Episode 467: Five Steps to Getting Engagement on LinkedIn

Brynne Tillman | 00:22
Hello, hello! Welcome to Making Sales Social. I’m Brynne Tillman, your solo host today, and I’m very excited to be here. We’re going to talk about the five steps to getting engagement on LinkedIn.

Here’s the thing: often we put out content and no one engages, or only a few people engage, or it’s always the same people. Maybe we’ve tried pods to share content, and some people click through, but at the end of the day, getting engagement is hard. It takes work. Just because you build content doesn’t mean people will come—you have to invite them.

So let’s go through the five steps to make sure we’re getting engagement on our content.

Step 1: Identify what content your audience really wants to consume.
Often, we share content we want them to know, not necessarily content they want to read or watch. We need to take a step back and understand what’s going on in their world. What challenges are they facing that we can help solve? What questions are they asking internally that might lead them to our solution?

If we share case studies, features, or how we help people too early, we’re too far down the funnel—we miss the moment to capture them. Years ago, I learned a valuable tip from David Newman, a brilliant author and speaker: understand what’s happening in their ecosystem, their company, and environment before they need us. Too often, by the time we talk about solutions, it’s too late—they’ve already started exploring options.

So step one is making sure your content aligns with what the right people want to consume at the right time in their journey.

Step 2: Find, follow, and connect with the right people.
How do we do this? LinkedIn offers great search features to find the right folks. Connect with all your prospects and people you’re already talking to daily. Build a purposeful network of people who actually want to engage with your content—you can’t just post and hope.

If you’re reaching out cold, engage first on LinkedIn and connect. Let them know you might follow up via email or phone. Use LinkedIn as a nurturing tool. If you’re at a networking event, scan QR codes to connect with attendees.

On the “follow” side, find people engaging with content similar to yours or with other non-competing vendors who reach the same audience. These folks are magnets for your ideal audience.

Step 3: Leverage influencers.
This can be done in two ways:

1. Find referral partners—people who serve the same audience but aren’t competitors. For me, sales trainers and coaches, or CRM consultants, are excellent referral partners. Engage with them, cross-promote, and share their content.
2. Engage with larger influencers in your industry, such as authors or keynote speakers. Engage with their audience as if you’re networking at an event. This helps you reach people who are already attracted to your space.

Influencer engagement overlaps with Step 2—you’re finding, following, and connecting through their influence.

Step 4: Engage at least a 10:1 ratio.
For every post you put out, engage with other people’s content at least ten times. LinkedIn’s algorithm favors this and allows you to focus on the people you want to see your content.

For example, if you have a list of 20 prospects in your pipeline, engage with their content and the content of five to seven colleagues in their organization. This methodically increases visibility—any content you post in the next two weeks is likely to be seen. If they don’t engage, the connection falls off until you reactivate it.

Step 5: Get your content in front of them.
Just posting isn’t enough. At the bottom of each LinkedIn post, there’s a paper airplane icon that lets you send content via message to up to ten people blind copied.

If you’ve done research and identified key contacts in a company, send them your content asking for their perspective—not as a pitch. For example:

“As AI experts in the training and coaching world, I’d love your perspective on this post I just shared.”

This approach makes them feel valued and can create a flywheel effect as multiple people in the organization engage. Use their company name in your message to make it personalized and not feel like mass outreach.

When we combine all five steps—creating valuable content, building the right network, leveraging influencers, engaging strategically, and sharing content directly—we earn the right to have trust-based conversations that lead to opportunities.

Audience Q&A Highlights:

• Company page vs. personal profile engagement: Both can work. People connect with people, not brands, but brands can be introduced strategically for recognition. Engage as the company for branding and follow up personally for relationship building.
• Posting frequency: Quality over quantity. Original content should be at least once a week, ideally daily. Original content can include polls, mini video clips, or other short forms. Company pages can post multiple times per day; individuals should post once daily.

Brynne Tillman | 19:49
The key takeaway: engagement is human-to-human, even when leveraging brands. Build relationships first, use your company for recognition, and consistently provide valuable content.

If you want more tips, join our free membership at socialsaleslink.com/membership for resources, Open Office Hours every third Thursday, and live coaching.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to make your sales social. Have a great day!