LinkedIn can be one of the most useful networking tools a business owner has. It can also be a feed full of humblebrags, recycled inspirational quotes, and strangers who connect with you just to send a sales pitch three minutes later.
The difference is how you use it. Here’s a practical approach that treats LinkedIn as a place to build relationships, not just broadcast.
Get your profile working for you
Your profile is what people check after meeting you. Make it easy for them to understand what you do:
- Headline: what you do and who you do it for, in plain language. “Bookkeeper for creative agencies” beats “Passionate Finance Professional | Visionary | Lifelong Learner.”
- Photo: a clear, recent photo where you look like yourself.
- About section: a few short paragraphs on who you help, how, and what working with you is like. Write it like you’d talk.
- Featured section: link to your best work, a podcast appearance, a useful article, or how to book a call.
Connect with purpose
Connections matter more than connection count. Good ones to add:
- People you meet at events, round tables and calls. Connect within a day or two while you’re fresh in their mind.
- Past clients and colleagues
- Referral partners: people who serve your clients in different ways
- People whose content you genuinely find useful
Add a short note when you can: “Great talking with you at Tuesday’s round table. Would love to stay in touch.”
Never pitch in the DMs
Connecting with someone and immediately sending a sales message is the fastest way to be ignored, or remembered for the wrong reasons. Treat LinkedIn like any other relationship: get to know people first.
Comment more than you post
Thoughtful comments on other people’s posts are one of the most underrated ways to get noticed. They show your expertise in context, put your name in front of new people, and build relationships with the person you’re commenting for. A real comment, not “Great post!”
Post things worth reading
When you post, aim for useful or interesting:
- A lesson from a recent project
- A common mistake you see and how to avoid it
- Your honest opinion on a trend in your industry
- A question you’re thinking through
- Something you learned from another business owner (credit them)
A consistent, modest rhythm beats bursts of daily posting followed by months of silence. See Why Consistency Beats Virality in Marketing.
Take it offline
The best LinkedIn relationships usually move somewhere else eventually: a call, a coffee, a joint project, an introduction. LinkedIn starts the relationship. Real conversations build it.
If you’d like more of those real conversations, WEN Round Tables are a good place to meet women running businesses. Then connect on LinkedIn afterward. And for the bigger picture, read How to Network Authentically.
