Using LinkedIn as a digital sales assistant
September 2023 - As an entrepreneur, you like to show off your expertise. LinkedIn is the ideal tool for showcasing your knowledge and attracting attention to you and your company. How exactly does it work?
Highlighting your expertise
Your target group must know that you're good at what you do, even before becoming a customer. LinkedIn is the ideal platform for achieving this. There are two ways to showcase your expertise:
1) distribute unique, quality content;
2) obtain references and endorsements.
Content marketing is a form of branding in which companies inform potential customers by offering them quality content (both textual and audiovisual). The aim is not to sell products or services, but to give advice, thereby gaining the trust of potential customers and gaining authority.
Content marketing and LinkedIn: a perfect match
Because of its enormous reach, LinkedIn is one of the best channels for reaching your target group. What's more, you can determine exactly who you want to reach. What's more, relevant content - content that represents added value for your target group - is appreciated and, as a result, often shared.
Foundations of authority on LinkedIn
As an entrepreneur, you like people to highlight your skills and strengths. On LinkedIn, this is possible via "endorsements". Every skill you attribute to yourself can be "endorsed" by your LinkedIn connections. This obviously sends out a strong signal to your prospects and customers. Your connections can go even further and write a detailed recommendation. These recommendations are visible to everyone and contribute to the authority of your profile.
Gaining authority on LinkedIn: tips and advice
You gain authority by repeatedly highlighting your expertise, which you do by creating quality content for your target group. If you can do this effectively, people will also share your content. They will become your ambassadors and actively recommend your expertise. The more people who refer to you as the leading expert in a field, the more you will be seen as an authority in your sector or area of knowledge.
The sum of all your content, references and endorsements together determines your authority on LinkedIn. All these elements show that you (and by extension: your company) are reliable as an entrepreneur and that you are a true expert in your field.
