Episode 475: 10 LinkedIn Activities to Start 2026 the Right Way
A practical conversation on how to use LinkedIn as a daily relationship-building system instead of a content treadmill. Stan and Bob share a simple, repeatable daily plan that helps professionals earn trust, start real conversations, and build momentum without pitching, posting every day, or chasing algorithms. This episode focuses on what to do each day to make LinkedIn work as a revenue and referral engine in 2026.
View Transcript
Stan Robinson Jr. | 00:00
The start of the year is a good time to revisit this to make sure your profile correctly reflects how you want to represent yourself and the value you offer to your audience.
Bob Woods | 00:13
Welcome to the Making Sales Social podcast, featuring the top voices in sales, marketing, and business. Join Brynne Tillman, Stan Robinson Jr., and me, Bob Woods, as we bring you the best tips and strategies our guests are teaching and using, so you can leverage them for your own virtual and social selling success. Welcome to the show.
Hey there, and thanks for joining us for Making Sales Social Live, coming to you from the Social Sales Link virtual studios. I’m Bob Woods. Brynne Tillman is off today, and Stan Robinson Jr. is here with us. How are you doing?
Stan Robinson Jr. | 00:48
Doing fantastic. Happy New Year to you.
Bob Woods | 00:52
Happy New Year to you as well. It is 2026, and it’s time to start looking at things a little differently when it comes to how we use LinkedIn. That’s exactly why we’re here today—to get that process started.
I don’t know about you, Stan, but for me, the things I do during my business day work better when they’re already part of my workflow, rather than a mental add-on. I’m guessing you’d agree.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 01:24
Yep, that’s a great way to look at it. When these activities are part of your daily workflow—your thought process, your calendar—it definitely helps, rather than trying to figure it out on the fly.
Bob Woods | 01:41
Exactly. One thing we didn’t mention that’s really important is to schedule this time. Block it out on your calendar. Everything we’re talking about today should be scheduled so it becomes part of your routine.
That’s how I look at LinkedIn—it’s simply part of what I do. It can be the same for our listeners. Today, we’re going to share 10 LinkedIn activities that will help you start the new year the right way and begin those all-important sales conversations.
Before we dive in, we have an accompanying ebook you can download so you don’t have to furiously take notes. Everything we’re discussing is included. It’s called 10 LinkedIn Activities to Start 2026 the Right Way, and you can get it at socials sales link dot com slash start 2026. That’s all one word, and 2026 is numeric.
With that, Stan, let’s get started with number one—foundational, but incredibly important.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 03:17
Number one is re-anchoring your LinkedIn profile around who you help and why it matters. The start of the year is a great time to revisit your profile and make sure it reflects how you want to represent yourself and the value you offer.
Review your LinkedIn headline to ensure it clearly communicates your value proposition in 220 characters or less. Then look at your About section to make sure it speaks to who you serve, the problem you help them solve, and the results they can expect from working with you. Make sure all of this aligns with where you see yourself going in the coming year. Any thoughts to add?
Bob Woods | 04:14
Absolutely. Your profile is foundational, but it’s not something you need to obsess over every day. Checking it once a quarter is usually enough. Making sure it’s exactly where you want it now is important, and then revisiting it later in the year to see if it still reflects what you do.
Sometimes you gain insights from clients you’ve helped and realize you should add or remove something. Your LinkedIn profile isn’t chiseled in stone—it can be changed anytime. You don’t want to change it constantly, but if certain things are resonating more in your sales conversations, that’s where your updates should come from.
Your profile matters, but the actions we’re about to talk about are where most of your focus should be. That brings us to number two: review and warm up your existing network.
The first thing you should do each day—and block time for—is engage with your first-degree connections. You don’t need to reach out to everyone, especially if you have hundreds or thousands of connections. Visit three to five profiles daily. When you do that, you show up in their “Who’s Viewed Your Profile,” creating a subtle awareness.
If they’ve posted recently—within the last couple of weeks—like or comment on their content. Don’t go back months; that feels creepy. If there’s no recent activity, make a note to message them later.
This replaces random scrolling with intentional relationship building. Instead of doom-scrolling, you’re building real connections—and that’s the mindset we should all be in.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 07:48
That’s so true. Warming up your existing network is important because it’s easy to forget about people you’re already connected with. You may realize it’s been three years since you last spoke with someone you once had a great conversation with. Being intentional prevents that.
Bob Woods | 08:24
Everything we’re talking about today is intentional. This helps build that “intentional LinkedIn” muscle so it becomes a habit. Eventually, it’s just part of your daily routine.
Now let’s move on to number three.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 09:04
Number three is reintroducing yourself without pitching. When reconnecting with people in your network, don’t bombard them. One LinkedIn message in a day is enough.
It’s okay to acknowledge that it’s been a while. Don’t pretend you spoke yesterday if it’s been three years. Keep it human. Reference something relevant to them and ask a simple, non-salesy question to start a conversation.
This is not the time to send a calendar link or promote your latest offer. It’s about rekindling the relationship.
Bob Woods | 10:18
Exactly. Starting light is critical. You don’t want to open with an intrusive question about their sales goals. You’re warming things up, not bludgeoning someone. Everything Stan mentioned is the right approach.
That brings us to number four: commit to comment-led engagement.
Engagement is more important than ever on LinkedIn. Studies show that meaningful engagement impacts the algorithm, increasing the visibility of your content. This becomes your daily visibility engine.
Commit to leaving three to five thoughtful comments each day—on posts from clients, prospects, industry voices your buyers trust, and your first-degree connections. Add perspective and contribute to the conversation. Avoid comments like “Great post.” We all roll our eyes at those.
Commenting keeps you visible without having to post every day, and once people start responding to your comments, that’s gold. You’re contributing content without creating posts, which is exactly what comment-led engagement is about.
Stan, this next one builds nicely on that, especially with a LinkedIn feature that was misused early on but is now being used much more effectively.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 13:20
Before jumping into that, I love the term “comment-led engagement.” Commenting is easier than posting, and it’s a win-win. You support the person you’re commenting on, increase your own visibility, and—when the comment is thoughtful—add value to the community.
Bob Woods | 13:59
And you’re also demonstrating your expertise and reinforcing your credibility.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 14:15
Exactly. And this ties back to your profile—your photo and headline follow you everywhere on LinkedIn. When you comment, people see them, which is why your profile needs to be intentional.
Now, shifting gears to polls. Polls are a great feature and an effective way to collect insights. They invite engagement by asking people to contribute their opinion. You can think of them as a form of posting.
You have four options in a poll, and the fourth option should almost always be “Other—share your thoughts in the comments.” That’s where the real gold often appears, not in the predefined answers.
Bob Woods | 15:29
Absolutely. There may be rare exceptions where you want people to choose only from four specific options, but most of the time, inviting comments is the right move. The insights in those comments are incredibly valuable.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 16:01
To wrap up on polls, the beauty of them is that you’re asking the community for their opinion on a specific issue. Polls do take some thought—both in terms of the initial question and the choices you offer. The “other” option, where people can share comments, is open-ended and provides additional benefits.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 16:29
You gain visibility by sharing content that asks a question your audience cares about. People want to know how others think about issues that matter to them. Polls help increase visibility, provide research by revealing what people actually think, and create engagement. When people vote or comment, it’s important to thank them and engage with their responses. Any other thoughts on polls, Bob? I think we’re both pretty excited about polls.
Bob Woods | 17:15
Oh yeah, polls are absolutely tremendous. Everything you mentioned is spot on.
I want to bring up a comment I’m seeing about engagement. Someone mentioned that many of their connections don’t engage much on LinkedIn and haven’t posted or commented in months. That’s exactly when you want to do what we discussed earlier—asking a light, non-sales question. That was point number three: reintroducing yourself without pitching.
The easiest way to do that is by asking a simple question that isn’t probing or uncomfortable. It’s a great way to start a conversation with people who don’t regularly engage or comment on LinkedIn.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 18:34
Exactly. Nothing to add—that’s perfect.
Bob Woods | 18:39
Great. Before we move on, I want to remind everyone about the ebook. You can download it at socialsaleslink.com/start2026. Everything we’re discussing today is included there.
Now let’s get back to the list from the ebook: turning conversations into content. Your inbox—whether LinkedIn messages, emails, or other conversations—is full of potential content. The insights you share and the questions people ask are incredibly valuable.
Capture insights from comments, messages, and especially client questions. If one client or prospect has a question, others likely have the same one. Save these insights in a running document so you have a foundation for future content, conversations, or messaging.
We’re not suggesting daily posting. Instead, you’re collecting relevance—real topics people care about. This is a powerful way to attract others in your audience into meaningful conversations.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 20:48
That’s absolutely true. Polls are another great source of content ideas based on the feedback you receive. LinkedIn offers multiple sources for insights you can turn into valuable content for your audience.
Bob Woods | 21:10
I couldn’t agree more. Let’s talk about referrals, another area where LinkedIn really shines.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 21:21
One reason LinkedIn is so powerful for referrals is that you can see who your connections are connected to. For those who remember Rolodexes, it’s like being able to look inside someone else’s contact list. Today, it’s like seeing their email or phone address book.
Be intentional about identifying who might be a good referral source. This could be someone in a complementary business, someone who serves the same audience without competing with you, or simply someone who knows you well and wants to help.
If it’s been a while since you’ve spoken to them, don’t open with a referral request. Rekindle the relationship first or offer value before asking. Remember, there are people in your LinkedIn network who can introduce you to others who can help you reach your goals—so follow up intentionally.
Bob Woods | 23:12
The key word there is intentional. Everything we’re talking about today comes back to that. Now let’s move to number eight: replacing the “Hey, just following up” message with value.
Never follow up empty-handed. Those messages add pressure and don’t move conversations forward. Instead, choose one open conversation each day and respond with an observation, insight, or relevant resource.
That could be a LinkedIn post, an ebook—offered without sending a link unsolicited—or a connection to someone they might find helpful. This positions you as a resource rather than someone simply pushing for a response. It keeps momentum going without pressure, which matters more than ever today. Bring value—don’t just say, “Hey, following up.”
Stan Robinson Jr. | 25:45
I couldn’t agree more. Bringing value instead of saying “just following up” sets you apart from competitors. That phrase really translates to, “What do you have for me?” Offering value says, “Here’s something that may help you.”
Bob Woods | 26:26
Exactly. Let’s move on to daily activity.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 26:35
This next insight comes from Brynne, and it’s brilliant: view your LinkedIn activity like a pipeline, not a newsfeed.
For those with a sales mindset, think about how you review a pipeline—what worked, what didn’t, and what moved conversations forward. Apply that same thinking to your LinkedIn activity. Look at what started new conversations and what helped advance existing ones. That analysis tells you what to do next.
When I first saw this, it really stood out to me because I had never thought about LinkedIn that way.
Bob Woods | 27:56
It’s a major mindset shift. A newsfeed encourages doom scrolling. A pipeline encourages action. LinkedIn isn’t X or Instagram—it’s a relationship and conversation platform.
Treating LinkedIn like a pipeline helps you identify next steps and prevents opportunities from going stagnant. Kudos to Brynne for that insight—it’s platinum.
Number ten is creating and implementing a simple daily LinkedIn plan. Turn everything we’ve discussed into a repeatable workflow. Block time on your calendar in a way that fits your day. Over time, it becomes a rhythm, a habit, and a mindset.
This compounds visibility into trust and warm conversations, resulting in a sustainable social selling practice that fits into your real workday—without feeling salesy or forced.
Stan Robinson Jr. | 31:05
Very true. If you download the ebook, the activities are listed in a recommended order. Start small. Don’t try to do everything at once. Pick one or two to begin with.
Bob Woods | 31:32
That’s great advice. To get the ebook, go to socialsaleslink.com/start2026.
With that, we’ll wrap up. Whether you joined us live or via the podcast, thank you for being with us. We host live sessions weekly, so be sure to join us. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, subscribe or follow so you’re notified when new episodes drop.
We also interview leaders and experts in sales, marketing, and business, so be sure to check those episodes as well. Visit socialsaleslink.com/podcast to learn more and access all our shows.
Stan, any final words?
Stan Robinson Jr. | 33:00
Thank you, everyone, for joining us. We look forward to helping you in 2026.
Bob Woods | 33:06
Thanks for joining us. Have a great day.
Bob Woods | 33:06
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