5 Steps to Building Strong Relationships on LinkedIn

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As an influencer, content creator, or entrepreneur, you know how important it is to have strong relationships in your industry. But building those relationships on LinkedIn can be challenging. You’re dealing with a platform that’s full of noise, with millions of users all trying to stand out and get noticed. So how can you make sure that you’re building strong relationships with the right people, and getting the most out of your time on LinkedIn?

That’s exactly what I want to talk about in this article. I’m going to share with you five steps that will help you build strong relationships on LinkedIn, and get the most out of your time on the platform. Whether you’re just starting out, or you’ve been using LinkedIn for a while, these steps will help you connect with the right people, and build relationships that can help you grow your business, increase your visibility, and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

Step 1: Optimize Your Profile

The first step to building strong relationships on LinkedIn is to optimize your profile. Your profile is your digital first impression and often the first thing someone sees when they search for you on LinkedIn. It’s important to make sure that your profile is professional, engaging, and complete. This includes having a professional profile picture, a compelling headline, a summary that showcases your expertise, and a detailed work history.

Judi Fox is an excellent example of an optimized LinkedIn profile. She’s a social media coach and consultant who helps businesses and individuals improve their social media presence and build their personal brands. Here are a few reasons why her profile stands out:

1. Headline: Judi’s headline clearly and succinctly communicates what she does and who she helps. It includes keywords that are relevant to her industry, which can help her profile show up in search results.
2. Summary: Judi’s summary provides a brief overview of her experience and expertise, and includes specific examples of how she’s helped clients in the past. She also includes a clear call-to-action, inviting visitors to connect with her or learn more about her services.
3. Experience: Judi’s experience section includes detailed information about her past roles and accomplishments, and highlights the specific skills she’s developed over the years. She also includes multimedia elements, such as videos and images, to showcase her work.
4. Recommendations: Judi has several recommendations from clients and colleagues, which add credibility to her profile and demonstrate the value she provides to her clients.
5. Engagement: Judi is an active member of the LinkedIn community and regularly engages with her network by commenting on posts, sharing valuable content, and participating in groups. This helps her build strong relationships with her audience and establish herself as a thought leader in her industry.

Overall, Judi’s profile is optimized for her target audience and effectively showcases her expertise and experience. By following her example and optimizing your own profile, you can improve your visibility on LinkedIn, build strong relationships with your network, and achieve your personal and professional goals.

For a step-by-step walkthrough of how to make your own profile shine for prospects, download the free eBook or attend a free webinar!

Step 2: Identify Your Target Audience

The second step to building strong relationships on LinkedIn is to identify your target audience. Who are the people that you want to connect with, and what are their interests and needs? Once you’ve identified your target audience, you can start searching for them on LinkedIn, and engaging with their content. This will help you build relationships with the right people, and establish yourself as a valuable resource in your industry.

To identify your target audience on LinkedIn, start by thinking about your ideal customer or client. Who are they? What industries do they work in? What job titles do they have? What problems do they have that you can help solve?

Once you have a clear picture of your target audience, you can use LinkedIn’s search and filtering tools to find people who fit that description. LinkedIn allows you to search for people based on a variety of criteria, including industry, job title, location, company size, and more.

You can also use LinkedIn Groups to connect with your target audience. Groups are communities on LinkedIn where people with similar interests can share content, ask questions, and connect with each other. By joining relevant Groups and engaging with members, you can build relationships with people who are likely to be interested in your products or services.

Another way to identify your target audience on LinkedIn is to look at your existing connections and followers. Who are they? What industries do they work in? What job titles do they have? By analyzing your existing network, you can get a better understanding of who is interested in your content and your brand, and you can use that information to guide your future outreach efforts.

Overall, the key to identifying your target audience on LinkedIn is to be specific and focused. Don’t try to connect with everyone – instead, focus on connecting with the people who are most likely to be interested in what you have to offer. By doing so, you’ll be able to build stronger and more meaningful relationships on the platform.

Goldie Chan is a great example of someone who has identified her target audience on LinkedIn. Goldie is a LinkedIn influencer and content creator, as well as the founder of a social media consultancy called Warm Robots. Here are a few ways Goldie has identified her target audience and built her brand on LinkedIn:

1. Niche Focus: Goldie has established herself as an expert in a specific niche – LinkedIn content creation and personal branding. She regularly shares tips and insights on how to create compelling content and build a strong personal brand on the platform, and has become a go-to resource for professionals who want to improve their LinkedIn presence.
2. Authentic Voice: Goldie’s content is authentic and relatable, which helps her connect with her target audience on a deeper level. She shares personal stories and experiences, as well as tips and advice, in a way that is approachable and easy to understand.
3. Engagement: Goldie is an active member of the LinkedIn community and regularly engages with her audience through comments, likes, and shares. She also responds to messages and questions from her followers, which helps her build strong relationships with her target audience.
4. Consistency: Goldie is consistent in her messaging and content, which helps her build trust with her audience over time. She shares new content on a regular basis, and ensures that all of her content is aligned with her brand and messaging.

Overall, Goldie’s success on LinkedIn is due in part to her ability to identify her target audience and create content that resonates with them. By following her example and focusing on a specific niche, building an authentic voice, engaging with your audience, and being consistent in your messaging, you can build a strong brand on LinkedIn and achieve your personal and professional goals.

Step 3: Engage with Content

The third step to building strong relationships on LinkedIn is to engage with content. This means liking, commenting, and sharing other people’s posts, as well as creating your own content. When you engage with other people’s content, it shows that you’re interested in what they have to say, and that you’re willing to contribute to the conversation. This can help you build relationships with other LinkedIn users, and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

To engage with content on LinkedIn, start by identifying the types of content that your target audience is most likely to be interested in. This might include articles, videos, infographics, or other types of content that relate to your industry or niche.

Once you’ve identified the types of content that your target audience is interested in, you can start engaging with that content in a variety of ways. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Like and comment on posts: When you see a post that you find interesting or valuable, take a moment to like it and leave a comment. Your comment should add value to the conversation and show that you’ve taken the time to read and engage with the content.
2. Share posts: If you come across a post that you think your network would find interesting or valuable, consider sharing it with your followers. This can help you build credibility and demonstrate your expertise in your industry or niche.
3. Create your own content: One of the best ways to engage with your target audience on LinkedIn is to create your own content. This might include blog posts, videos, infographics, or other types of content that showcase your expertise and provide value to your audience.
4. Participate in LinkedIn Groups: As I mentioned in Step 2, LinkedIn Groups are a great way to connect with your target audience. By participating in relevant Groups and engaging with members, you can build relationships and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

When engaging with content on LinkedIn, it’s important to be genuine and authentic. Don’t just leave generic comments or like every post you see – instead, focus on building real relationships with your target audience by adding value to the conversation and demonstrating your expertise.

Darryl Praill is a great example of someone who regularly engages with content on LinkedIn. He’s the Chief Marketing Officer at Agorapulse, the #1 rated social media management solution, and is a highly active member of the LinkedIn community. Here are a few ways Darryl engages with content on the platform:

1. Commenting: Darryl regularly comments on posts from other users, sharing his thoughts and insights on a wide range of topics related to sales and marketing. His comments are thoughtful and insightful, and often spark lively discussions among his followers.
2. Sharing: Darryl frequently shares posts and articles from other users on his own profile, providing valuable exposure to other members of the community. He also shares his own content, including blog posts and videos, which helps him establish himself as a thought leader in his industry.
3. Liking: Darryl often likes posts and articles that he finds interesting or valuable, which helps him stay top-of-mind with his followers and build strong relationships with other members of the community.
4. Video: Darryl is a big fan of video content and regularly posts videos on LinkedIn, sharing his thoughts and insights on a wide range of topics related to sales and marketing. His videos are engaging and informative, and help him stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Overall, Darryl’s success on LinkedIn is due in part to his regular engagement with content on the platform. By commenting, sharing, liking, and creating video content, he’s able to build strong relationships with his followers and establish himself as a thought leader in his industry. By following his example and engaging with content on a regular basis, you can build a strong presence on LinkedIn and achieve your personal and professional goals.

Step 4: Build Relationships On LinkedIn

The fourth step to building strong relationships on LinkedIn is to actually build relationships. This means connecting with other LinkedIn users, and reaching out to them to start a conversation. You can do this by sending personalized connection requests, or by reaching out to people who have engaged with your content. When you start a conversation with someone on LinkedIn, it’s important to be genuine and authentic. Don’t just pitch your products or services right away – instead, focus on building a relationship first.

To leverage LinkedIn’s messaging and communication tools, start by reaching out to people in your target audience who you think might be interested in your products or services. You can do this by sending personalized messages to people who have engaged with your content, joined your LinkedIn Group, or are otherwise connected to you on the platform.

When sending messages, it’s important to be personalized and authentic. Don’t just send a generic message to everyone in your network – instead, take the time to personalize each message and make it clear why you’re reaching out.

Here are some tips for effective messaging on LinkedIn:

1. Start with a greeting: Begin your message with a personalized greeting, such as “Hi [First Name],”
2. Introduce yourself: If you haven’t previously connected with the person, introduce yourself and explain why you’re reaching out.
3. Provide value: Be sure to offer something of value in your message. This might include a resource, a tip, or an invitation to connect.
4. Close with a call to action: End your message with a clear call to action, such as asking the person to schedule a call or connect with you on LinkedIn.

Here’s an example of what I do on LinkedIn to provide value as well as invite dialogue:

Another way to leverage LinkedIn’s messaging tools is to use LinkedIn InMail. InMail is a messaging feature that allows you to send messages to people who you’re not connected with on the platform. This can be a powerful tool for reaching out to new prospects and building relationships with people who are outside of your immediate network.

Overall, the key to leveraging LinkedIn’s messaging and communication tools is to be authentic, personalized, and focused on adding value. By doing so, you can build strong and meaningful relationships with your target audience on the platform.

Miri Rodriguez is a great example of someone who builds great relationships on LinkedIn. She’s the Senior Storyteller at Microsoft, and is known for her ability to connect with others on the platform. Here are a few ways Miri builds strong relationships on LinkedIn:

1. Authenticity: Miri is known for her authenticity on LinkedIn. She shares her personal experiences and thoughts on a wide range of topics, including leadership, diversity and inclusion, and more. By being open and honest with her audience, she’s able to build trust and establish a strong connection with her followers.
2. Networking: Miri is a master networker on LinkedIn. She regularly connects with other members of the community, and goes out of her way to build relationships with them. She’s also known for her ability to introduce people to each other, helping to create valuable connections between members of the LinkedIn community.
3. Engagement: Miri is highly engaged on LinkedIn, and regularly interacts with other members of the community. She responds to comments on her posts, and often takes the time to leave thoughtful comments on other users’ content. Her engagement helps to build strong relationships with her followers, and helps to establish her as a thought leader in her industry.

Overall, Miri’s success on LinkedIn is due in part to her ability to build strong relationships with other members of the community. By being authentic, networking, engaging with others, and building communities, she’s able to create valuable connections and establish herself as a thought leader in her industry. By following her example and focusing on building strong relationships on LinkedIn, you can achieve your personal and professional goals on the platform.

Step 5: Provide Value

The final step to building strong relationships on LinkedIn is to provide value. This means sharing content and resources that are valuable to your target audience, and helping people solve their problems. When you provide value on LinkedIn, you’ll build trust and credibility with your network, and people will be more likely to engage with you and share your content.

So, how can you provide value on LinkedIn? Here are a few ideas:

Share informative and educational content: One of the easiest ways to provide value on LinkedIn is by sharing informative and educational content with your network. This might include articles, videos, online flyers, infographics, or other types of content that relate to your industry or niche. Make sure the content you share is relevant to your audience and provides real value.

Offer helpful tips and advice: Another way to provide value is by offering helpful tips and advice on topics related to your industry or niche. This could include sharing your expertise on best practices, answering common questions, or providing insights on current trends.

Host webinars or live events: Hosting webinars or live events is a great way to provide value and engage with your audience on a deeper level. Consider hosting a webinar on a topic of interest to your audience or organizing a virtual networking event.

Provide exclusive access or discounts: Providing exclusive access or discounts to your products or services is another way to provide value to your LinkedIn network. This could include offering early access to new products or services, providing discounts or special offers, or offering free trials.

Overall, providing value on LinkedIn is about putting your audience’s needs first and providing them with information and resources that will help them succeed. By doing so, you’ll build strong and meaningful relationships with your network, and position yourself as a valuable resource in your industry or niche.

Milou Pietersz is a great example of someone who provides value on LinkedIn. She’s a digital marketing consultant and trainer, and regularly shares her expertise on the platform. Here are a few ways Milou provides value to her audience on LinkedIn:

1. Educational Content: Milou shares a wide range of educational content on LinkedIn, including articles, graphics, and short pieces of commentary. Her content is focused on helping her audience improve their digital marketing skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in the industry.
2. Thought Leadership: Milou regularly shares her thoughts and insights on a wide range of topics related to digital marketing, including social media, relationship building, resonating with audiences, and more. Her posts are well-researched and thought-provoking, and often spark lively discussions among her followers.
3. Personalization: Milou takes the time to personalize her content and engage with her audience on a one-to-one level. She responds to comments and questions on her posts, and often goes out of her way to provide additional insights or resources to her followers.
4. Free Resources: Milou provides a wide range of free resources to her audience on LinkedIn, including videos, webinars, and guidance. Her resources are highly valuable and provide practical tips and strategies that her audience can use to improve their digital marketing efforts.

Overall, Milou’s success on LinkedIn is due in part to her ability to provide value to her audience. By sharing educational content, establishing thought leadership, personalizing her engagement, and providing free resources, she’s able to build strong relationships with her followers and establish herself as a go-to resource in the digital marketing industry. By following her example and providing value to your own audience on LinkedIn, you can achieve your personal and professional goals on the platform.

Measuring Success With Relationships On LinkedIn

Without tracking and analyzing your progress, it can be difficult to know if your efforts are paying off and where to make adjustments. Measuring the success of your LinkedIn relationship-building efforts can help you identify what’s working and what’s not, and make informed decisions about how to optimize your strategy moving forward.

Here are some key metrics you should be tracking to measure the success of your LinkedIn relationship-building efforts:

Engagement: Track the engagement levels of your content and messages, including likes, comments, shares, and responses.

Connections: Monitor your number of connections on LinkedIn and track how this number grows over time.

InMail response rate: If you’re using LinkedIn InMail, track how many people are responding to your messages.

Lead generation: If one of your goals is to generate leads on LinkedIn, track how many leads you’re generating and where they’re coming from.

Conversion rate: If you’re using LinkedIn to drive traffic to your website or landing pages, track your conversion rate to see how effective your efforts are at driving action.

By tracking these metrics, you can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your LinkedIn relationship-building efforts and make data-driven decisions about how to optimize your strategy moving forward. For example, if you notice that your InMail response rate is low, you might need to adjust your messaging approach or refine your target audience.

In addition to tracking these metrics, it’s also important to regularly review and analyze your LinkedIn activity to identify areas for improvement. Look at your most successful posts and messages to see what resonates with your audience, and use this information to guide your future content and messaging.

Overall, measuring the success of your LinkedIn relationship-building efforts is essential to building strong and meaningful relationships on the platform. By tracking your progress and making data-driven decisions, you can optimize your strategy and achieve your relationship-building goals on LinkedIn.

Next Steps To Build Relationships On LinkedIn

Building strong relationships on LinkedIn can be challenging, but it’s also incredibly important for influencers, content creators, and entrepreneurs. By optimizing your profile, identifying your target audience, engaging with content, building relationships, and providing value, you can build strong relationships on LinkedIn that can help you grow your business, increase your visibility, and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

If you want to learn more about how to polish your LinkedIn profile so it shines for prospects, I invite you to download my free ebook or watch my free webinar on this topic. In the ebook/webinar, I’ll share even more tips and strategies for building strong relationships on LinkedIn, and for getting the most out of your time on the platform. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to helping you build strong relationships on LinkedIn!