I know your secret.
You’re trying to fake it until you make it on LinkedIn. I want to talk about the true cost of that.
This week, in two separate strategy sessions, I asked marketers what they wanted to achieve by working with me. Both gave me the same answer. Confidence.
That stopped me in my tracks.
Because the marketers I work with are smart. Experienced. Commercial. Strategic thinkers. But when it comes to LinkedIn, nobody ever taught them.
They’ve been left to figure it out as they go.
This article is inspired by the recent episode of the Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast hosted by Michelle J Raymond, which discusses this topic in more detail.
You Were Expected to “Just Know”
I tend to see two types of B2B marketers.
At one end, fresh grads are thrown into the deep end and expected to “just know” LinkedIn because they grew up with social media. At the other end, senior marketing managers have led campaigns for years but never had to do the hands-on LinkedIn work themselves. Now they’re in teams of one, and it’s all on them.
Both are expected to master AI, organic, paid, employee advocacy, analytics, reporting and events. All while LinkedIn keeps evolving.
I’m trying to keep up with the changes on LinkedIn alone, and as a specialist, they’re difficult to keep up with. If you’re juggling everything, hats off to you.
The issue isn’t capability. It’s capacity and clarity.
The Real Cost Isn’t Embarrassment. It’s Momentum.
When marketers tell me they want confidence, what they really mean is this. They want to know that the activities they’re undertaking are the right ones and that they’re not wasting time, effort, or budget.
You don’t know, what you don’t know.
Yes, you can ask ChatGPT to write you a LinkedIn strategy. It will happily generate one. But how do you critically assess whether that advice is current, realistic and right for your business model, industry and resources?
I’ve seen very flashy 70-page LinkedIn strategies,and I just look at them and think, you haven’t got a hope in hell of ever putting that into place.
Not because you’re not smart. But because if you start in the wrong place and undertake activities that don’t generate results, you’ll give up too quickly.
That’s the real cost of faking it. Not embarrassment. Momentum.
Generic Advice Isn’t a Strategy
I love that you listen to the podcast and implement the actionable tips. That tells me you care.
But generic advice doesn’t factor in whether that action is right for you, right now. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy.
Should you focus more on your Company Page or on your personal profiles? Is the work you’re doing enough or too much? Are you measuring the right metrics? Have you properly integrated the Power of Two?
Or are you just posting and hoping?
LinkedIn rewards clarity, and clarity rarely comes from guessing.
Yes, I Have a Vested Interest
I have a vested interest in your understanding of the power of a sound LinkedIn strategy. That’s exactly the service I offer.
But you have just as much at stake.
Your time matters. Your credibility inside the business matters. Being able to answer, hand on heart, when someone asks, “Is that LinkedIn thing working?” matters.
I want you to feel confident that, when you are on LinkedIn, you know exactly what you’re doing and why.
That level of clarity changes everything.
Final Thoughts
Fake it till you make it might work when you’re learning to public speak or stepping into a new leadership role. LinkedIn is different.
This is about strategy. This is about confidence. This is about making sure the effort you’re putting in is actually moving the business forward.
If you’ve been nodding along while reading this, maybe it’s time to stop guessing. Put your hand up. Ask for support. Invest in getting it right.
When you have clarity, LinkedIn no longer feels overwhelming and instead feels intentional.
Book a time here to discover how we can help your B2B grow – https://calendly.com/michelle-j-raymond/book-an-intro-call-15mins
Cheers
Michelle J Raymond
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