When clients engage me for my PR and LinkedIn marketing services, I’m often asked the following questions:

• How can we demonstrate that our company is one people should do business with?
• How can we attract and retain the best talent?
• How do we get our company featured in news stories?

My answer for all three questions is the same: by building trust. And in today’s virtual world, I’ve found that the best platform for doing so is LinkedIn.

One of the most effective ways for brands to build trust with stakeholders – along with credibility in the eyes of reporters and journalists – is by having the C-suite enhance their  executive presence on LinkedIn. Why? Because the platform has over 875 million members, is a go-to for news sources, and provides a plethora of ways to communicate with your target audience (updates, articles, videos, newsletters, polls, podcasts, and more.)

My 6 “Bs” for Virtually Connecting with Your Audience on LinkedIn

Over the years, I’ve devised my 6 “Bs” for building a strong LinkedIn presence that cultivates confidence.

Be Authentic

First and foremost, you MUST be real. Take note that today’s stakeholders are savvy and can spot a fake. So, your communications need to be authentic if you want to be seen as credible. Show that you have a genuine interest in the challenges and concerns of your audience – in your tone, language, body language (if you’re on video), and the topics on which you focus. Demonstrate your personality and your empathy, whether that be in the form of text, voice, or both. Be supportive and well-intentioned – and whatever you do, don’t make statements that you cannot back up.

Be Relevant

Have a pulse on what matters to your audience. Listen to their concerns, take stock in their questions, share real stories. Check in with your customer service team to gain insights on what is trending in terms of complaints or FAQs. Find out what people are saying on social media – both your own accounts and those of your competitors. Take polls and surveys to glean more information.

Be Relatable

Tell stories where you can tie in your personal experience. People connect better when they find they have something in common with you as they feel you truly understand their circumstances. Stay away from industry terms and jargon; instead use layman’s language that your audience knows and will understand. Use imagery and examples to help explain your topic as these will catch the eye and be more memorable. 

Be Engaged

It’s important to engage with your audience. Respond to their comments and answer their questions. Speaking to them directly not only makes you relatable, these small interactions also help to build trust as well as provide valuable information to boost your marketing and PR efforts. I also recommend tagging colleagues and other influential people you respect to engage them in your communications as well. Doing so boosts visibility and expands the conversation.

Be Consistent

If you want to build trust, you need to consistently post on LinkedIn and stay true to your message and brand. Create high quality content that hits on pain points, provides solutions, and indicates that you are a thought leader that cares about your customers. Stay visible in feeds and on top of mind by posting 2 to 3 times per week, including Wednesday, the most highly trafficked day on the platform.. 

Be Responsive

Being consistent doesn’t mean not changing course when necessary. Be sure to review your analytics to see which content is generating the most interest and engagement. Use this information to create new content that will resonate even more with your audience. As I said before, speaking on what’s important to them will help you build trust.

Let’s connect and devise the best strategy for you and your company to build trust virtually on LinkedIn.