Everyone talks about LinkedIn as if it’s the must-have social network for business users – and in many ways it is. But like anything else, LinkedIn is only really useful if you actually bother to use it.
Getting the best out of LinkedIn takes a little time, a little patience, and a little bit of putting yourself into it, but it can be rewarding. Read on to learn how to build your email list using LinkedIn (without dying of boredom first).
Start By Acting Like a Human Being
You know what the internet is filled with? Robots.
Oh, I’m not talking about AI, I’m talking about real, breathing people who go on with the same tasks monotonously, without really thinking about what they are doing any more. This is especially true in places like LinkedIn (and other social media networks), where the initial excitement has worn off and become drudgery. You stop being a human and fall into being an automaton.
So, the first thing you need to do if you want to build your email list is wake up, step out of the swamp, and start being an engaged person again. That means:
Spend ten minutes a day actually talking to people
No one really wants to join the mailing list of someone they’ve never spoken to, and ten minutes really is all it takes. Pop onto LinkedIn, find a few things that genuinely interest you in your field, and comment on them.
Make the comments honest and genuine, and soon you’ll be building that all-important recognition. Just don’t be too opinionated (unless that’s your brand) because you don’t want to waste time getting into a pointless row (and you might!).
Post like you’re writing to a person, not a ‘network’
Write your posts as if you’re talking to someone you like, with real language and an engaging voice. Don’t talk as if you are one robot sharing scheduled info with a room of robots.
Don’t overdo it
It’s so easy to go too far and cross the line from engaging personality to annoying bug. You want people to remember you – yes. You want people to become aware of your brand – yes. You don’t want to be an irritant, and you also don’t want to spend your whole life on the platform.
Ten minutes – that’s it! (Maybe a little more if you get into a chat).
When you’ve done that, people start thinking ‘hey, I like this person, I want to hear more from them’ – and that’s when we move on…
Make a Lead Magnet that Leads People to You, Really
A lead magnet is so-called because it draws people to you. Back in the good ol’ days, when such a technique was a new and innovative thing, lead magnets didn’t have to be that great. The mere promise of something for free was enough to get a potential customer to share their email.
But now everyone has a PDF that tells them ’8 ways you’re going to make a million quid’ and they don’t look at them or care. And if they see another similar magnet, it’s more likely to repel them than draw them in.
Your lead magnet needs to be magnetic! Exciting! Interesting! And not boring. So throw some old static PDF in the bin and think ‘What do I have to offer that will lead people to me?’ I know you do have something, because you’re a business and so you have something real to offer, right?
Make that your lead magnet.
It shouldn’t be huge – it’s a taster of what you do, not the whole caboodle – but it should be interesting and valuable and worth someone handing over their email address for.
And don’t be afraid to change up your lead magnet. Don’t just make one now and still be using it in five years, covered in dust and bits of lint. Look at what you have every few months to draw people in, and switch out your lead magnet accordingly. It can even be truly dynamic – a piece of timely content that is relevant right now, or a sample of something at a pre-release stage.
Just not a dull evergreen PDF, promise me!
Use LinkedIn Tools
You’re probably on LinkedIn because you think that’s where all the cool kids hang out. It isn’t – LinkedIn has never been cool – but it is where prospective customers are, so the idea is sound.
But there are other reasons to be here. LinkedIn is actually a little more than just a basic post-and-comment social media site for businesses – even if that’s how 99% of users use it. It also has a little trio of super-useful tools that are perfect for people who like to stretch their email marketing. Why not use them?
- Newsletters - Yup, you can get LinkedIn to run your email newsletter list for you, allowing people to subscribe to regular content from you. For beginner email marketers, it’s a nice step onto the ladder; for those who know what they’re doing, it’s a great way to funnel people to your real email list. Use it!
- Events - Running a short webinar or live Q&A is a great way to collect email addresses. If those sound too serious for you, how about just a ‘let’s chat’ style discussion once a month?
- Lives - This one takes a little more administration, as you need to be approved, but going live every now and then can significantly boost your engagement. And remember not to just talk at people - answer questions, share thoughts, and then (casually) mention your newsletter.
Finally - Keep Showing Up
If there’s one thing I hammer home with every bit of email marketing advice, it’s consistency. It’s so key to be there with a trusted, regular presence. As I said earlier, don’t overdo it to the point where you turn into noise, but a few good posts and genuine conversation every now and then ensures you stay on the radar as someone people want to see.
Building Your Email List With Nathan Littleton
I can’t be your LinkedIn guy, but I can be your email marketing guy. Book a consultation with me, Nathan Littleton, and we’ll work together to develop your email list strategy – including LinkedIn – and build your database of potential customers to convert them into paying ones.
Contact me today, and let’s discuss how I can help your business boost its email marketing.
