People post personal stories on LinkedIn for attention…but not the attention you think. They do it to capture the attention of their prospects. If you don’t understand this, that might be why you don’t think personal stories have a place on LinkedIn. So let us explain.
Personal stories stop your profile from being “faceless.” Yes, you might have a clear profile picture but what does that really tell people about you? On its own, it’s not going to build the relationships you need to successfully sell on LinkedIn.
That is what personal stories are for. It breaks down the barrier between you and your prospects with…
The power of personal stories on LinkedIn for building transparency
So many people put on some kind of front when they’re online. Since it’s a place where you can (mostly) control the perception people have of you, you don’t want to risk anything that could reflect badly on you or your business.
The problem with this way of thinking is that everything you post will always be 2D. Nothing will make it stand out from the millions of other users out there selling their services on LinkedIn.
Personal stories allow you to share your vulnerability without damaging people’s perception of you. You’re not admitting to any weaknesses but sharing what you learned from real stories in your life.
Stories like this offer a look at you and inside your business people can’t get anywhere else. By sharing these relatable, transparent stories, you are inviting people to join your journey and this causes them to have a much more personal stake in it – which leads to a greater chance they will want to support it too.
How LinkedIn personal stories boost credibility
Personal stories give you the opportunity to increase your credibility through authenticity. It takes multiple touchpoints on LinkedIn for prospects to be open to a sale. The reason for this is because trust is an integral part of that.
The more people get to know you, the more they trust you. It’s just a fact! Especially if you can back up what you’re saying with tangible results and examples. However, just stating these results or examples won’t come across as very authentic.
That’s why personal stories are a great tool to build this credibility without just telling people you’re trustworthy. Instead, you’re showing them.
Emotional investment
There are probably plenty of businesses out there offering the same or similar services than you. Price isn’t the only way to beat them. In fact, lowering your prices could have the opposite effect if that’s all you’re doing.
How much something costs is not as big of a decision maker as you might think. It’s actually more likely about the emotional investment someone has with a business, whether its values and message resonate with their own.
Personal stories quite literally share your story with your audience. They can learn exactly what you stand for and the personal relationship you have with it.
Start sharing your story
No one is saying you should use LinkedIn like a digital diary. But your prospects do want to know the person behind the profile, they want to build a relationship before they sign on for any service.
If you’re still not sure how to make your personal stories as shareable as possible, you can find some great tips in this guide. Of course, if you still feel a little too intimidated or can’t find the words to express them, get in touch with the PINAKL team.