marketing. The first post...seriously to yawn. Because I had spent hours tinkering with a post, because it had to look professional. I thought.

Put it off for several days and finally forced myself to post. Because I knew I had to work on my visibility and personal brand. After posting, I immediately clapped my laptop shut for fear of reaction from "old" colleagues and acquaintances. I went for a walk and after a few hours opened my laptop again. And, really 0.0 reaction. 

The power of positioning in a competitive marketplace

In a competitive market, just having expertise is not enough. It is essential to position yourself as the authority in your field. This starts with knowing your target audience and understanding their pains, desires and desired outcomes. By creating a rock-solid value proposition, you set yourself apart from the rest and show what you stand for as a personal brand or company.

But then you have to show what you have to offer.

How do you increase your online visibility on LinkedIn?

Increasing online visibility starts with positioning and your unmatchable value proposition. Rock-solid positioning sets you apart from the rest, shows what you stand for as a personal brand or company, and what makes you unique. Here are some crucial steps:

Increasing online visibility starts with positioning Because you will not be noticed, recognized or your content is simply not valuable enough. Increasing online visibility therefore starts with positioning and your unmatchable value proposition. With rock-solid positioning, you distinguish yourself from the rest, show what you stand for as a personal brand/company and what makes you unique. It ensures relevance and connection with your target audience.

5 lessons from building my business on LinkedIn

Building your brand, your business on LinkedIn can feel like an uphill battle. You post, tweak and try to crack the code, but nothing sticks. You watch others with seemingly perfect strategies get more likes and followers and you start thinking, "What am I doing wrong?

I've experienced it, too. I spent years chasing trends and whims of the algorithm, doubting myself and falling for "LinkedIn hacks" that promised overnight success. 

Because, they didn't work. What did work? Focusing on the basics, my own basics. By focusing completely on my own value, my business and my way and rhythm (byebye algorithm).

These five lessons have changed my time/use of LinkedIn and my business. 

Learn from my failed attempts, mistakes and you will save yourself years of frustration, time and money.

1. From wait-and-see to personal contact in the DM

Nobody likes getting something foisted on them. You probably recognize it: a standard generated message BAM straight into your inbox. A generic story that will revolutionize your business, or 10K months, or rows of leads, or the tool that will change your whole life.

For years, I avoided outreach because I didn't want to appear - as they did - pushy or too directly salesy. But here's the truth: It's not about avoiding DMs - it's about how you execute them.

Bad DMs are irrelevant, lazy and impersonal. But thoughtful, researched and personal contact does work.

Some of my best opportunities have come from sending targeted messages to the right people at the right time. It's not about sending hundreds of messages; it's about starting meaningful conversations with people who matter.

And I have met not only new clients, but also valuable sparring partners and co-creators through it. LinkedIn is truly my gold mine both for me as a person, and for my business.

So for all the warm contacts in my network, thank you for all the great conversations, connections, collaboration and business deals we've already done together. I look forward to more of this in 2025. Together with you, strengthening and helping each other further to reach(ing) more on LinkedIn and beyond. Because we know that there is more to get out of ourselves, our business and our lives. And that limitless and unlimited is worth so much more.

2. You don't need viral posts to make a lot of money

One of the biggest lies about LinkedIn is that you need a large audience to succeed. That's not true. The big viral posts where you can request free web givers will get you great reach. But not necessarily then more sales. Possibly a short-term effect, but for the long term it is not a sustainable strategy.

If you can't convert 500 ideal top clients into your network, what makes you think 5,000 - 10,000 will make a difference? More followers does not mean more customers.

Many infleuncers - the 'famous' LinkedIners with huge followers are not running a profitable business. They have built an audience that loves motivational quotes, free giveaways or lists of favorite books/AI tools/5am routines.... but those followers and 'likers' are not buying what they are selling. Here's the truth about those viral posts: most engagement comes from people commenting for their own gain. They want to increase their visibility, not buy your services.

I am very serving and helpful. I share a lot of value and wish everyone success, both online and in DM. Ultimately, I do run a commercial business. I want to work with top clients -leaders/entrepreneurs (start-ups/scale-up) who see my value and want to learn from it and invest in it, in order to continue to grow myself.

Likes, comments and impressions are nice, but they don't pay your bills. I also call them the scrapers. They mainly come to get, and look for free advice and help.

Lurkers are the people who read your posts but never like or comment. They silently evaluate you and when they are ready, they will contact you. These are the people you want to appeal to. My top customers are the lurkers. These drop into my calendar without ever having liked any of my posts and without me even noticing them. They have been following me for ages and are in fact already so convinced that our conversation immediately connects and flows from trust. 

The key is strategic networking and to have the right people in your network. Continuing to offer them the added value (through content, live meetings, master class) and then your own system/process to convert them. I have built a thriving business without chasing the number of followers because I focus on quality over quantity. 

But that does mean that I proactively work on my network and am eager to enrich it. Because by doing so, I do continue to build on the value of your network and it delivers much more from high quality - for me and most importantly my clients.

Forget chasing engagement metrics. Create and share your own valuable content that directly addresses your ideal customer's challenges. The will process usually takes longer, may not go viral, but it will resonate with the people who matter. Stop being misled and distracted. Start with what you have. If your strategy is based on becoming famous obv likes and views, then you are focusing on the wrong goal.

3. If your proposition and message are not clear, you will lose customers.

Think about your LinkedIn profile and content. If your ideal client landed on your page, would they immediately know how you could help them?

In the beginning, I tried to appeal to too many people, all at once. The result? My message did not resonate with my real top customers.

Once I got clear on who my top customers are and focused on appealing to my top customers, everything clicked. Specificity is it's your position and your value proposition that you have to be razor sharp and clear. 

More importantly, just like your growth strategy, your position and proposition - and therefore your message - are not static. You grow and develop as an entrepreneur and with your business, and each new growth phase also requires a new strategy, your repositioning and your enriched proposition.

4. Content ≠ King. It is the icing on the cake

"Content is King." I disagree. Content is important, but it is only one piece of your entire strategy. Most businesses and entrepreneurs who rely solely on content end up getting frustrated because content alone does not generate consistent leads.

I see content as the icing on the cake. It supports your strategy, but it can't be your entire strategy. The real work happens behind the "front door" - direct contact, connection, follow-ups and referrals. And that's for the long haul!

Content is the opening. Only then does the "real" work happen.

Only reaching your connections through social media platforms, such as LinkedIn is not reliable. Suppose for whatever reason, LinkedIn temporarily takes your account offline, you lose your direct contact with your network. That's another reason why I look with my clients to differentiate and diversify your value, your marketing and therefore revenue streams. 

5. Strategic networking on LinkedIn is a profitable skill

LinkedIn is an online networking platform - not a collection bin of profiles. It's easy to think of LinkedIn as a list of leads. But behind each profile is a real person with challenges, goals and priorities.

You get the best results when you treat people as valuable individuals. Instead of sending generic messages, take the time to understand what is important to them. Review their profile, see what they've posted and adjust your outreach.

If you show someone that you put in the effort, they are much more likely to connect with you.

In the end, it comes down to being known, appreciated and trusted. And realize, you're not there for everyone. And not everyone feels your energy and goodness. And that's totally ok. It's not rejection, it's an insight that allows you to regain a better understanding of who you are really there for and who you can help with your valuable service/offering.

Bonus tip: Systems and frameworks always beat shiny objects

LinkedIn is full of tools, trends and tactics that promise quick results. But chasing "shinny objects" is exhausting.

Sustainable success comes from systems - simple, repeatable processes that consistently deliver leads and customers. So no haps-snap actions and inconsistency. But clear processes and profitable actions that do get you your results and desired growth.

People are averse to routines and systems and then want to grow their business from flow and freedom. But I know - right the systems give you control, predictability and freedom. They don't depend on algorithm changes or the latest hack. They just work.

Once you have your position, value proposition and growth strategy, along with your own system, you no longer have to peddle and search for leads. You can focus on what really matters - serving your customers with the best value and growing your business.

And yes, there will always be someone who comes up with a new hack or secret tactic. You need a reliable, predictable and profitable system, you won't get that by being fooled, applying for yet another giveaway or trying tactic after tactic.

If you haven't discovered the power of LinkedIn yet, it's time to change.

Focus on the basics:

• Clear position, proposition and messages that appeal to your ideal top customer.
• Targeted approaches connect that spark real conversations.
• Systems that work in the background so you don't have to do it alone.

If you do these things right, LinkedIn will become your growth engine.

Are you ready to strengthen your position and develop a LinkedIn strategy that works without (over)living on LinkedIn,  Claim your spot in the LinkedIn-SPRINT to begin with.

Let's talk about how to create systems that do deliver your top customers and without having to spend more time, energy and money.

Get ready for profitable growth on LinkedIn in 2025.

The 6-week LinkedIn Sprint start is Jan. 6, 2025. Sign up immediately and be assured of your growth in 2025. 

How will you strengthen your position and growth on LinkedIn in 2025?

My exclusive 6-week LinkedIn Sprint program is specifically designed to help you strengthen your online leadership position and grow profitably. 

Click here for the entire Program of the LinkedIn Sprint

Bonus and Extras

• Personal Analysis: Each participant receives a video with a personal analysis of their LinkedIn profile and content, including tailored strategic advice.
• Exclusive Access: Access to a private group where you will receive support and feedback from both me and other participants.
• Bonus module on AI: A bonus module on advanced AI applications to improve your content and interactions.

LinkedIn Sprint as a VIP 

Exclusive VIP package for only 5 participants

In addition to everything above, you will receive:

• 2x 45-minute 1:1 coaching: Personal sessions to discuss specific challenges and goals.
• Personal action plan: Immediately applicable strategies for your unique situation.

Claim your Sprint and grow on LinkedIn

Do you want to strengthen your online leadership and position on LinkedIn by 2025? Sign up for my 6-week sprint program "More Reach and Growth on LinkedIn" before Dec. 31, 2024.

 Don't make intentions but make the decision. 

Being assured of your position, growth and future

• From unseen to noticed
• From blanks to a working system
• From loss to profit in time, energy and revenue.

Why this Program?

This is not the standard LinkedIn training. I share my full personal, authentic approach that differs from the generic methods of great LinkedIn experts. This sprint is focused on strengthening your position, strategies and network, which will bring you immediate results and growth in 2025. 

The Future of LinkedIn

In 2025, LinkedIn will strike a balance between advanced technologies and precisely the human connection that we must not forget. Technology promises efficiency, but without the human touch, it remains superficial. My program helps you find your own way and position, present, network and communicate effectively.

Signing up now is starting the LinkedIn Sprint on Jan. 6, 2025

Sign up now for my 6-week sprint program and immediately begin your journey to online success on LinkedIn in 2025. Let 2025 be the year you significantly strengthen your online leadership and position on LinkedIn. We start sprinting on Monday, January 6, 2025.