Over the years. Social media has changed.

Various platforms have added some new and exciting functions and bolt-ons to adapt for the ways people view, navigate and engage on the site.

Some have fallen behind the curve and been overtaken by new players with more power to embrace the AI & Next Gen culture and connect better with the socially connected world.

LinkedIn has developed too over the years.

LinkedIn began in co-founder Reid Hoffman's living room in 2002 and was officially launched on May 5, 2003.

To building up its network, capabilities, engaging more users, growth, scale.

To 2016 and the acquisition of Microsoft. Two big players.

How would the site change?

Will Microsoft dilute the 'professional' site.

Look at the members. Late 2016. 13 years in. 433+ million.

To today.

722+ million members.

Almost double the network in only 4 more years.

More connected, more relevant, more intuitive, better interactions and more growth based on the human element of business and personal development and engagement.

Today, Ryan Roslansky leads LinkedIn, the world’s largest and most powerful network of professionals.

MY LINKED STORY.

When I first went on it back in 2008/09 I think, it was a case of connecting with researching, learning, connecting with people in my sector or looking at any competition and what they were doing. And also posting. Some corporate fluff pulled from the collateral section of the BMS or retweaked by myself if you had no marketing or ad department.

I would sit for hours on it weekly as my team at the time would look at me and think, why is he not on the phone as much. I had a feeling that if I could make this platform work if I could connect and learn, build my network, share about me (us) as a business, other people might see it and then phone us..... ? Not quite how it went.

When I moved to recruitment in late 2012, I used the ‘Recruiter’ Premium addition. Launched December 2008, the first of Jeff Weiner's and Linkedin paid premium platforms.

This helped me search, select and connect with profiles from all over the world. It allowed me to select a menu and list, a folder and a profiles section. It was great.

In-mails that had attachments and signatures.

I stored most of my info on here. And the CRM at the time. But mainly on LinkedIn.

Now we see Sales Navigator. Launched July 21st 2014. A powerful sales tool.

• Another powerful addition to utilise and build your network.
• Research prospects engage in content being shared worldwide.
• Dropdowns, lists, searches, messages, filters, profiles
• Twitter links, insights to job and career moves, company size.
• Headcount. New hires. Hiring patterns.
• What news the business shares, what your targets share.

Very powerful if used well and strategic.

We show this as part of the training with our social teams looking to skill up.

But what about you. Your story.

This is what I have thought about for some time now. Each day, I think about it more.

The more I see. The more I read, the more I write and listen, the more it makes sense to me was this platform is really about.

SOCIAL MEDIA - websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.

It’s about you. As an individual. As a professional.

As a voice of millions who also share a story.

722+ million active users and only getting larger.

Everyone has something to say. Daily.

Think about it.

If you post corporate collateral from the BMS or marketing teams, then no-one really cares. Because it’s not personal.

They want to hear from the person within the business. The people who are the business.

Who are they? What are they like? Will I like them?

Well, they have a product or service we like.

But are they providing us with the info and knowledge to make sure that we see them?

Are they relevant and an influence in their sector. So they have a personal side. What else do we know about them?

#TIPS

• How does your industry look? What about 5, 10, or 15 years and how will it get there?
• What is the biggest problem your industry needs to solve?
• What skill is essential in your job or at your company, and why?
• How has your job, profession or industry changed since you started?
• What challenges do you see for the future of your profession?
• What insight can you give us, and keep giving us and why you?

Make it professional with curated content and articles, then post general 'personal' content about you from time to time to let them see the person behind the role.

I talk about social selling because that is where my future lies. I write blogs and articles. I build influence, trust, share knowledge in my chosen sector and provide guidance as to how, why, when, what to go about being better at social and online engagement.

I also post general content about my weekend or zoom catchup with my friends.

This shows others about me and the personal side of my life.

Both have a purpose, a meaning and share my profession and personal story.

Everyone has stories. Knowing what to say or to write can be tricky but there is no right or wrong. It's YOUR story.

Cast your net wide when prospecting.

Cover all bases in your search for prospects.

Post daily. Post personal. Post why you do what you do. Give some meaning to the product or service you provide. Make it your own.

PEOPLE BUY FROM PEOPLE. OLD BUT GOLD.

And not. BUY MY PRODUCT BECAUSE of X.

Share a story. Customer success. Challenge. Solution. Result. Improvements. Retention. And repeat.

#Hashtags lure the prospects in. Insight.

Share, comment, connect, scale, listen. Grow.

In 2021 TRUST will play a key part in how your business performs and grows and the best place to do it is online and on Linkedin and other platforms to share your story.

EDELMAN

suggest that there is a crisis of leadership and a growing trust gap between clients and businesses right now. People are looking for leadership and solutions as they reject talking heads whom they deem not credible.

How do you build trust?

By sharing your story and your business expertise. Personally.

As I look through stories and content on here daily, I think to myself. So this is what it is about. Telling stories.

Providing information about you, your journey, your thoughts, your knowledge in a chosen sector. Your passions. Your life and meaning.

Keep sharing. Keep telling stories.

This is what it is all about.

Connect to others, connect with me, share your story, tell me about your business.

As I write this, my situation and path are clear. This is what I plan to do for the rest of my working life. Help, guide, influence and authority, backed up with the trust that I have as a voice in my sector.

A voice that is here to help others succeed in the 'social' journey and win business.

Many are on the path. It will be tough. But we are here to help.

Strategic, data, community, trust authenticity, network, content, inbound, pipeline 👍🔥

START YOUR JOURNEY NOW.

Tell me your story. Business and personal.

Thanks

Kevin Milne

#socialselling #linkedin #stories #trust #content #community #futureofwork #business #sales #leadership