3 LinkedIn Mindset Myths Holding You Back from Success
Your mindset towards using LinkedIn matters more than the latest and greatest hacks. No matter how well you know the algorithm, your social selling tactics and marketing efforts will fail to perform without the right intentions to back them up.
Have you ever wondered why doing all the right things is STILL not getting you the results you want?
Yes, what's going on between your ears regarding LinkedIn is critical to your success.
In this next episode of Mondays with Mindi, we're going to do some myth-busting around three limiting beliefs many people have around LinkedIn, and how we can replace them with empowering beliefs.
We're getting a bit less tactical and a bit into the "woo" to help you identify what's possible for you and your business on LinkedIn! 🔮
If you have a mindset myth or belief around LinkedIn that you're open to sharing, comment below! 👇🏽
It’s all too easy to jump straight to the tactics… Mindi, what is the best headline formula to use? What do I say in a connection invitation? How do I meet new people without sounding spammy?
These are all good questions to ask. I mean, you need to get some answers.
But more importantly on LinkedIn is your mindset -- how you’re approaching LinkedIn every time you log in.
You might think that this is “fluffy” talk, but it’s not. The clients and students who have the most long-term success on LinkedIn (whether they know it consciously or not) come to LinkedIn with a different mindset.
I can almost tell straight away if a potential client or program member is going to be a good fit for using LinkedIn in the way that I teach - simply by the words they use around LinkedIn.
Words tell the story of the “feelings” and “emotions” you have around any given topic.
That applies to LinkedIn in a BIG way.
Start with certain types of feelings or limiting beliefs around LinkedIn, and you’re just not going to get the same results as someone else who does EXACTLY the same thing but with a different mindset.
A bit more “woo woo” than some people feel comfortable with, but there’s always a bit of “magic” involved when you start putting yourself out there, connecting with new people and building your business.
Consequences of Limiting Beliefs about LinkedIn
What can happen if you’re unaware of the beliefs you have around LinkedIn? How can they affect your results?
You can start doing a comprehensive LinkedIn marketing and outreach strategy that all the experts say will generate you X number of calls or build your network -- but it falls flat
You could find yourself dreading logging into LinkedIn because in your reality, it’s a time suck
You could miss a number of business opportunities on LinkedIn because the energy you’re putting out there feels a bit desperate, unsure, or fearful
Or, you may just avoid LinkedIn altogether because it’s easier to stay away from something you’re unfamiliar with than to commit to the platform
And maybe you do end up having a TON of success in building a large following, but it feels hollow and like something is missing
...but not to worry, we’re going to discuss a few important “mindset myths” that many professionals have when they start to use or change what they’re doing on LinkedIn.
Having the right mindset ensures you show up to LinkedIn ready to do good business with good people - that’s really what it’s all about here.
The best part is that all you need to know is which mindset myth is holding you back and how to bust it!
LinkedIn is NOT another social channel
A common mistake I see quite often with many business owners and leaders is not even realizing that they have limiting beliefs around using LinkedIn.
Social media, in general, is highly charged - and it really shouldn’t be - but there’s this belief that it’s addicting, that it’s pointless, that it’s a waste of time, that we simply get sucked in and cannot extract ourselves from it.
There’s all this talk about going on a 30-day social media detox - as if we’re intoxicating ourselves in a very harmful way.
Even a Netflix documentary about how diabolical the Mark Zuckerberg’s of the world are in trying to take over our brains.
In my experience and many of my clients, this does not apply for everyone on LinkedIn.
There’s something unique about LinkedIn as opposed to Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook, Clubhouse.
LinkedIn is different. The problem is that so many people lump LinkedIn into the “toxic social media bucket.”
That label in itself is the problem.
LinkedIn is the place where professionals, like you and me, come to network with each other, explore doing good business with other good people, and focus on creating a better workplace and environment for ourselves and others.
That is my belief. That is how I approach LinkedIn - and how I teach and coach my program members to see the channel.
It’s not mindless Instagram.
This is LinkedIn. It’s special.
Identify your emotion tied to LinkedIn
Think about LinkedIn as the combination of the most spectacular industry event with loads of opportunities to learn, to connect, to network, to build relationships, to share ideas -- all in whatever cadence or timeframe works for you.
You can invest hours a day (which I don’t usually recommend) or minutes per day.
And still experience the benefits that can turn into lucrative business opportunities or established professional relationships that will accelerate career and your business.
It’s up to you.
Pause for a moment. Ask yourself the question, “How do I see LinkedIn working for me right now?”
Really think about the answer.
Do you feel a sense of negativity around the answer? Frustration? Excitement? Wanting to learn more?
We’re going for the emotion that you feel around LinkedIn. When you can identify that emotion, you can start to understand more about your limiting beliefs.
You don’t have to do it all now, but just ponder it and come back to it after this.
Now, let’s talk about three common myths and what we can do to dispel them… the fun of this is that you can see these as examples and then come up with your own if you want to take this exercise deeper.
Three Common LinkedIn Myths
#1 - A bigger LinkedIn Network is a better LinkedIn Network.
Let's talk about "the story of two Steves." One of them has less than 2,000 connections / 12-18 calls per month with his ideal clients. The other is approaching 400K followers and is struggling to engage his network.
Guess whose network generates more business opportunities?
Bigger is not better. Strategic and alignment are best.
#2 - To get results on LinkedIn, I need to invest a LOT of time.
It’s not about being busy, but about doing the right things.
It’s not about being there ALL the time, but about showing up consistently over time.
Systems are the key to making it work, especially when you have a checklist of what you do on LinkedIn every day.
For those who want to spend a lot of time on LinkedIn, you can enlist the help of your team or a virtual assistant
It’s more about WHAT your objectives are for LinkedIn -- choose one main objective per quarter, and your activities should match that.
#3 - Treating LinkedIn like another social media platform.
It’s not. It doesn’t work like Instagram or Facebook.
I almost don’t view LinkedIn as a social media platform at all, except for some of the functionality.
It’s a place to do good business with other good people.
It’s like your website - especially if you’re a career professional.
Remember: If you’re new to using LinkedIn or trying to rethink your approach, it all starts with your mindset. Once you understand the mindset myths holding you back right now, you can then figure out a better approach before you start delving into all the tactics.
Focus on your mindset first. Show up to LinkedIn each weekday. Pay attention to your feed. Watch people. Observe. You’ll know when you’re ready to take that next step.
Before you start doing ANYTHING else on LinkedIn, you need to have your profile dialed in. You'll want to check out my three-part video mini-training called How to Reboot Your LinkedIn Profile to Grow Your Online Business!
It’s jam-packed with templates, examples, and a step-by-step approach to optimizing your headline, what to do with your About section, plus how to make your Experience sections shine!
If you want to get instant access, click HERE!
