How to Use LinkedIn for Entrepreneur Networking

When we started HireSweet, I had zero LinkedIn presence. 8 years later and after a lot of testing and iterating, LinkedIn drives ~30-50% of our leads & revenue. Lately, I've been getting a ton of questions about our learnings. So, here it is - the founder-led LinkedIn playbook I've been giving to anyone who asks 👇 1. Start with the lowest hanging fruit: invitations to connect. They work (30-50% conversion rate) and they allow you to control the direction in which your network grows. Start with 2nd degree connections in your target audience, based in your area. Surprisingly no personalized notes will yield +80% more connections! Free users can send ~50 per week. Paid users ~150 per week. Hit that quota every single week, or lose it forever. 2. Optimize your profile. Clear headline, nice picture (I would avoid AI-generated), and a detailed company description. Use the "featured" section, include a nice call to action and illustrations. 3. Enjoy the process, listen to your audience, build relationships. Play the long game. Build a real sense of community. Don't be pushy, nurture people over time with posts, so they come to you when they're ready. 4. When reaching out to cold prospects, add value. Send a guide, white paper, or video that helps your prospects succeed in their job. Personalize. 5. Post 3-5 times per week, high-quality posts. Turn on Creator Mode, get a paid LinkedIn account, and add a "Visit my website" button to your profile. 6. Best times to post: mornings on Monday to Friday, as people are getting to work (8-9AM) or heading to lunch (12PM). 7. Create a process to help you generate posts. Examples: What have you learned recently? What unique industry beliefs do you hold? What do you often find yourself explaining to clients or new hires? 8. Don't come up with 5 new ideas per week. Find 1-2 good ideas and repurpose them as text, images, videos, and polls. 9. Posts perform better in that order: - Polls (+100% vs text) - do one per week - Text + relevant picture (ideally a selfie - I don't really do this myself but it works) (+50% vs text) - Text with no picture - Videos (about the same as text but more time-consuming) - External links --> Avoid them 10. For text posts, open with a strong hook, focus on readability, keep it simple (one key idea per post), and end with a question to make it simple to engage. 11. LinkedIn Live is the most underrated LinkedIn feature. Each attendee can invite up to 1,000 people per week (!!) - as long as they're 1st degree connections. Do more LinkedIn Lives! 12. It's rather easy to get a "Top Industry Voice" badge. Go to the Collaborative Article page, pick a relevant topic, and leave 3 valuable comments per day. This is how I got my badge within a week. Now it's your turn - do you agree/disagree with this recipe? What are your top LinkedIn tips for founders? 👇 (If you made it this far, feel free to bookmark this post to revisit it later!)

I’ve helped 100+ CEOs and entrepreneurs turn LinkedIn into a lead-gen machine. Most struggle with low engagement & zero conversions. To avoid this trap, here's my 5-step roadmap on how to network effectively and turn LinkedIn into a revenue machine: 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: Stop Scattering Your Energy Most people think: “I need to connect with everyone to grow.” That’s a mistake. To achieve real networking success: • Define your ideal connection – Who do you need to know? Who needs your expertise? • Prioritize decision-makers – Don’t just connect with peers; go after buyers. • Engage with top voices in your industry – This gets you seen by their audience. 🔹 Start here and avoid wasting time on random connections. 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: Don’t Stop at 50 Requests—It’s a Numbers Game Now you have two options: • Send a few requests and wait for magic to happen • Go big, track responses, and refine your outreach There’s no wrong answer, but if you’re serious about growing, you need volume + strategy. ✔ 100+ connection requests per week ✔ 30%+ acceptance rate = you’re on the right track ✔ Keep tweaking your message for better results Networking is a game of persistence. 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: Connect, But Go Beyond 'Thanks for Connecting' Focus on two core pillars: 1. Your First Message Matters • Skip generic intros—lead with value • Ask an engaging question to spark a real convo • Find common ground fast (industry, mutual interests) Once you master this, focus on: 2. The Follow-Up Formula • 80% of deals come AFTER the 3rd+ follow-up • Keep it casual but intentional (not salesy) • Offer useful insights, not just “Hey, checking in” Most people stop at one message. You shouldn’t. 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: Build Social Proof While You Network Mistake: Talking about yourself too much. Easy fix: Use content to back up your credibility while you network. Here’s how: • Post insights from your conversations (without naming names) • Share behind-the-scenes of working with clients • Showcase what you’re learning + how it helps others Your profile should do the selling for you. 📌𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: Make LinkedIn Work for You 24/7 This final step is how you: • Turn cold outreach into warm inbound leads • Position yourself as an authority • Build relationships that lead to high-value opportunities 🔹 Want more deep-dive insights on LinkedIn networking & lead-gen? I’m sharing exclusive strategies in my newsletter today. Get it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eCuasuC9 🚀

Entreprenuers, here's how I made 100K+ from sliding into people's LinkedIn DMs 👇🏾 When I launched my first company helping media brands recruit diverse talent, I knew I had to get in front of the decision-makers who responsible for hiring. And where are they actively looking for talent? Right here on LinkedIn. Here’s the 5-step process I used to build trust, instantly showcase value, and turn cold DMs into real business deals: 1️⃣ Optimize Your LinkedIn Presence First Before reaching out, your profile should work for you. It needs to clearly communicate who you are, what you do, and why it matters. I recommend posting 3-5 posts about your brand, product, or industry so when decision-makers are snooping on your profile (and they will), they instantly understand your value. 2️⃣ Connect With the Right People I wasted too much time targeting junior employees because they felt more approachable. (I was a young 20-something who accidentally fell into entreprenuership). But what I quickly learned is that they don’t have buying power. Focus on connecting with department heads and senior decision-makers who can actually say “yes” to your offer. 3️⃣ Personalize Every Connection Request When sending connection requests, never leave the message blank. I kept mine short and sweet — just two sentences introducing who I was and why I wanted to connect. I NEVER hard sold. It was just a simple invite to explore how we could work together. People appreciate genuine curiosity. 4️⃣ Move the Conversation Offline Quickly LinkedIn is where the connections are made, but real deals happen off-platform. Once interest is established, aim to schedule a 30-minute intro call to dig deeper into their needs and explore solutions. Don’t let conversations linger too long in the DMs. 5️⃣ Follow Up, Fast. Speed matters. Your biggest mistake is delaying your follow up materials after a successful call. As soon as the meeting wraps, send over a well-prepared deck, one-pager, or demo that reinforces your offering and keeps the momentum going. When excitement is high, don’t give them time to second-guess or look for alternatives. Now all of this sounds great, but some of you may still be stuck at point 1. You may be thinking, “How do I clearly talk about my business and value?!” If that’s you, I'm hosting a FREE webinar to help you build a personal brand that helps you Get Noticed and Get Paid. Learn more and claim your spot via link in comments. ---- 👋🏾 Welcome! I’m Netta. I’m an entrepreneur, B2B content creator, and marketer teaching corporate side hustlers and entrepreneurs the marketing tactics and strategies to create revenue-generating businesses and brands. Check the comments to sign up for my weekly newsletter and join 5,000+ entrepreneurs using my marketing strategies to scale their businesses! 👇🏾