How to Grow and Monetize Your Linkedin with Zach Benson

0:02Who's ready to rock today, Fire Nation? JLD here and welcome to Entrepreneurs on Fire, brought Brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals with great shows like I Digress. Today, we'll be breaking down how to grow and monetize your LinkedIn. To drop these value bombs, I brought Zach Benson into EO Fire Studios. Zach is the founder of Assistagram and one of the best social media marketers in the world. He founded Assistagram to help empower hundreds of influencers such as Russell Brunson, Les Brown, and several Fortune 500 companies to cut through the noise and connect with their target audience organically.

0:37And today, our foundation will talk about LinkedIn, followers, engagement, growing your authority, promotional posts, and so much more. And a big thank you for sponsoring today's episode goes to Zach and our sponsors. Nudge, hosted by Phil Agnew, is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Ever notice how the smallest changes can have the biggest impact? On Nudge, you learn simple evidence-backed tips to help you kick bad habits, get a raise, and grow a business. Oh, and it's the UK's fast-growing business podcast. A recent episode on how to win any argument shares decade-long research into persuasion from a world-leading neuroscientist.

1:15Listen to Nudge wherever you get your podcasts. Zach, say what's up to Fire Nation and share something that you believe about becoming successful that most people disagree with. Hey, what's up, Fire Nation? I think a lot of people think that you have to read books to be successful. You know, I've read a lot of books in my life, but I have to say that travel has been one of my greatest teachers. So I travel, do in-person mastermind and lifestyle events and experiences, you know, really focusing on trying to build a network that has helped multiply my network. So that's what I would say. Well, I know you've traveled to Puerto Rico because I've hung out with you on this lovely island.

2:02and of course you've traveled many places around the world and Fire Nation. I hope that you are experiencing that as well. Other cultures, other experiences, you know, getting out of your comfort zone, being put in sometimes strange and uncomfortable situations that you now have to navigate can be very, very interesting. So we're talking about a specific topic today, which is how to grow and how to monetize your LinkedIn. So I want to talk and start first, Zach, with the two main challenges that most people face on LinkedIn. Take it away. These days, a lot of people don't know what to post on LinkedIn, right?

2:48So they struggle with content because, you know, everybody's like posting a lot of lifestyle and, you know, day on Facebook and Instagram. But when it comes to LinkedIn, people get kind of stuck. So the first thing that you have to remember is that, you know, social media, like all platforms, like people are coming to your profile and, you know, basically judging you in six seconds. So you have to first pique their interests in order for them to read their content. So you have to have good profile picture. You have to have a banner that shows social proof. And you have to basically tell people what you do in six seconds or less, like who you are and what you do, and who you help and who you serve.

3:40I want to talk specifically about the variance of posts that you believe that everybody should have. So let's start off with posts for the followers, posts for engagement. What does that look like? What's really working on LinkedIn is sharing more of your like personal stories like um to build trust and credibility and just as like a refreshing post like i do think it is good to talk about like like your pains and gains right something that you have struggled with a big mistake that you've made maybe a biggest like one of your biggest deals that you've lost you know and like a pain and gain something that happen to you and something that you learned from it and tying it back into your business.

4:29And I think when you're open and vulnerable, it builds that trust with people, which is what you're trying to do on social media to build a tribe that's going to like you and love you and buy from you. So Fire Nation, think about that, the personal stories, the funny moments in life, something that is trending right now, tips, advice, something that might be easy to implement for people. I mean, the goal of these posts is to attract more people to your profile, to actually know you. Let's dive into post to show and grow your authority. Talk about this. What I mean by this is it should include your processes, your workflow, business stories, You know, again, like lessons that you've learned.

5:19So the whole goal is to build that trust and like factor, because, you know, I think that a lot of people are kind of curious and interested to get a deeper look on like what's really happening in your business and like really like what you do day to day. and just like the hidden like secrets and tips and tricks that that you need to um to grow right so it's like basically you have to show a mix of different carousels now nowadays so always like start off with a really cool like thumbnail or like a picture of me like speaking on stage or I'm speaking and I'm with like you know a famous thought leader like maybe like you know uh gary v or uh it's like a russell brunson or you know grant cardone or someone that's like really well known um and i may be speaking at one of their events instantly boom it's like in within five seconds people know and like okay this guy's like the real deal he's on all these big stages he's speaking to thousands of people so you want to think of ways to show that social proof.

6:31Fire Nation, like Zach was saying, you want to show your followers that you know what you're talking about. You know, your processes, think about your workflow, your business stories, lessons you've learned over the years. I mean, the goal of these posts is to really build that trust and that like factor. So you gave a couple examples of some really big deals. I noticed you admitted this guy, John Lee Dumas that I've heard of, but that's okay. We'll pass that for now. Give us an example of maybe one of your clients that you've seen do this well, so we can actually see and understand and maybe feel what it looks like to do this in a real world example.

7:13I think it's okay to also do occasionally do promotional posts, like showing your case studies. This is where I took Russell Brunson, founder of ClickFunnels, for example. He's been with us for a few years. so I think that it's a perfect example of someone that's doing LinkedIn really well right now and you know showcasing like results and and yeah talking about those client stories like this is you know what happened in the past you know month six months a year two years and showing exactly like what you did how you did that and and yeah I think that's that's really important so So, you know, with the promotional posts, that's where it's really like a chance for you to sell your service, like whether it's an offer, a book, a course.

8:09So I would only like do maybe one or two promotional posts with the call to action, like once or twice a month. And every other post should be value driven. So Fire Nation, I hope you're starting to able to see like what this could look like on the beginning stages. We're going to talk about a couple more that are really important to go through as well when we get back from thinking our sponsors. Welcome to the world of entrepreneurship. More things added to your to-do list every day and less time to accomplish the things that matter most. Add to all that the number of tools it takes to run your coaching programs, online courses, growing team, and your physical product sales, and you've really got your hands full.

8:52Doing business has never felt harder. But what if there was a way to simplify everything, a way to manage your entire business with a single platform? Sounds like you'll need a miracle to make it happen, doesn't it? Well, I'm here to tell you that you don't need a miracle to hit your goals. You just need HubSpot. HubSpot's all-on-one customer platform can make growing your business infinitely easier. Imagine this. A platform that gives you high-quality leads, helps you close deals faster, and one that promotes customer loyalty and happiness. And if you're looking for record-breaking quarters, those are just ahead too.

9:26It's not a miracle, it's HubSpot. Visit HubSpot.com to get started today. There's a lot we think we can't do, but when it comes to protecting our loved ones, I'm willing to bet we do just about anything. Move mountains, climb valleys, you name it. But thankfully, there are ways that we can keep our loved ones safe even before having to use our superhuman strength to move mountains. How? With Ethos. Ethos is affordable life insurance that's quick, easy, and all online. There are no medical exams required. Just answer a few health questions for a quote and apply for coverage at ethoslife.com slash fire.

10:08With life insurance, you have peace of mind that if something happens to you, your loved ones will have the financial support they need. And without life insurance, well, that's something I don't even want to consider. And because Ethos offers customizable coverage, you can find coverage that fits your needs and budgets. Think of it as life insurance on your terms. Protect your family today. Get up to$2 million in term life insurance coverage in 10 minutes with Ethos. Answer just a few health questions and get your free quote at ethoslife.com slash fire. That's E-T-H-O-S life.com slash fire. Entrepreneurs on Fire is sponsored by BetterHelp.

10:51As entrepreneurs, the comparison game is real, and we've all experienced it to some degree, whether it's comparing your recent launch to someone else's or second-guessing your team set up because another business owner said having more employees is better, there's one truth. Comparison is the thief of joy. Not sure how to get out of the cycle of comparing your business to others? Well, therapy can help you focus on how you want to run your business versus how others say you should be doing it. Therapy can actually be helpful in a number of ways. It can help you learn positive coping skills, how to set boundaries, and help empower you to start being the best version of yourself.

11:25And all of these skills are so important when it comes to running a business. So if you're thinking about starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's convenient, flexible, and all online. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist. Stop comparing and start focusing with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash fire today to get 10 % off your first month. That's betterhelp, H-E-L-P.com slash fire. All right, Zach, we're back. And we talked about posts for your followers, getting engagement. We talked about posts to show and to grow your authority. Let's talk about promotional posts now.

12:05What does that look like? What does that mean? With promotional posts, you're kind of like tooting your own horn, right? It's like showcasing what you've done, your case studies, the results that you've gotten people. You really want to, like, get people to, you know, focus on results-based thinking, right? What you can actually do for them and how out of everybody else that's out there, why they should choose and work with you. So that's where you want to talk about all of your successes and client stories and how you took this person, you know, from here and to there, right? So basically being very transparent and vulnerable with what you did, how you did that, and how you can do that for them.

12:58So let's talk about the case studies that could possibly be there. Like, what have you seen that people have done well when it comes to that? For us, it's like we're showcasing, like, before and after results, like, on people's social media channels. so we're screenshotting like where they first um were when they started working with us and maybe that could be a couple hundred followers and then maybe we're show showing like uh two month results three months six month results like before and afters of you know their followers and follower count and how much it's grown um other people maybe it's uh screenshotting like they have a consulting business and a coaching business and they help.

13:46Yeah. So they're screenshotting like, you know, results and how much they've money that their clients have made by working with them and doing their consulting and coaching programs. So I think that stuff works really, really well because people get excited about growth and making money and everybody wants to grow. So I see those things working really well in social media. So Fire Nation, like Zach was just sharing, we're talking about case studies, we're talking about results, client stories, showing exactly what you did, how you did that, and that you can do the same thing for your potential clients.

14:23I mean, the goal here is to sell your service, sell your offer, sell your course, whatever that might be. Let's move on to engagements. And there's three categories of profiles. So break those down for us. I think nowadays, like LinkedIn's algorithm is there. It's like appreciating users who are engaging with other profiles, especially after you posted. So right now, like three categories. Number one is your followers, your active users. So basically what I'm talking about are LinkedIn engagement groups. Now, you might have heard about these before on like Instagram and other platforms. But it's getting other people that are following you, that are in your network, even outside of your network, to like and comment on your post as soon as you have posted.

15:18right and that kind of creates a ripple chain effect that when you get enough engagement in from accounts that have bigger followings than you it creates this viral effect and helps boost your posts and you get more eyeballs and you get more growth than your followers and second your icp right it's like people to know you and potentially see your offer number three your competitors um that have your target target audience so but basically you want to have engagement groups um running multiple times a day and we're seeing that when you post two to three times a day the more growth that you get and the more chances of viral you have so fire nation your followers your active users so you need to be thinking about these things you You need to be thinking about your ICP to know what you and who potentially is going to be seeing your offer.

16:22And then your competitors, you know, they have your target audience. Think about that. Now, one thing that I really want to focus on, Zach, is that if Fire Nation just wanted to start doing something, what would you recommend would be a good place for them to start doing the right things via LinkedIn? him the first thing that you got to do is you got to model success so you got to go and kind of research the people that you like trust admire look up to and see what they're doing on LinkedIn I mean I gave a perfect example like you know Russell Brunson right now I mean he's crushing LinkedIn so I would go look at his profile and see what he's doing and what we're doing on on his account and kind of like you know duplicate it and put his like doing what he's doing and make adding your own style to it and telling your personal stories and just start posting because I think a lot of people are afraid about about LinkedIn because they're like okay it's just business network and I don't know like people get scared about LinkedIn like it's harder to post on LinkedIn I think for most people than it is to post on like Facebook or Instagram but you know You just got to get over that fear and just put something out there and create engagement groups with your circle of friends and start to see some results.

17:47Yeah, and I think that was an important thing to start off with is to share that, hey, these should be personal stories, funny moments, something that's trending now in your life. Like, Fire Nation, it can be about you. I think to Zach's point, a lot of people think it's like this scary corporate business platform, but it's really not. There's a lot of ways to peel this onion. And Zach, if Fire Nation wants to learn more from you, about you, what is our best way to do so? What is your call to action for Fire Nation today? We'd love to connect with you guys. If you have any questions about LinkedIn, Instagram, social media growth and monetization, you can go to our website, Sistergram, and we can do everything for you.

18:32or feel free to reach out to me on Instagram or LinkedIn as well. Happy to send you guys, you know, additional like free resources to help you guys get started and help you guys grow and crush social media. So my Instagram is Zach Vacay and my name is Zach Benson. So Fire Nation, you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You've been hanging out with ZB and JLD today. So keep up the heat. and for links to everything we talked about, visit eofire.com. Just type Zach, Z-A-C-H in the search bar. The show notes page will pop right up. And Zach, one more time, what was that call to action?

19:11Go to assistagram.com. That's my agency website. So happy to help you guys if you guys want it totally done for you service and we can do everything to help you grow, monetize social media. ZachVacay is my Instagram and feel free to reach out to me, DM me. We'd love to connect and share some additional resources for you guys, free resources to help you crush social media. Zach, thank you for sharing your truth, your knowledge, your value with Fire Nation. For that, we salute your brother and we'll catch you on the flip side. Hey, Fire Nation, a huge thank you to our sponsors and Zach for sponsoring today's episode.

19:47And Fire Nation, successful entrepreneurs are great at three things, productivity, discipline, focus. That is why I created the Mastery Journal so that you can master these three things in 100 days, step by step. visit themasteryjournal.com. I'll catch you there or on the flip side. Nudge, hosted by Phil Agnew, is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Ever notice how the smallest changes can have the biggest impact? On Nudge, you learn simple evidence-backed tips to help you kick bad habits, get a raise, and grow a business. Oh, and it's the UK's Fast-Growing Business Podcast.

20:22A recent episode on how to win any argument shares decade-long research into persuasion from a world-leading neuroscientist. Listen to Nudge wherever you get your podcasts.