Welcome to episode 199. Well what an amazing response we had to last weeks debate with John Nemo about LinkedIn automation! One of the key points that came out of episode 197 is that myself and John have very different ways of generating business and many of you wanted to know more about my way of using LinkedIn to generate 95% of my business without the need to play the numbers game. So that is going to be the main theme of this episode. But first….. Interesting Stuff I Saw This Week Introducing Salary Insights on Jobs LinkedInfluence I received this question prior to last weeks episode and I thunk it hits on a really important question I enjoy John’s (Nemo) podcasts too and find them to be useful. He also believes in providing value which aligns well with your strategy and what I believe in. That said, on the providing value yet pushy scale, John is totally different from you which is why I appreciate your style a lot more.  The question for you though is how does one avoid being pushy like John, provides value like you both do, but also builds a solid bridge to the services that are provided by you and/or your organization.  For example I have now downloaded and heard at least 20+ of your past episodes. I love them! I love your style. However I am not sure what you do besides some LinkedIn workshops which you have very briefly mentioned on your podcast. Of course I know I can go on your web site and find out, but isn’t that a lost opportunity? If I run into someone tomorrow that needs services you can provide but I don’t know about them, wouldn’t that be a loss for you? The reason I ask is that I have also approached my networking in person with the same mentality. I have for years provided lots of value to people in the business community here in Washington DC. They love me and the relationships are strong. But I am not sure most would know what opportunities to pass on to me.  Of course that’s why I am getting more active on LinkedIn and working on content generation but also find somethings John talks about to be appealing. Eg automating messages to contacts...which add value and lead them to more ‘sales’ options.  Anyway, just a thought about balance on the spectrum of ‘pushy ness’ and how you build an effective bridge to sales for people that see you as a credible resource So I thought it would be a good idea to go through my recommended approach to winning business on LinkedIn. Some aspects of this are not related to LinkedIn but nonetheless, very important Define your product or service and it’s target audience (customer avatar) Focus this down to something very specific - the more niche the better. Be brave - don’t worry your market will be too limited, the more niche, the better. Your most effective marketing tool is the quality of what you do. Spend time and money on; Personal development and training The best quality equipment Practice hard and perfect your product Innovate. Make your product unique in your market Put together a clear and thorough content strategy (not just limited to LinkedIn) Video Written Audio Images Get active on LinkedIn in the following areas; Topics - define five key topics that are relevant and interesting to your customer avatar. Search for people who are though leaders and experts in each of these five topics. Follow and in time, connect with them. Search for content in each of these five topic areas and follow anyone who is posting about these topics Engage. Like and comment on posts from 2 & 3 above. Jump right in and get involved. This will raise your visibility in relevant communities. Post. The aim of posting is to draw people into commenting - this is where the magic happens! Posts that resonate are often light natured (see image below). Go deeper. As you engage with relevant people (not just potential customers) selectively take it to the next level by suggesting meeting for a coffee or via a Skype/Zoom call. Your aim is to become well known as; Knowledgeable in your niche s