How to get your targets to read your LinkedIn article

You’ve drafted, re-drafted and proofed it. You’ve missed at least one Zoom call in the process and never made it out for that brisk walk.

You post it at the perfect time, explaining to all your contacts just how brilliant your new business is going to be, exactly what tech you are developing and how this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get involved.  

And then …. nothing.

A couple of colleagues give you an encouraging thumbs up. But even though the stats suggest people have looked at it, your article hasn’t created a single positive response. For the next few days you check for private messages. Surely someone is intrigued? But no. Rather than linking-in your many targets, your words have floated past them. You might as well have gone for that walk.

The good news is that 1) you’re not alone and 2) you can do something about this right away. Here are a few simple tips to maximise the chance of your LinkedIn article being spotted and delivering results:

Improving your impact on LinkedIn 

1. Decide before you start writing who you want to target. Imagine them very specifically. If you are trying to fundraise for a tech start-up, for example, you need to write for an angel investor with a track record of investing in similar businesses. Write specifically for him or her. It makes a massive difference.

2. Hone in on the greatest single benefit that your product will bring to the market. It could be a novel approach to solving an old problem, deploying technology to optimise and improve an inefficient manual process, or a way to significantly reduce costs. Are you helping people bank faster, measure their calorie intake or build their own shelves? Whatever it is, ensure that you lead with the benefit before explaining the detail.

3. A potential investor will be hooked-in by the benefit to the end user. But they also need to know what’s in it for them. What’s the investment upside? How long will he or she need to wait to see returns? An investor isn’t doing you a favour. They are in it to create a tangible opportunity for themselves.

4. Work on a title that will pique interest without appearing too click-baity. 

5. Write in language that is simple, jargon-free and completely clear (without being patronising).

6. Try to write in sentences of less than ten words. It's a great discipline for making your article easy to read.

7. Break large chunks of text into short paragraphs.

8. Keep your tone as relaxed and conversational as possible. If you read your draft and think you sound like a corporate bore, that’s a sign!

9. Take the article to a point where your target would need to contact you to find out more. And let them know the best way to do so.

10. Remember, you are not chasing ‘likes’. This isn’t a popularity contest. One great lead who calls you is worth any number of thumbs up!

This is, of course, just the start. But it’s amazing quite how transformative these tips can be. A client recently asked us to re-write a LinkedIn article that had previously been ignored. Two hours after posting it, three potential clients had messaged them directly. We’d love to help you and your team become better communicators and we’re always happy to chat.