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I think I have made $80,000 in the 12 months from LinkedIn.
I’m not saying that like, “OMG look how rich I am!” because as you well know as business [comma] women, this is just the top-line I’m reporting. There are taxes, operating costs, et cetera.
I’m saying it to show you that be visible on a platform, consistently, over many years, pays off.
Put aside feeling like it’s cringe or embarrassing - this is real money that I attribute to being visible online.
I have countless stories, even from the last month, that support what I’m saying from other solos/entrepreneurs:
One Angel Investor told me she gave a CPG founder a substantial part of his seed investment after finding him on LinkedIn and watching him build in public
Another solo consultant told me she’d been trying to get in touch with a client for a year, and then that same client hired her for a project because “she kept popping up on her LinkedIn.”
And finally, a small business owner told me that he gets more business from “lurkers” who follow his content without interacting with it once
Visibility works to get you clients because it’s not just that people won’t buy from someone they don’t know.
They won’t buy from someone they don’t remember exists.
There are a few myths to dispel when it comes to online visibility:
Myth: Consistency is all it takes
Truth: Strategic consistency is all it takes. If you’re posting consistently about your family, your POV on AI, and politics when your work has nothing to do with any of these things, you might see some impressions and likes, but you’re not going to get clients. You have to be consistent in talking about your work and your industry.
Myth: Successful entrepreneurs don’t have to promote their business like this, so posting makes it seems like your desperate
Truth: Successful entrepreneurs DO talk about their business publicly. Gary Vee is posting at least 60 pieces of content per day. Talking about your business and posting about it shows that you GAF and that you’re committed. In other words, it shows you are the type of person someone wants to hire.
Myth: You’ll see results right away
Truth: You won’t see results for months. Most people quit before they even give them the chance to see results, because anecdotally it takes at least six months for your first little burst, and then 18-24 for your work to really compound.
Are you with me so far? Even reluctantly? OK, let’s get it.
Your Personal Kick-In-The-Pants Plan to Get More Visible in 30 Days
Step 1: Choose How You’ll be Visible
There are many ways to help people remember you exist. This includes posting on LinkedIn and/or Substack, but it also can include:
Online engagement: Commenting on other people’s posts with something thoughtful, supporting someone else’s work by sharing/reposting what they do
People Stuff: Meeting up with people 1:1 to catch up, speaking at large/small events, showing up to networking events
Posting online: For this plan, your options are LinkedIn or Substack
You need a combination of these to maximize your surface area. Pick one from each bucket.
Step 2: Make Sure You’re Strategy Is There
Remember that part about strategic consistency? That’s where this comes in.
You must be able to know your positioning - or at least a working version of it. My refresher article on positioning is here, and for paid subscribers, I’m linking my positioning worksheet for you below.
Depending on your platform, you want to make sure the little things are setup to be tailwinds, too:
LinkedIn: Make sure your headline and your “About Me” section reflect whatever it is you want to talk about. Bonus points if your header image reflects your positioning, too. It also is a good idea to have your LinkedIn “blurb” at the ready so you can paste it at the bottom of your posts. Paid peeps- I wrote you an outline for a LinkedIn Blurb here.
Substack: Make sure your Publication Description, Headline, and Welcome Email all reflect your positioning and give your audience an understanding of why they’d follow you. Amy Suto has great resources on this!
Step 3: Go and Do it (And Here’s Your Template to Help You!)
HERE IS THE BEST PART OF THE WHOLE ARTICLE. I buried the lede, as they say.
I have created a plan for you to be more visible on either LinkedIn or Substack over the next month:
You pick your platform (Substack or LinkedIn)
You pick how you want to be visible IRL (networking, events, 1:1s)
You determine your content engagement windows
You will get content prompts based on what has performed best for me and/or my clients. NO AI-CREATED PROMPTS.
And the entire plan can be uploaded to your calendar so that you can stay consistent.
I’m making this available to any subscriber, free or paid, below. I’m doing this until I’m sure the bugs are out and then - it’s for paid only. 😈
Sonia note: A few of you iCal folks told me you couldn’t upload your calendar there- I’ve updated it, and it should work! Thanks for telling me.
Whewww my goodness. We did it.
Just a reminder of all the ways you can work with me:
🎯 POSITION OR DIE 1:1: If you have trouble with your positioning and you want to make sure your 30 day sprint starts on solid foundation, get 90 minutes. with me and we’ll get this sorted. out. Keep in mind that Founding Subscribers to this Substack get a Position or Die Session that as part of their year-long subscription for a $50 discount. BOOK HERE.
👩💼 BECOME A PAID SUBSCRIBER: I give you all my resources and templates and once-a-month Office Hours for anyone who wants to come. Plus you get three ideas weekly for content that I think of- not AI- based on what I know works for clients.
Business [Comma] Woman is for anyone who gets hives at the thought of marketing themselves or having to go get clients. If you’re building a business around your skills, don’t let the marketing part get in the way. Whatever you’re good at: accounting, tarot card reading, window washing, marketing, therapy -if it’s legal, I want you to make money at it. If this article was helpful, please share it!