Last week, I shared 10 tips and strategies to help you reach 25,000 followers on LinkedIn.

Spoiler alert, it didn't include hacks, viral posts (although, sure, I’ve had some here and there), or marketing wizardry.🚨

It was about doing small simple things well. This is a big part of the reason I call this newsletter “Start Small, Brand Big.” Because if I can do it, you can too. 

This week, I'm sharing the remaining 15 easy-to-implement tactics to help you cross the line to thought leadership, too.🗓️

Here they are:

11. Collaborate off platform

Investing in authentic relationships and community off-platform will translate into on-platform results. My students who are "well-networked" offline have the most significant followings online.📲

12. Add "Connect with Me on LinkedIn" to Your Email Signature

Shift important relationships from your inbox to your LinkedIn feed by adding a simple "Connect with Me on LinkedIn" button to your email signature.

It amazes me how many people we talk to daily who don't connect with us on LinkedIn.🗣️

I love WiseStamp for this.

13. Use Collaborative Articles

Commit to contributing to 5 LinkedIn Collaborative articles a day.

Doing this increases your likelihood of securing a "Top Voices" badge, and that increases your followers.🏅

14. Customize Your LinkedIn URL

Go to your profile, look at the righthand panel, and see where you can edit your "Public profile & URL."🔍

Add keywords and your name to your URL to make your Google rankings soar.

15. Treat Comments With the Same Importance as Posting

Commenting on posts can secure you as many followers (if not more) than standalone posts can.

The trick? Comment on high-traffic creators' statuses with valuable additional insights.

Feeling imposter syndrome? Just connect what they share to an experience you've had.🤝

16. Aim for posting 3x/week

Yes, I'd rather have you create 1-2 high-quality posts instead of mindlessly posting 5x/week. 📝

Ultimately, though, the more you post, the more followers you'll land.

17. Follow LinkedIn Editors📰

Did you know LinkedIn has its own editorial team that dictates and identifies trends and impactful creators?

Search "LinkedIn editor" and follow the ones that cover your industry.

Unsurprisingly, you'll usually be first in on trending topics by following what they follow.

18. "Prune" Your Newsfeed

Often, our newsfeed is full of outdated connections.

That's ok! Keep the connections, but unfollow the content so you can prioritize seeing content from the following 3 target communities:

1. Your prospects - keep an eye on what they're doing and what they're interested in

2. Your aspirational role models - who do you learn from the most? Who do you want to be more like? Make sure they're very present in your feed.

3. Strategic Partners - these are people with whom you collaborate often and want to support.

19. Turn "Bells" on for Impactful Creators/Connections

Even after pruning our newsfeed, it can be hard to prioritize our "must-follow" creators.

Go to their profile and click the "bell icon" to get alerts when they post.👀

20. For the love of God, don't spam.🚫

I repeat. DO NOT SPAM. The worst thing you can do is send a connection request.

Then, after being accepted, you send 5 paragraphs. People are FED up. Earn trust through valuable content, not obnoxious messages.

21. Give Premium a go

LinkedIn Premium is adding more and more robust features for people serious about building their following.

These include advanced metrics and profile widgets.

 Try it free for 30 days if you haven't.

22. Set aside 30 min 3x/week to build your engagement muscle

I don't mean posting.

I mean jumping on the platform, engaging, adding people to your network, and seeing what's performing.

We are scared of things we don't engage with. This is called "LinkedIn Immersion Therapy." 🚀

Step one is just to log into the platform!

23. Start a LinkedIn Newsletter 

Did you know that every new connection or follower you add will auto-subscribe?

Did you know that when they follow your newsletter, your LinkedIn newsletter gets emailed directly to them even if they aren't active on the platform?

Did you know LinkedIn articles DOMINATE SEO?

Now you do! Start your newsletter.📧

24. Forgive yourself.

 - You are not too late.

- You did not miss any window.

- You are not an imposter.

You just haven't tried yet. Confidence is not an absence of fear. It is having fear and going for it anyway. 💕 

The best way to build a following is to start.

25. Cheer others on. 

There was a time in my "dark days" when I saw people crushing it in my space on LinkedIn.

Here's how I'd react:

1. Sigh 

2. Beat myself up for not posting more b/c I was so in the weeds with my business.

3. (This is gross, I'll admit it) Say things to myself to discredit them (lol -no one else was even listening! Humans are great.) 

4. Feel like crap. 

You know where that little ploy got me? Nowhere.

Competitors are proof that there's a market to be had.

Zoom out more: "Competitors" are actually great collaborators.

Zoom out even more: Usually, when you criticize them, it's because you're mad at yourself.

CHEER THEM ON.

Bonus Lesson: GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY

You'll note that every one of the 25 lessons is ultimately about forgiving yourself, getting out there, and trying again and again.

I know you can do it. I'm not special. I just kept failing and learning. 

Away we grow.

Thank you to every single person who has been part of my journey to 25k. I learn from all of you!🙏