Five Ways Advisors Can Find Success Using LinkedIn

In an era where professional connections can make or break a career, LinkedIn stands out as the largest and most dynamic platform for advisors looking to expand their influence. Yet, many advisors find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer volume of options and distractions available. How can you leverage this powerful tool with intention – not only to network, but also elevate your brand?

In this article, we’ll dive into five foundational strategies that will empower you to harness LinkedIn’s potential and navigate the platform with purpose and efficiency.

1. Start with why

Identifying one or two goals for using LinkedIn can help you stay focused while using the platform, thereby avoiding distractions. For example, advisors who wish to prospect new clients would use LinkedIn differently than advisors seeking new centres of influence, or those simply looking to stay informed on updates from their network. Getting clear on how LinkedIn can enable your business goals will help you to allocate your time on the platform effectively.

2. Optimize your profile

Optimizing your profile to reflect your intention on the platform is an important step when using LinkedIn. At a basic level, ensure your profile looks professional and compelling:

• Use a high-quality profile photo.
  • Ensure the photo is recent, in focus, and you are easily recognizable.
• Write a strong headline which speaks to your target audience and identifies your value add to clients.
  • E.g., “I help small business owners plan their financial future so they can focus on building their business today.”
• Craft a summary that highlights your expertise and unique value.
  • Rather than copying and pasting the “About Us” section from your website, try speaking in the first person and defining why you are passionate about your work.
• Once these criteria are met, update your profile regularly to reflect your current skills, education and professional focus.

3. Be strategic with your time

Once you have determined what you would like to achieve on LinkedIn, you can begin to determine suitable time blocks to accomplish your goals.

Rather than logging in at random intervals and leaving your effectiveness to chance, we recommend that you set a recurring day and time in your calendar for LinkedIn engagement and honour it as you would other important appointments.  In a recent workplace study, 45% of people agreed that regularly jumping between tasks made them less productive.¹ By eliminating distractions and setting aside dedicated time at regular intervals, you will more easily stay focused and accountable to your goals on LinkedIn. Tools such as Hootsuite can suggest the best days and times to schedule your posts, based on the activities of your target audience.

4. Engage meaningfully

When posting your own content: Share your own insights, industry trends, and thought leadership articles while being mindful that the tone of your content is likeable yet professional. Also, add visuals to your posts whenever possible. Studies have shown that the human brain can process images up to 60,000 times faster than text². While helping to ensure your posts are distinct and engaging, using visuals can also help readers emotionally connect to your content, thereby making it (and you) more memorable. Images can be sourced through subscription sites, such as iStock or Shutterstock, or free sites, such as Unsplash or Pixabay.*

Regularly posting content at a cadence you can stick to, and which resonates with your audience helps establish your authority and keeps you top of mind.

When interacting with other content: Make sure your contributions to other posts add value. Avoid generic comments like, "Great post!" Instead, provide insights, ask questions, or share relevant experiences.

Increasing the quality of your interactions on LinkedIn will increase the quality of your connections, too.

5. Network strategically

Taking a strategic approach to networking on LinkedIn is important for advisors who want to create meaningful relationships, enhance their credibility, stay efficient with their time and increase their opportunities. If this describes your goals on LinkedIn, you can network strategically by:

Personalizing connection requests – Always customize your connection requests with a brief message explaining why you want to connect. Mention any common interests, mutual connections, or previous moments your paths crossed. Doing so will help differentiate you from a sea of other people and increase the likelihood of making the connection.

Joining relevant groups – Participate in LinkedIn groups that align with your target niche or interests. Contributing to discussions already being had by those you’d like to connect with can position you as a knowledgeable resource.

Following up – After making new connections, follow up with a message thanking them for connecting and suggest a virtual coffee chat, or start a discussion on shared interests. This can help turn connections into relationships that may become fruitful down the road.

Knowing when to say no – The quality of your LinkedIn network is more important than the quantity of your connections and interactions. You can network strategically by declining opportunities that are not a fit for your goals or lack mutual benefit, including:

• Connection invitations from those outside your industry, niche, or focus.
• Invitations to low-quality networking events.
• Outreach from incompatible prospects.
• Cold sales pitches.

Conclusion

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, LinkedIn isn't just another social media platform – it's a vital tool for advisors seeking to build meaningful connections and elevate their professional presence. With a dedicated and thoughtful approach, you can transform your LinkedIn experience into a powerful driver for your advisory business.

When you’re ready to explore these strategies further and enhance your digital footprint, reach out to your CI sales team for tailored support and insights. Your next big connection could be just a click away.

*Advisors should collaborate with their dealers when considering the integration of new technology.

¹ Source : https://plan.io/blog/time-blocking/#:~:text=In%20a%20recent%20workplace%20study,phone%20calls%2C%20or%20building%20presentations
² Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/increasing-linkedin-post-engagement-what-works-2024-emailminers-zttzf/