Can LinkedIn really help you build a business? Absolutely.

Read My Story.

In 2015, I faced an unexpected turn of events. After investing two years working for someone else in a fledgeling start-up, I was faced with the decision to either get a new job or start my own business (again).

Very much against the idea but faced with the need to make cash fast, I went with the latter. Four months on, I was known as ‘The LinkedIn Expert’ in my area and had built a thriving business – in a city, I had only moved to seven months before.

I achieved it by applying the principles of The Expert Economy.

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The Expert Economy is a term I have coined to explain the new age of business development where each of us has the opportunity to build a business doing what we love – and get paid generously for it.

Today, information is free. The answer to just about any question can be found by googling it, and most buyers will try to ‘do it themselves before thinking to invest in an expert to help them.

Recognising this, The Expert Economy is about ‘leaning in’. About being readily available to answer questions. To supply this content, and let our prospect know, that should they want anything ‘we’re here to help’.

Because we know that when we do this, people experience our expertise, understand what we do and they trust us.

And the right people want to work with us.

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Starting my company, I had zero notice.

On a Thursday, I signed a new employment contract for £50k.

On Tuesday I quit.

On Wednesday I hired a desk in an Innovation centre.

I had no choice but to make things work.

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One night, shortly after I signed a minimum term contract for my office desk, I was walking home from the office questioning my choices and asking ‘but what if this doesn’t work? What will I do?’ I had just moved to Portsmouth seven months before and really didn’t know anyone. My previous role was London focused and hadn’t afforded me many opportunities to network locally.

“What will I do if this doesn’t work out?”

Wrong Question.

Suddenly I stopped in my tracks and remembered all of my personal development training.

Wrong Question.

The real question was ‘How do I make this work?’

Walking along Elm Grove in Southsea, Portsmouth, I ran some quick calculations. If I wanted to earn £4k per month, I would have to sell 10 profiles at £400 per person. To sell 10 profiles, I would need to make approximately 40 presentations to ideal prospects (fast!). If I wanted to make 40 presentations, I needed to share my message with approximately 120 people.

I didn’t have a list and I didn’t have time.

So I asked myself ‘How can I get in front of 120 people fast?”

Speaking Engagements.

“Who do I know that would give me a speaking slot with my ideal audience?”

Malcolm Archibald from Business Builders immediately came to mind.

I had met Malcolm the year before when he called my previous employer looking for a speaker. Out of my colleagues, I volunteered. I hired a car, drove down from London the night before, and had dinner with a longtime contact, Karen Williams of Librotas, whom I’d never met after 5 years of conversation.

I stayed at my brother’s in-laws’ house who lived locally, creeping in at 10 pm and out at 6 am (I’d never been to their house before!!) and showed up the next morning to a fantastic group of entrepreneurs that I absolutely fell in love with.

Knowing I had to move out of London, and seeing this incredible group, I ask ‘Is there any sea near here?’ My criteria for my new home out of London was to be by the sea!

I was directed to Southsea. I drove in and out within the hour but made my decision to move there. Six weeks later, I had my own top floor flat with a view of the Spinnaker Tower. I’d attended the group a few more times but with my job focused on building a corporate business and establishing our partnership with LinkedIn based in Ireland, I wasn’t able to attend often.

Knowing the value of this group and its importance to me, I called Malcolm.

He immediately agreed saying he needed a speaker the next week because someone had dropped out. I stepped in. Just as I was about to start my talk, Fiona Farley from Portsmouth Business Exchange, approached me and asked if I’d speak at their open meeting the next week. I said yes.

Within 2 weeks I’d spoken to 120 people.

During my talks, I added value. I provided lots of insights and practical tips and talked about how LinkedIn is a vital part of your marketing mix, and the importance of making sure it pitches you, your business and your expertise perfectly.

I offered attendees a free LinkedIn Profile Review.

Taking business cards and following up, I held back-to-back meetings, focused on getting to know each business owner, and telling them how to write their own LinkedIn profile. I pitched to them exactly what they should do and then asked whether that was something they felt they could do for themselves or whether they needed me to help them.

Ten people said yes. Then another ten.

By my fourth month, I was at capacity. I had far exceeded my goal of writing 10 LinkedIn Profiles.

In my fifth month, my name came up in all the right conversations at a marketing agency in High Wycombe. Before I knew it, I invited to write 40+ LinkedIn profiles for Oracle in the USA and Europe.

This wasn’t by luck or by chance.

This was a formula.

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The formula that we’ll be sharing at The Expert Economy Event.

I achieved this result by applying the training I received with Daniel Priestley’s programme Key Person of Influence.

I achieved it by combining the LinkedIn strategies I teach with offline strategies, to quickly position myself as the ‘go-to’ expert in my industry so my name came up in all the right conversations. I proved that what I teach clients absolutely works.

I achieved it by building a clear sales process with sales scripts, and clear products and clear pricing.

I achieved it by using my years of investment in my personal development.

I want to see you build a thriving business too.

Not just like me. Because we’re all different.

But by sharing a formula that works.