Storytelling: The key to unlocking LinkedIn

Find Your Superpower newsletter 048

Read time: 5 minutes

Topics covered: Business storytelling, virtual bootcamp, content creation on LinkedIn

As I enter the halfway mark of my six-week Find Your Superpower LinkedIn bootcamp, I am heartened by the progress some of the participants are making. I’m reading stories by them that they’ve never told before, and also feeling a deep connection with a bunch of awesome individuals that I’ve never met in real life outside of LinkedIn.

Here’s some encouraging mid-term success stories so far:

• Some posts are getting >100 likes

• Some posts are going viral (I consider >500 likes as viral)

• Some bootcampers are getting a surge in industry connection requests

• Some posts are getting highlighted by LinkedIn editors

I am observing that my bootcampers are going through tremendous professional growth, by discovering that they have a clear and powerful voice and a supportive community of industry peers and colleagues on LinkedIn.

Storytelling is a superpower

At the heart of it, business storytelling is very different from the kinds of traditional B2C or B2B content marketing we see out there that focuses on advertising products and services, such as coaching or consulting.

Business storytelling is really about building a relationship and fostering trust between you and your potential client.

Business storytelling is really about providing history and context about your product or service, thereby turning potential clients into lifelong fans of your professional brand.

If done correctly, all of these stories will create for you a strong and loyal community and convert into business revenue and career opportunities.

I’ve heard terms like “social selling” being used to describe this, but I much prefer to call it “business storytelling”.

In case you think I am describing ”fluffy and inspirational” writing, it couldn’t be further from the truth. In addition to telling compelling and powerful stories and providing thought leadership, business storytelling also requires proof of success, testimonials, user case studies and real data that backs up everything you’re saying.

Here’s a photo of some of us from a fireside chat with Frank Koo, Head of Asia for talent and learning solutions at LinkedIn. Thank you Frank for joining us as a guest speaker last week! 

Some of our bootcamp participants who joined the group photo

Business storytelling drives business revenue

When I coach corporate teams and individuals on LinkedIn, I often encounter two camps:

• In camp 1, they find it challenging to find any stories to write about on LinkedIn

• In camp 2, they are posting everything and anything that pops in their mind, ranging from what they ate, to their thoughts on generative AI, to whatever was on the news that day. They are basically using LinkedIn as a glorified online diary, similar to how they would use Facebook.

I often find it quite amusing as these are diametrically opposite problems to solve, but I have proven time and time again that both camps can be rehabilitated with some tender loving care.

These days, I teach my clients how to create focused, business storytelling, one that actually works 24-7 even while they sleep to get them more revenue and clients.

These days, I teach my clients evergreen storytelling formats that are easy to use and will never go out of style on LinkedIn. PS: I am 100% against fads and trendy writing formats and hacks.

I also find it hilarious when I receive texts from the founders, entrepreneurs and CEOs I coach, who have been re-programmed by me to think that 200-300 likes per post is an “average” post, while 100 likes per post is the “minimum” acceptable threshold to cross.

They text me, “Hmmm… this post ONLY got 100 likes.”

Only!

What a testimony to the power of business storytelling.

And these likes aren’t from telling any random sob story or shock story… these likes come from telling stories about their business, their professional work, their life mission. Stories that lead to business revenue.

Let me tell you... you’ll never see LinkedIn in the same way again once you get a post on your life mission that gets more than 1K likes, which would typically be linked to 50-100K impressions or more.

When the DMs, connection requests and comments flow in fast and furious, all wanting to work with you (or for you), you will suddenly understand what the whole point of LinkedIn is.

A lightbulb will go off in your head.

Gee... I have been using LinkedIn incorrectly all this time to lurk and keep tabs on my industry mates.... so this is what LinkedIn is all about... I can finally see it for myself. I get it now!!!

💜 Sale sale sale sale sale 💜

I’d like to gently remind you that I have a lightning sale for my masterclasses in honor of International Women’s Day on 8 March 2024.

For one week, I am offering both of my on-demand LinkedIn courses at an unbeatable price of US$123 (usual price: US$99 each). You can also buy individual courses at 20% off.

Whether you’re a business leader or a professional executive, this limited-time “I SUPPORT WOMEN” sale will allow you to find your brand and voice on LinkedIn for your career and business endpoints.

It also includes a 1h storytelling workshop which I think is very good for beginners who are interested in business storytelling! 🛒✨

(This offer ends on Sunday, 9 March, 12 midnight GMT +8:00)

Thanks for reading issue 048 of my weekly Find Your Superpower newsletter.

For those of you who are new to my newsletter, Find Your Superpower is subscribed to by 34,000+ people, and discusses the following three goals: (1) Making a career transition, (2) Professional branding on LinkedIn, and (3) Reinventing ourselves for the future of work.

Here’s how we can stay in touch:

1. Listen to my new podcast episode with The Woke Salaryman duo on the pros and cons of remote work here: Spotify and Youtube

2. Waitlist for my virtual bootcamps ASAP. Let this be a big hint to you that I will be launching a new bootcamp very soon!

3. Enjoy my International Women’s Day sale and buy both of my on-demand masterclasses at 38% off!