How Might We Improve Relationships on LinkedIn

Welcome to the latest edition of How Might We. On this episode my guest is Phil Coley and I discuss how to build better relationships on LinkedIn. Phil shares his thoughts and experiences and some analogies with dating.

He provides some great tips and advice on using LinkedIn to develop relationships that can help grow your business.

Phil has over 30 years experience in direct sales both B2B and B2C Phil works with a number of different business sizes from solopreneurs to multi-million pound enterprises advising on the SIMPLE principles.

SIMPLE

Sales
Information
Money
People
Leadership
Energy

His business portfolio includes a sales & marketing agency, accounting practice, digital publishers and a number of website businesses.

Phil has strived for a work life balance and now run my businesses from here in France thanks to my amazing team based in the UK and our dedication to process and people.

 

Phil's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-coley-business-plus/

Website : https://iplussales.co.uk

 

Transcript

 

Scott: Hello and welcome to the latest edition of how might we, and this edition, we're going to be talking about how might we improve relationships on LinkedIn and my guest this week, or this episode is Phil Coley. So Phil, would you like to introduce yourself?

Phil: Yeah, no lovely to be here today, Scott, thank you for inviting me yet.

So I'm Phil Coley from business plus group of companies. So we have a number of companies in our portfolio, but it's one of my key interests is sales and marketing. So we have a company called hopeless sales marketing, and we help our B2B clients get more engagement on LinkedIn, get more leads and help to grow their business.

Scott: Okay, so you are you as a field that you're very familiar.

Phil: Yes. Yeah, absolutely. No inside that. And I, I suppose I've been linked on, been on LinkedIn for many years now when I first started and stayed on it.

Scott: Oh, I I'm a [00:01:00] veteran no less.

Phil: Yeah, it makes me sound a little bit old, but yes, I would say I'm a LinkedIn, the

Scott: guy.

Okay. So it's interesting. You talked about the relationships with LinkedIn and I think when a lot of times you talk about people, we talk about engagement. We talk about the importance of relationships in business. So why do you want specifically want to talk about that in relation to LinkedIn?

Phil: So I think.

Maybe I'll just take it back a step. I think it's, it's, let's look at sales, but even before that is on my professional background, sports psychology has played a huge part of my life from university all the way through. So I've taken an active interest in people and I've certainly taken active interest in people in sales.

And there is that age old thing that, you know, people buy people and yes, I understand that. And I think that's, there's an element. And when I look at LinkedIn, I look at what LinkedIn is. LinkedIn is a networking tool. Is it a social media tool? I don't think so, [00:02:00] but I do think it's about people and it's about.

Probably people apart from a profile picture, that's very faceless. And to be able to make that work, then you've got to work on the relationship online and using LinkedIn in a way that's probably different. And you would know, you know, we've got those, those three key things of making that first impression, which is the visual or.

You got the auditory, how you sound, and then you've got the words, the words that you used and people then build a picture of it and that way, and actually that's probably how I relate it to link to.

Scott: Okay. So how important you think it is for that first impression that we have.

Phil: Oh, I think it's hugely important.

And I think what I can probably look at is I can look at those mistakes on LinkedIn and I can look at suddenly. Now there are LinkedIn gurus everywhere, LinkedIn, this and LinkedIn that, and the majority of those people are talking [00:03:00] about. Posts. They're talking about how to get your posting right on LinkedIn.

And I'm like, well, that's, that's fine, but you, first of all need an audience. So you need to reach out and start a relationship with somebody. And so I think that's where a majority of people probably get it wrong on LinkedIn. And I think in terms of how might we, I think, you know, I think about how might we start a relationship with somebody in a business.

That's not just, hi, I sell widgets. Do you want to buy them? And that's where I think too many people make those mistakes.

Scott: I made, I think most of us I've done it in the past as well. You've contacted somebody and you'd go straight into sort of trying to get something from them rather than giving something to them as well.

But the amount of my inboxes on LinkedIn is hi, thanks for connecting. And then about two days later, here's an email. Do you want to buy from me? Does it work?

Phil: No, no, it doesn't work at all. And I, I mean, yes. [00:04:00] Do do, do I, do we, as a company have a process on LinkedIn? Yes. Yes we do. But have I honed that over the years?

My sales training and LP trading sports psychology trading, probably. Yes. And to hone it into, let's just take a step back and go forget it's LinkedIn for a minute. If you were looking at, say the dating game, then there's a whole array of different. Strategy is one can use when you're dating, you know, you certainly bump into somebody in a, in a scenario and then you might ask for their number and you're a little bit coy about this.

And then you'll. Text them or ring them and they'll have a conversation. There's a whole array of different stages that you do to, you know, trying to date somebody or even just build a relationship, build a friendship. And for some reason, people seem to forget that on LinkedIn and they just forget those kinds of processes and they go out the window.

And that's where I think so many people become anti LinkedIn and active messaging because there's so many people doing the [00:05:00] same thing without.

Scott: So I quite like the analogy you had with dating. So I know when we were talking about what we were going to call it, there was a, there was some talk around dating, and I can't remember what it was, is like, don't ask for something on your first date, where you were starting from.

And it is, I mean, I've been to face-to-face networking meetings as well, and people have done the same say hi, I'm nice to meet you. You're new here. And it's like, okay. And then just straight into. 'cause I think if they've been around, they know everybody, and then you turn up as a new person and everyone was like, Ooh, you person let's go and not build a relationship, but let's go and actually sell to this person.

Phil: I think you're right. I think there's two scenarios there, which, which, which you paint and you paint really well is I think in those face-to-face networking. Yeah. Either people do prey on you as new, new, fresh meat and go, right. Let's pile on in, and let's try and sell to you. But I also think as well, I think, you know, people cluster, and I think a lot of people in those networks and scenarios will be chatting away with people.

They know cause they built the relationships and then somebody new comes in and a lots of the time you see a new person [00:06:00] just sat in the corner, just drinking their cup of tea, going, what do I do? And I suppose in a way LinkedIn takes away some of those elements. Cause it's, it is faceless and it's quite easy to.

To send a message, but you've got to realize why you're sending that message. What's your ultimate aim. And I think on LinkedIn, I'm sure people want to build networks and they want to build networks because maybe they're looking for a new job. Maybe they're looking to sell their products, but maybe they're, maybe they're trying to improve their brand awareness as well.

And I hate to use this phrase, but it's a phrase that's being knocked around all the time about personal. And I'm like, okay, there's this personal brand, but actually at the end of the day, we're all individuals and we just want to meet other like-minded individuals to create relationships, whatever those may well be.

Scott: Yeah. There is definitely a move in 19. I've seen about this personal brand and me personally, I, the wording you could possibly say. Is it [00:07:00] as, as true as that what's that make it quite false. But I do think the messaging across that is quite important. Is it everything you do in LinkedIn creates a reputation or perception.

So that's the way I kind of look at it and say, what's the perception you would like people to have of you. And then how do you, how do you ensure that what you do consistently is aligned to that reputation that you would like to have?

Phil: And I think for me, I think that there's two fold and. LinkedIn is, is morphing and changing all of the time.

And I think that down to people, to the feathers that is changing, that is that LinkedIn isn't a social media platform is a network networking or a relationship creating. Platform for business people, but business people are still human beings. And I think there needs to be a mix of your personality, who you are.

I don't think there needs to be a mix of, well, I'm going to have scrambled egg on toast and light with a bit of salmon that people aren't interested in [00:08:00] that there's other platforms for that. But I think people are interested in what you're, you know, you're a family person, you are, you're a sporty person, you know, w w you know, those kinds of things.

Understanding an individual I think are key, but I also think, and really resonates with what you talk about trust is for me, I, I tend to use the eat principle eat, which is you need to be seen as an expert. You need to be seen as an authority and through doing that and creating that, that then people start to have.

In you in your subject area. And that's, that's where I tend to look at LinkedIn and I, I, I hate using the word and I've already used the word once already in this podcast is Gury, I'm just like, come on, you know, just what, what a title to be, to be using, you know, you as a person, you need to represent you as an individual and who you are, but also, you know, in your business sector.

Are you an expert, you know, are you an authority? And [00:09:00] therefore people will, will trust you. And that's where I think is you need to understand both sides and you as a new, as an individual personally, and what you represent. And then also probably what you represent from a business.

Scott: So I think the interesting thing you've done those as this duality of it is a jet I do trust is something that I'm quite keen on and done a lot of work with.

And it is, and I think sometimes we concentrate on one and not the other, which is we tend to concentrate too much on building that credibility about others. I'm an expert in this field, which is important for people to approach you, but it's also the, I like about you. What you said is about that, the human element of that connection as well, which I suppose that comes back to that relationship.

You were talking. So

Phil: yeah. You know, I think he does. I mean, you know, let's, let's be realistic now 20 years ago, where were we with any of these kinds of social media online kind of platforms? You know, we weren't, we were human beings talking to each other. We were people who would sit, bring on a phone, you know, mobile phones, We're obviously very relatively advanced 20 years ago, but it's still [00:10:00] quite a new phenomenon.

So I think the art of conversation has changed and the way used to communicate has changed, but we're all human beings. And I think if nothing else, the last two years. I'm hoping people have appreciated human contact and, you know, humans conversing with each other to be there as a support. And that's why I think that you are dualities, as you mentioned, is so important now, you know, We've all been through something together.

Every single person has been, not necessarily touched by every single person has been impacted by what's gone on in the last two years and probably what's going on right now as well in the world. And we're all touched by that. And we're all human beings. And I think we can easily lose our personalities and morph into something that we're not something we're deemed to be.

And I think that's where things like LinkedIn, you can share who you are and you shouldn't be scared of.

Scott: And I think there is when you talk [00:11:00] about people that are, there is much more personal stuff coming on, but what you said earlier about do people really care about what you had for dinner? So do you think there's a line between where you share what you are or who you are as an individual on something?

I think too.

Phil: I think so. And I think. You have to be wary. Do you have to have a strategy? Not necessarily, but you have to have a conscience or or your own kind of level of how much you want to share and by sharing what will happen. And I think too many people post things up forgetting what the ramifications of it could be.

And I don't mean that in a really negative. But sorts of way, but you just got to think about, well, when you send some, what's your audience going to think about, and I think you do need to have a consciousness about what you send out, but I think there is a line and it's about. How much you want to expose yourself online to people seeing some of your strengths and some of your [00:12:00]weaknesses.

And I see lots of people do lots of raw things on LinkedIn and that's great, but I think there is also the time where you can show who you are and there's nothing wrong with sharing. A time in your life or sharing something about you or your family or your friends that, that may resonate with others.

And I think the sharing of people supporting causes or supporting friends or remembering friends, I think is important because that shows you have a caring side, but you do also just need to make sure that it's done in the right way. And it's not done for self publicity. It's done for a reason of, yeah, this is who I am and I'm quiet.

Scott: So there's a couple of things picking up on that. I like the word I would use is how it is relevant.

Phil: Yeah, relevance. And that's a really interesting question because [00:13:00] it might be relevant to you. Is it relevant to anybody else? I think relevance let's, let's look at it from another point of view on that relevance.

I think lots of people are. Using content calendars. So they are going, you know, today's pancake day, this Sunday's mothering Sunday, or it's going to be the Equinox. And I think that's great to give you some kind of guidance. Towards some kind of engagement or how sorts of comments, but actually so many people are doing the same.

So you occasionally need to look at things from different point of view. So is it relevant to your audience? Is it relevant to you and is it relevant to who you are? So if you're going to say, and I'll use a personal. If I'm going to comment on something to do with the deaf community, I am doing that from twofold.

I've become heavily involved in the deaf community and working with them to help them in the business setting. [00:14:00] And that's not come from a. A family connection in any way, shape or form. It's come from meeting somebody who was deaf, who came to a networking meeting. So six years ago and came with an interpreter.

And actually I've created a great friendship that person now over six years, and I, you know, we we've done walks together. We'd run together. I got to know his wife really well. And I count her as a friend as well. And they've got two amazing children who aren't there. I would pay something up about the deaf community.

Cause I like to promote the document you see, because I'm not there, but I really engaged with what they do. So to me, that's relevant and probably to some of my audience that's relevant, but that that's me highlighting a cause that's relevant to me and hopefully it's relevant to others. So that, that would be quite a good example of not jumping on a bandwagon.

That's just relevant. Yeah. Cause

Scott: I think for things that happened, don't you? So if there's an event, cause it is again, listen to what the people in LinkedIn said is make your posts [00:15:00] relevant and really what's happening in the world. If you got something major going on, everyone jumps on that bandwagon and everything is related to LA pancake.

How can I do what I do around pancakes? I think, I think if I was a bit creative, I probably could do something creative and probably funny, so slightly off kilter and just using the pancake as an analogy, but that's probably.

Phil: I think. Yeah. Yeah. But I, I think, I think with that, you, you know, probably you'd be clutching at straws to make it funny and would it be relevant to audience?

And for me, if you suddenly went out and, you know, there was something happening in the world and you were like, well, you know, there was this time where I was negotiating with terrorists, you know, people would go really. I didn't know that, although they can read it. LinkedIn profile. They could have an understanding what you do and that's probably relevant to your audience going.

I didn't know that. So when Scott talks about talking with people, it probably comes from a good, good area of what [00:16:00] he's on about. So I'd say concentrate more on what's relevant in your past that people is pick up and go, gosh, this guy really knows his stuff. He's an expert in it, rather than trying to see how you can negotiate making the right pancake.

Scott: Oh, we could do that. Can we negotiate? So the pancakes and everything else, there's a good debt negotiation. So I've got all the titles coming up, they're all over the place and see what we could do. It'd be all over the place. So it's quite interesting. I think also in, in relationships, we'll go back to how we can build relationships or what relationships should look like in LinkedIn, or could look like, I don't know the word should, because it will be different.

Yeah. I do think sometimes that we put we're encouraged to put posts out that relevance and everything else, and it kind of bays like it's again, a phrase I'm not so keen on using, but I am going to use it. Cause I can't think of another way of saying it is like clickbait or like bait is another thing.

How can I get, oh, that's whatever. So I get hundreds and hundreds of likes and the metrics I use about my success in LinkedIn is about how many people see my posts [00:17:00] or what likes they have, et cetera, et cetera.

Phil: I think for me, you know, clickbait and all those lead magnets and all those kinds of phrases.

Who are you actually trying to hook? You know what, what's the whole reason for doing it now on LinkedIn, you've got your first connections and you've got your second connections. So if some, if I put something out there and you like it, you share it, then your audience sees and goes, well, what, what Scott shared?

And then they could, that gives me some views. And then do I get any people from your audience like it? And the second connections then do I connect with them? So, you know, that, that kind of spider's web of, of engagement and, and use. It probably just says, well, Scott likes what this guy likes. Let's have a look at it and see if there's any relevance.

Will you pick up something from that baby? But for me that I go back to what I said at the early stages of this was it's not necessarily about posts. It's about. Creating connections and your posts are predominantly [00:18:00] keeping your first level audience engaged, which is great. And it depends how many you've got in your connections and followers.

But for me, the real essence of how I use it in and how you should use LinkedIn is who do you want to be? Connect? Who is your audience? What do you want to do with that audience? You know, do you want to create more business contacts? You want to create more, more friends? Do you want to create more consumer type connections as well?

And I think a lot of people forget that element and say for me, I know. That I will probably have a 12 to 16 week period developing a relationship on LinkedIn, somebody, and that's, that's a very conscious way of connections and that will involve some messaging and the messaging is done in a certain style.

It will also be some liking sham share. [00:19:00] And also some commenting alongside that as well. So it's taking that step from seeing somebody in the pub and go on, look quite nice to, oh, I've got their number two. Maybe we'll go for a meal or maybe we will go to an event. Maybe we'll go away for the weekend. Who knows?

So it's that back to that whole dating knowledge, you know, and I think, you know, if nothing else, people just realize that it takes time to build relationships online and often. And actually, if you understand that, I think you'll get a lot further than using LinkedIn to create a thriving community online.

Scott: Just a question then, how keen are you on these automated processes? People have in like building connections and building relationships.

Phil: If I'm honest I've looked at them and I've dabbled with them in the past. And I think for me, where that whole area has now gone, it's now gone [00:20:00] back to the whole human elements.

And I took a business decision 18 months ago, where we do telemarketing and we do a lot of tallymarks in B2B that actually we completely stripped down and I'll tell you marketing. He said, everything's going to be on LinkedIn. And within that strategy, We are manual. Connecting talking messaging with people.

We have no automation anymore. And the reason we've done that is how can you build a meaningful relationship through automation? It would be like what's the dating thing. Tinder would be like that Tinder thing where you swipe right or left on. I'm just not down with youngsters on that, but you either swipe one way or the other and actually in a way it'd be like, Can you build some AI that would say, or are you going to build, you know, are you going to swipe back though?

Right? That to me is where the automation, I think that doesn't work. This, the beauty is still in the eye of the beholder, so, and that's the same on LinkedIn. You can make a better [00:21:00] conscious decision to connect with a person, then any piece of AI or software.

Scott: Okay. So, I mean, I know why they sell this. These solutions get started time-saving is that you can have this, you can do.

And again, I think is that funnel process, isn't it. As I get somebody who's meets your target audience, do this, do this. But even though I've seen stuff that I think this definitely sounds like it's automated and I still think you can make that interesting to a degree.

Phil: Yeah. I mean, you can, to a degree, you can only make it interesting on the first.

Because the next attempt. So you have no idea what some of this coming back to say. So if somebody comes back with a thumbs up or good to me, or, oh, by the way, I was looking to sort of naturally to buy what you sell the automation. Can't take that into account. So on that first, first connection, and you send a message.

Yes. Automation can play a part, but after that, definitely not because how, how can the [00:22:00]automation decide what. Would want to say and do with that particular person

Scott: within how they've responded to you? It's how they respond to you, how you're going to speak to them. Correct? Absolutely. They're. So to me, I agree with the automation to.

Because again, it's just time-saving, you can help, you can target who you need to target. Once you've worked out who your target audience is, you can put a message out there that will get them possibly, hopefully for safe, as written well, peak their interest and encourage them to contact you. And then once they do that, then you can take over and sort of start building, as you said, that relationship.

I think it's interesting. You say that we can build relationships on multiple different levels in LinkedIn. So it's about the instant messaging liking somebody's post sharing. Commenting on things they they've written and you say that's a conscious effort you have of building those relationships with people, utilizing all that.

Phil: Yeah, absolutely. I think you've got, you've got all of that available to you. So, you [00:23:00]know, and again, I, you know, I won't keep using the dating analogy, but it's true. You know, if you're doing a, like in a way it's a bit of a week, it's a bit of a week to some of it, just see if you can get their attention.

Whereas if you share something or comment on it and by sharing and commenting, it's a very similar process. You're actually going a really light court and you say, and I think, you know, you're really good at what you're doing. And I really want to share that with my audience, because if you know who you are and what you are.

And I think, again, that's where I think a number of people get it wrong. And, you know, I could talk for hours on the LinkedIn algorithm, but it, outside of the algorithm, you know, alike is a very small token. Whereas a share, but in particular, a comment or share with a comment, actually, you're taking the time to engage for a reason.

So either you're flirting with that person because you want to try and do business with them, or you genuinely want your audience to go, do you know what? You should have a look at this? Cause I think it's really interesting.

Scott: I quite like the other thing is [00:24:00] interesting for me in what you're saying again, or go back to trust is one of the aspects of trust is to be selfless in building relationships.

So I think if people see what you're doing as only to benefit you, so yeah, I'm new to you. So as I'm new, we're going to see lots of comments and lots of shares. If that happens, then I'm just going to drop off and ignore you. And I think people will see through that as a. Your entire way of doing it has only to benefit you as an individual.

So the thing you said that was interesting about that, being genuinely thinking what your, what this person is saying is going to be interesting to my, or.

Phil: Yeah, absolutely. And I, I, I do a lot of networking majority of that now online, but I've always, I've always looked at networking and I've probably networked NAF or easily 25 years and across networking.

Always sticks with me. You know, I think many people in business will have done BNI as a networking way. And I have I don't do boat BNI anymore, but I have, and I [00:25:00] know others have this happen. One of the things that I always remember is they all say that givers game and that's something that stuck with me and it's, it's always something that.

Within any networking or any business community that I'm in. I'm always looking to see how I can help others or introduce somebody because ultimately we'll come back to you and that's, that's just about relationships. And that's just probably takes me back to, you know, even current day let's, let's say, you know, if a neighbor.

I haven't, I'll give him a hand. I don't expect anything in return. So, you know, if they want something moved or the car's broken down and they pushed that you just do it. Cause that's the nice thing to do. And you're not ever looking for anything back, but you never know they might in the end, return that favor.

So I look at it the same way in terms of on LinkedIn. If somebody is looking for something I'll, I'll try well, go and speak to so-and-so and it's not me trying to sell anything. It's just going, well, I know somebody in my network or I'll share it in my network. That to me is [00:26:00] probably probably about that whole trust things.

You know, if you just curse, you're so nice, you know, but that's, that's one of the first things we can ever do in building trust is just be courteous, respectful to others. And you can go from there

Scott: as simple as that. Yeah, it is. It is not complicated and it really is not complicated. I think before we came online, I just said the tagline I could neck, but you want, I'm going to give you some kudos for this conversation.

Simple flight simplify, the CA the complexity. And I think and this goes back to the automation and the thing is, as, as people we are motivated to do something either to achieve or avoid simple as the complexity is what we're trying to avoid, or what we're trying to achieve is. And I think that comes down to your relationship.

If we don't try to work out what that is, how can we build that relationship?

Phil: Yeah, you're right. It is all about that. And I don't think anything has changed or [00:27:00]nothing's for me is really changed you adult. And, you know, I recently was talking about Maslow's hierarchy of needs and everybody's got needs, you know, from that the basic needs of, you know, heat and food and water and shelter all the way through to a feeling.

Self achievement and accomplishment, the everything else in between. And we can overcomplicate. Building relationships. And I think today it just gets over complicated because there's so many different ways to build a relationship as you and I both just said, it's simple. It's just simple. You know, you just go back in time and look at how did you build those relationships in years gone by and nothing's changed.

You know, we haven't changed as human beings. Just the tools around us have grown more complex.

Scott: The principles are exactly the same. Let's strip it back. So how can you get to know somebody online and be able to, we could do this, you could do that. So we'll just find out. And again, it depends on what you do and where you are [00:28:00] cause then LinkedIn gives you, as you say, it gives you multiple ways.

You can do videos now called you can do video calls. You can actually, you don't have to type, you can actually send, leave a voice message for somebody and those types of things. That, again, it's, it's just those simple things that. Individualizing that approach help you stand out because so few people do it.

Phil: Oh, absolutely. When you say so few people do it, you know, currently to date, there's over 800 million users on LinkedIn, but when you look at the statistics of those who are regularly active on a daily basis, you know, you're looking in single figure percentage. And that just says, there are so many people who are voyeurs or lurkers on LinkedIn.

And I think there's about there's about 35% of LinkedIn users will pay something once a month. But then everybody else is really active is, [00:29:00] is around the one or 2%. So when you look at the same, much more people could be doing. And yes, there are loads of tools on LinkedIn, but you know, for me, it's like, well, just get out there, start connecting with a few people, you know, start to build your network slowly, say hi to a few people.

Like what they, like, what they talk about. Maybe have a zoom coffee with them, or actually have an hour of physical coffee with them. Find out what they do. You know, just, just some real simple way. We can do it, but for me is LinkedIn is just a goldmine of opportunity to create, I mean, funnily enough, I had a message come back through this week and we'd connected with somebody and, and sometimes the people have got common names.

Sometimes you can connect with them cause they cause they write and I manually connected to somebody and I didn't actually see where they lived and I just flipped the name and the name was a very common name and he came back to me. Nice to connect again, Phil, we used to sit next to each other in business stats.

And so I was like, [00:30:00] right. Okay. Nice to see you again. So anyway, but that's a great example in the suit that we, we suddenly we chatted again, but that just shows, you know, it's people do remember you. And I suppose I'm lucky in one way, I've got an unusual surname and there's not too many of us apart from a country Western singer in this.

It was called Phil Coley. So he's probably just a little bit more famous than me, but it's, it's, it's interesting. You can easily trip back onto people and restart relationships as well as make new ones.

Scott: Again, I was doing a coaching session with somebody the other week and they were talking, I know they were talking about looking for opportunities and, and say, who have you worked with in the past has had a good connection with them.

I said, when's the last time you connected with them? I said, then I can go and ask them if they've got a job. I said, when's the last time you spoke to them? I know two years ago, I said, I just want you to run. I just want you to think about this. Imagine you're sitting in your office, somebody you haven't seen for two years knocks on the door and says, excuse me, if you've got a job, how are you going [00:31:00] to respond?

And he's like, oh, it's not very good. Is it? I said, no, because you're demonstrating here. I'm only talking to you because I want something from you. And it's amazing how, even in normal conversation, because. We do that quite often. We, we, we, cause we, we do know a lot of people it's about when you connect and how do you keep that cadence with people?

That's going to keep it fresh, but still keep it. I'm just talking to you. I'm not in it for anything. I just say, Hey, you're getting unfilled. Where's it going on? Blah, blah, blah, blah. And that's it. It's just a five minute. I said done dusted, just touch base with people as well. I think that I'll be taking tips here to actually improve my LinkedIn, because I'm not great at this because I I've been on it for a week.

I'm one of these, I just post stuff. And then just talk it, talk to a few people. So what's your view on numb? So again, you were talking about metrics and because obviously you're into sales, you're into marketing. So metrics are really important aspect of what you do to measure success. So what types of things would you be looking at it within how successful you are on LinkedIn, sort of in that relationship?

Phil: It depends what it depends, what you use LinkedIn for if I'm honest. So say from my [00:32:00]perspective, I've got many thousands of connections. I haven't got tens of thousands connections like others, because for me, it's about. A lot of the time it's quality over quantity and others will have a huge quantity that you're going well, what are you actually going to do with safe for me that the key metrics either, I don't necessarily look at likes and shares of my posts.

So I'm not, not that worried about those. It's nice occasionally to see views come up. I get really good views when I pay some kind of family or some kind of nature or whatever kind of image. And I know I can get rid of thousands of views for that, but again, it's like, it's nice to have, I don't do all of the time.

So the key metrics for me, and this does come from a sales perspection is I look at my connection requests, my messages that then turn into. And for me, I'm not into thousands of those. I'm into tens blocks of tens [00:33:00] that I go, right. I've connected with those people. We've had a meaningful conversation over a three-month period and I've actually spoken to them.

We've actually spoken. So for me, that's a real key metrics for me because I want to. To folded. And again, it's still resonating with very much your words. It's it's about trust. So I want to a spoken to somebody for them to trust me and me to trust. So for them to say, they're an expert in cybersecurity and for me to chat to them, go, gosh, you really do know your stuff so that if anybody ever says to me, do you know anyone in cyber?

I know this person, then that's that's for me as a metrics because then I can share somebody to them. And actually then some business might come from it or I might, might put them.

So for me, that's, that's the metrics, but also as well with what you were saying to me, we did speak a little bit about clickbait with magnets and [00:34:00] things like that, but it's also having a purpose and a reason to message somebody or to speak to somebody is you have a great podcast and talk to some really interesting guests.

And actually that's a really good way for you to engage is you can offer people the opportunity to come on your podcast. Even if they didn't want to come, they were like, oh, that's really nice. It's got to think of me and ask. And that's a great way of building a network and not being intrusive to anybody.

It's just going, Hey, I think what you do is really great. I'd love to have a chat with you. And so that's a really nice way, way to build. And now. You know, for me, I'm, I'm lucky we've got a business owner platform that we can interview people on. And for me, it's, we always have free content on there, and it's always great to talk to other business centers and go, we'd love to interview on that.

So it's a very software. I've talking to somebody without being some kind of hard sell, so have a reason. But for me to answer your question, the metrics for me is not about likes. It's not about views. It's about actual [00:35:00] conversations that probably you can't see on LinkedIn because they're in the messaging or they're actually on a zoom call or a fake

Scott: are quite yet.

It's interesting. Listen to your metrics because it is, there's a process there isn't I I'm going to find my audience. I know why I want them on linked. Because I want to build my network so I can, and the space listening to things like that, you're a part of the business owner group is that if I can find people that can add value to another part of my business, I'm not trying to sell something to this person.

I'm just saying, can these people add value to other parts of our business, but to do that, I need to get to know them. And this is how I'm going to measure that.

Phil: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And I think that's why for me, it's been so. Over the last two years of having the right strategy on LinkedIn, we've picked up a number of new clients from LinkedIn.

And some of those actually just from LinkedIn, you know, we picked up a cup of, couple of. 20 million plus turnover companies from [00:36:00] LinkedIn. I didn't know who they were. I mean, one of them is a household household name for one of their divisions and that's not me, Greg. And that's just me going well, you know, I know how to use LinkedIn.

And that was probably all you could use when we were in the midst of lockdown is. There were some online networking, but actually just reach out to people. Everyone was scrambling around and I think everybody was happy, quite happy to talk to anyone. You just make the opportunity, but you still needed. I still iced.

It needs to have a process. And I think anybody using LinkedIn properly, you need to have a process.

Scott: Yep. And I think you just care about the relationship. So we'll go back to what you said. And I think the, the ma he's right at the beginning, he said, what are you in LinkedIn? Yeah, what you're trying to do, are you trying to sell, are you raising awareness?

Are you doing, are you doing what are you doing for, and then that helps you identify that audience you need. And then from there, okay, well, do I need them to do, to help me achieve my goal? And then how do I measure how successful I am being in what I'm trying to achieve and helps them look at the process.[00:37:00]

Phil: Yeah, absolutely. You have to have a process. And as I said, you know, in mid part of this was, you can have one or two different aims of LinkedIn and that's fine. There's no, there's no reasons that you can't. And what's really interesting to me is senior executives and CEOs. Larger organizations, be those charitable, be those footsie one hundreds or blue chips or whatever you want to call them.

How many of them have a poor presence on LinkedIn? Because they don't have the time. So that's not a criticism of them, but they don't have a time. And actually they don't have a process of how to make that work. And that can also be set the same on other social media channels for celebrities and personalities.

Cause you know, it's not the. Posting, they've got a media team or a marketing team because they got no strategy. They're just putting stuff out. And then there's, there's one or [00:38:00] two really good examples of that recently where organizations were individuals have put something out that was completely not their view.

Because they don't communicate with their marketing team or the person running their thing is not, I have nothing against people running it. We've got a number of clients. We actually do all of their they're posting and they're sharing and they're connected, but we work with them really closely to understand who they are, what they like outside of work, you know, what they do so we can speak as an authority as them.

But I just see so many people get that wrong in big organizations and they got a lot of learnings.

Scott: I think it's part of what we said about that personality. Isn't it. And everything you say is can indicate a view and an opinion. And it's about to me, it's about that consistency as well. So if it is a person talking about their views and as a consistency that builds credibility in them, and you want to get to understand them, but if it's other people [00:39:00] without understanding where that person's coming from, then their personal views will aren't suppose to some, they might just do it in a corporate language.

But it's saying things that perhaps are not. And I think we look at it also, one thing I think is an important aspect of what you've raised there is about using other people, but for me, and is one of the activities I do with people. And it's about really understanding the impact, which goes back to what you said earlier.

What is the impact of relevance, of what I'm about to say? Okay. So one of the activities I ask people to do is just, just imagine you are just about to type something up you're just about to hit, send, how comfortable would you be saying that in open court? Just say my Lord at the end of that statement, or your honor, or whoever is in your jurisdiction, wherever it is it globally and say, how comfortable would you be in an open court?

Say no in front of a judge with a barrister and the person you're talking about with the [00:40:00]people you're talking about, sat in the same room,

you got any ounce of uncomfortable nursing thinking about that. Delete what you're going to say or rephrase it.

Phil: Yeah, absolutely. I agree entirely with you. And I suppose that also texts on to a common question or a common mistake. People make. Is when you post or how much you post them and, and all of that.

And the, the key for me is, you know, sometimes, you know, less is more, definitely less is more particularly put some thought behind something. And it's very easy to take a picture and add a sentence, but it's actually a lot harder to. Have a good image and probably write 200 words on LinkedIn and post it out and think every part through.

So I think it's not only that, but also as well. The, the, the other thing is the seems to be particularly on other social media channels, but LinkedIn is start to get the same where people seem to think you have to keep [00:41:00] creating new content. And when you're trying to build an audience and you're trying to do a bit of brand awareness, or even look at that whole.

Is, there's only so many ways you can rehash something. And, and I take people back to, I grew up in newspaper. Appetizing days is one of my first jobs. And that, that was, you know, cutting face it, trying to bring people, getting to take adverts. And actually in those days, a lot of big appetizers carry the same ad for a period of time.

You know, they don't change the actor. They keep the same ad because repetition. Builds to engagement because you see the ad so many times and the same hours on that television ad, you'll see the same ad for a period of time. And too many people on LinkedIn constantly trying to change stuff. It's like, well, actually just reinforce what you do and actually sharing the same post.

Not every single day, of course, but maybe the same post once a week for seven or eight weeks. [00:42:00] You just don't know when somebody is. LinkedIn. They're not on LinkedIn at the time you post waiting for you to post. I can guarantee you that

the cup of coffee. Well, I'm sorry to shatter your illusions. Sadly. They're not.

Scott: Well, I've never thought of that. It's it's again, it's if you, if you step back and think it just makes so much sense. And again, it's the principles, isn't it. Advertising has been around brand awareness has been around for eons. And it is that repetition about sending that message off and then getting that message drummed into people.

And I think it's the old thing about marketing, isn't it? As you got seven connections before, or was it seven times we've got to see something or whatever it is,

Phil: 77 touch

Scott: points, seven touch points before. So do they, if the risk is, as you rightly say, if they're all different, they say, well, what you, what you say.

Yeah, whereas that [00:43:00] consistency in what you're doing. So one of the things I could ask you now, as he, this, this could be feedback on what I was doing and whether it's going to be good or not. So I might, I might take it as a free consultation. So I started thinking about what I was trying to do it obviously I'll talk a lot about trust.

And one of the things I thought I tried to create an avatar on LinkedIn, as I talk about this. And according to Alex, cause I thought it was important because that's all about leadership that I had a name that was both male and female could be used by men of women. Cause I didn't want to be one or the other was in too much it's about Marilyn and or I can't really talk about female perspective for too much authority.

So I wanted somebody, I could say I'll Alex and one post will be shame on paste. It might be here. It doesn't really matter, but it's about, so Alex is a leaders of what I talk about is why doing it. So and then talk about Alex in that experience, then the sort of aspect around trust I want to do. And put into that person.

So the consistent thing is this person. Yeah. That's an idea that I'm playing around with at the moment.

Phil: Yeah, I think, I [00:44:00] think in essence, those kinds of things work and it probably takes me on to how people use LinkedIn in terms of kind of case studies. They tend to, you know, in case that this can be really, really nice, but a lot of people, I actually had this conversation yesterday is a lot of people think when you say something like case study or try and put yourself in the shoes of the personal, trying to reflect that, or as you are with an avatar.

It's not, well, it's not necessarily just about an individual as a case that it's about where did you make a difference? So where did you make a difference for somebody is, is sometimes the better way round or how did I make a difference versus sector? What I potentially would say for what you're doing with the avatar?

I think it's, it's, it's a great way of doing it, but actually it's it's sometimes if you're going to change the. Sometimes somebody will go lung short, Alex was a she last time and now it's a heat. So people might just go, did I miss them? So in some ways it's quite good. Cause it makes them think, was I reading it right or not?

So, [00:45:00] so I think the avatar side is good, but it's only if you're comfortable with that kind of way of looking at it. I mean, there's so many different ways you could do. There are so many different ways you can take

Scott: it. I get just, I dare, I cannot this. I is something consistent. And I've got to say like, like a lot of things I talk about is expert.

Just experiment. Does it work? Doesn't it work? Does it. And if it doesn't work, when you can change it and do something else, what would be lost is that at least the messaging is still consistent in that.

Phil: Yeah, absolutely. I think the one thing that's changed over the last 5, 10, 15 years is you can test lots of people now talk about, and there's principles come from engineering and manufacturing and research and development to be fair, but it's, it's all testing say.

And B split testing. There's so much of that now, so you can test, you can test and see how. Things go. As long as they're not too contentious, you can test a number of things on LinkedIn and you can test messaging, can do batches and messaging and just tweak it a little bit and see, does that engage with somebody?

And you can do batches of 10, 20, [00:46:00] 30, and 40 to get some kind of feedback in it and a feeling on it. And I think. Yeah, it was just worth playing around. But I just want to go back to what we were talking about in terms of the advertising message. And one of the, and again, I date myself slowly. The younger audience would have no idea what I'm talking about here, but an audience for certain age would be one of the most memorable advertisements is of a cowboy with a cigarette, with an iconic sort of background mountains in the background and the black and white one.

And that's one of the most iconic attributes of its era. And. For me, when you look at that, then the majority of people know the small group, it was a mole graduate and they really didn't change their cigarette advertising away from that for many, many years. And that's just an iconic one because they used it time and time and time again, because it was all about brand awareness.

So, you know, It's there in history that don't always have to keep changing it. You don't have to keep changing content. [00:47:00] And that's where too many people mistake and they don't get on with LinkedIn because they go, oh, I just can't keep creating content. It's like, just get three or four and stick with those for a while.

You don't have to be a marketing.

Scott: I think we'd not marketing as a lot of people are like, somebody like me, I just work on my own, my own company and say, there's lots of things we have to do to try and do that. And there is there's learning from marketing is about sales is all these aspects. And we are, if we are honest with ourselves expert in what we know and kind of floundering in the other areas as we're sort of splashing around in the water, trying to just carry on swimming.

So it's quite nice to say, to be successful. You don't really have to be an expert. Just these principles that you say that you can run with.

Phil: Yeah, absolutely. And I think. You know, I I've said yes, we handle people's social media and we do LinkedIn and those elements. Yes, yes we do. But actually the bulk of what we look at is just trying to engage and start creating relationships, you know, can we, can we send [00:48:00] a series of messages and caught somebody that turns into a telephone conversation or a zoom meeting or actual physical meeting and they go, do you know what?

You might be able to do something together, you know, just keep the whole thing simple. But I think every time. Not everybody has a majority of people or a large majority of people think if I do amazing posts, it's going to go viral and I'm going to be a millionaire by using LinkedIn. That is completely the wrong platform.

You've got the, you got the wrong thing, but the one thing you have gotten LinkedIn is your audience is really easy to define and really, really easy to find. The biggest make mistake you can make is get that first moment. Because you only get one chance on that first impression.

Scott: I'll go back to that.

This is important for you. I think you said about trust and this is what I think with the automation is key. That that first message is really important and how it works. And I'll go back to it because I talk about trust. You don't know somebody, and you said at the beginning, [00:49:00] people bypass. Yeah. So if anything else you do off, listen to this podcast, please don't smell on your first or second message.

Phil: No, no, I'm probably never sell on LinkedIn. Just use LinkedIn to, Hey, it's going to have a, do you fancy a call? You'll never get, you're never gonna, you're never going to sell something genuinely and I should know.

Scott: That's what you do for a living, not settling. You build a reputation and you say the sales come.

So I'm assuming that you've talked about, you've got clients on LinkedIn is not because you're going to approach them is because if they've engaged in your content and then they've come to you and say, Phil, I'd like to work with you.

Phil: Yep, absolutely. Yep. One of the ones in question was they were shifting their marketplace significantly in COVID.

From the entertainment and hotel industry cabs and they needed to get out and they came straight in and go, we want to do telemarketing campaign. You see you do it. Can you help us? Yes, we can. So yeah,

Scott: so [00:50:00] taking the ends and I think this is, again, goes back to these networking meetings as well. Don't try and sell in a networking meeting, actually just network with people, say, who can I help?

How can I, how can I become some somebody. That helps other people, but if they need somebody, who's got my expertise, they'll come to me or they can refer people to me other than my three thousand four thousand five thousand, 10,000 connections and sell them something.

Phil: Totally. Absolutely. You know, that, that's the key thing.

And I will say as well, I think just get back to physical networking. You don't walk up to somebody tapping them on the shoulder. Oh, I'm here to sell you a photocopy and like, who are you? They would just look at you and go, who are you? But actually, if you just went up, shook their hand and said, hi, I'm new here.

What do you do? You'd be amazed. It's lap principle. We're trying to take into LinkedIn is just shake some of this hand, ask them what they do.

Scott: And an interesting question. Again, it goes back to selflessness and I heard this from somebody else. I thought it was really great when somebody connects. They might send a connection [00:51:00]request and just say again, I think it's always worthwhile writing why you want to connect with this person as well.

It's whatever it is, either we go to the same networking meeting or we work in the same area or I've, I've seen some of your posts, I think to really interesting. Yes. It takes time, but again, there's that quantity over quality over quantity approach. And then when they say yes, can I say great ticket? I think somebody I spoke to that might be Jack said, well, he says back, which I think is really, really nice.

He says, thank you for allowing me to join you on network.

Phil: Yeah, absolutely. I think a lot of the time there's people that they don't even send any kind of message. Just let it hang there. So for me, if someone's. Going to connect with me and they accepts my connection request. I'll certainly message them and say, thank you because that's key.

And for me, most of the time, it's a thank you. How can I help you? Who can I introduce you to my network? That's that's where I will, will take, as part of my processes is. [00:52:00] To use that. But if you just Willy nilly out, connecting with people, cause it's back to the dating game, it's back to somebody. Somebody is, somebody is like, I really liked you.

And then you just go, you're not there. They're like, what did I say? What did I do wrong? Why do I bother absolutely negative impact or later. That

Scott: is just, again, it's that first impression. So I, and I liked what you said earlier is just have a reason as well. So the advantage as you say for me, and I've never really used it, although interestingly enough, my podcast has enabled me to get connected to some amazing.

Yep. And it normally is. I might be doing, especially when I started, I'd have a guest and I say, oh, fell out of a filter. Okay. And they say, oh, I know somebody, you might want to talk to who you might find an interesting person on your podcast. And it's amazing just by doing that, the amount of people I've had the great fortune of having conversations with.

And I would never have got it without reaching out and just talking about.

Phil: No, and, and to be intimate, [00:53:00] to be fair, right. Because you'll ask me the same question. Anyway. I've already got two. That would be amazing for you to speak about. We'll obviously talk about that after

Scott: we finished it. And there is another option.

Another thing I learned many years ago as well is if you give something to somebody and again, so you might give something to free. Cause I was going to write a program for somebody else say right there. It is. Have it as a, if you think this is useful, who else in your network do you think this would be beneficial to.

Okay. Pass the details on to them. So it was not even coming through me. It's helping people choose who they think what you've got would be beneficial and I'm introducing it to that freebie. So it's not, again, driven by me being all salesy. It's all about help, help, help, help, because you've found it useful.

Who else do you think may find it?

Phil: And that's back to relationships that if, if you said to somebody, oh, I think you should talk to Phil, the person, you know, trust you and goes Scott, most trusted. So yeah, I'll chat to him. So it's all about relationships. It's how you can build relationships that are long-term [00:54:00] relationships.

And it doesn't matter if you built them online, you can still be really strong relationships online as much as you can face to face.

Scott: Absolutely. So I think it's trust relationships, reputation, and eventually.

Phil: Yeah. And probably the one I would add to is repetition,

Scott: repetition, because that builds it. Yup.

Yup. Okay. So if we were to say we've nearly done it so far, I want to sum up what we've been talking about, about how do we build, how might we build those relationships, improve our relationships on LinkedIn. What would you say to somebody who does it as part of their job and is very successful at doing it?

Phil: I'm going to go with a really old fashioned sake because it is so apt today, just treat others the way you'd like to be treated yourself,

Scott: says about yep. So treat people how you would like to be treated. So again, that's that consideration, is it think about what you're going to do and what would, how would I like that happening to me?

And if it's a no, don't do FSEs feel free to.

Phil: Absolutely. And so, so [00:55:00] I allowed a little bit and Nissan, so that is, you know, if you're going to message somebody, do we all hate getting these sales messages first off? Absolutely. So make sure you don't send them in the way that you don't and then equally, if somebody does connect with you, would it be really nice if somebody, when they can access?

Thank you. Well, why don't you do the same as say thank you. And then also, how can I help you? How can you, how can I help you? Is a very underused.

Scott: Because it's normally, how am I looking for you to help me, correct? Yep. Yep. So again, it goes back to that selflessness, isn't it? It's how can you serve your network?

I think is a good way of looking at it. Yes, absolutely. And as people join in and see them as people, it's been an absolute pleasure that hour flew by.

Phil: I didn't know. I loved it, Scott. No, it was really, really nice chatting to you. And again, I think work you're doing is, is amazing on that whole thing about trusting.

We can't lose sight of. It's the basis

Scott: of everything,

Phil: isn't it? [00:56:00] Yeah.

Scott: Okay, lovely. Thank you very much. I feel for your time and absolute pleasure and all the links to everything we've spoken about on your various details will be in, in the transcripts underneath this, on wherever you're listening to it, but definitely where we publish it.

Okay. So thank you very much for your time.

Phil:

Pleasure. Thank you again, Scott. You're welcome