.png)
If I had a Euro for every time I’ve heard “I should be more active on LinkedIn!”, I'd be writing this from a Greek island, sipping a virgin Piña Colada, and shading myself by the sea (fact!)
Although I love everything “Linkedin,” like me, many professional women who are outstanding communicators are hesitant to “show up” on the platform – and it’s not due to lack of proficiency. In doing my research here’s what I discovered: The misperception that it’s time consuming + concern about what other people think = lack of a strategy!
The key to showing up on LinkedIn is rooted in understanding two things: your personal brand and your personal goals. Getting these two elements straight will set you up to create a strategy that suits you and enables you to post confidently and consistently.
Goals can be anything: getting a new job, promoting your product, growing your audience, starting a freelance career, or even making yourself more valuable in the job you are currently in.
Lucky for us, there are already some professionals in our industry who are smashing it. Whether it’s a stellar profile, amazing content, or the art of consistency, they are visible and getting great engagement.
Let’s take a look at some of the methods they are applying, and how you can too.
1. Perfect your profile - Melissa Maher
Melissa provides executive coaching and hospitality consulting services, and her superpower on LinkedIn is her profile.
If you check her out you will see that she has a consistent brand image, a clear vision of her services, an engaging About and Experience section, a popping featured section, and up-to-date recommendations. In other words, the magic mix that makes up a great profile.
She also uses humor in her posts and publishes very regularly (key): her posts are often at 100+ for reactions, well deserved.
Be more Melissa:
Write an engaging About section with a call to action.
Add a featured section, it can be posts, links, or articles.
Regularly request recommendations to keep them fresh.
2. Provide education - Jacki Brown
Jackie is a fractional CMO and a product marketer and - naturally - has nailed her positioning and messaging. Her profile is also on point as it’s super clear what she does and for whom.
Her content is regular, consistent and genuinely educational, providing thought provoking ideas and questions as well as free resources you can download and keep. She’s the crowned queen of educational content.
Be more Jacki:
Share your expertise, never hold back.
State industry opinions others are afraid to voice.
Create some downloadables to support others.
3. Support others - Emma Banks
Emma is VP of F&B Strategy & Development MEA for Hilton, as well as sitting on advisory boards and committees, and she still makes time for LinkedIn.
She uses her platform to support issues like food waste, sustainability, and inclusivity. Her feed is just full of props for named staff, new properties, awards, and supporting the industry. We rise by lifting others is an understatement, Emma has +28k followers on LinkedIn.
Be more Emma:
Adopt a service-oriented mindset.
Mention and support others in your posts.
Use your platform for what you believe in.
4. Ask for help - Rebecca Lombardo
Rebecca is a fractional CMO specializing in the vacation rental and SaaS space. She also runs two super engaging channels on YouTube (Whiteboard Lessons and Vendor Vibes), and has even written a book (goals).
When I spoke to Rebecca about how she jettisoned herself onto LinkedIn, she told me how she had posted that her ‘shop was open’ and asked a couple of key and well-connected peers in her network to engage. “This really was the key, and I basically went viral according to my standards!”.
She’s a strong advocate of community building and pays it back by being part of professional women’s networks which she says are a key support group both personally and professionally.
Be more Rebecca:
Announce and re-announce yourself as open to business.
Ask key people you know to support you.
Join groups and networks that are relevant to you.
5. Consistency - Khristina Quigley
When I asked around for people to follow on LinkedIn, Khristina quickly came up. Apart from being Global Key Account Director for Planet, she was also named Top 100 Social Media Influencers in Hospitality.
Khristina’s superpower is: consistency, something the LinkedIn algorithm absolutely loves. She posts wherever she is, whatever she’s doing, and gives visibility to both her personal brand and her company by doing this. She really is a shining example of the fact that content is everywhere, and posting consistently is key.
Be more Khristina:
Get used to taking photos daily, save them and use them.
Screen snip and share with permission if it involves others.
Post 3-5 times a week (or more!) for the real win.
My advice to you? If any of the information above resonates, use it, make it your own and develop a strategy that works for you. Remember…personal branding is just that, personal. Express what makes you you, forget about what they think, and just show up!
Zoe Koumbouzi is a marketer that specializes in Linkedin for hospitality professionals.