November 18, 2025 • 27 mins
Today, we dive into the world of LinkedIn with Al Kushner, a seasoned expert who knows how to harness the platform for professional growth. Al emphasizes that optimizing your LinkedIn profile is crucial for making impactful connections—after all, first impressions matter! We discuss practical strategies like using AI tools to enhance your profile, the importance of posting engaging content, and tips for navigating the ever-changing LinkedIn algorithm. Al also shares insights on how to effectively reach out to others without coming off as spammy, because nobody likes a pitch slap! Join us as we explore how to elevate your LinkedIn game and create a meaningful professional presence.
Connecting with professionals on LinkedIn is no longer just about sending out invites and hoping for the best; it’s about crafting a strong personal brand that stands out. In this episode, we dive deep into the world of LinkedIn with Al Kushner, a seasoned LinkedIn expert. Al shares his journey on how he became a go-to resource for professionals wanting to enhance their presence on the platform. With over 900 million users, LinkedIn has become a vital tool for networking and business growth, especially since Microsoft took the reins. Al emphasizes the importance of a well-optimized profile, likening it to a digital storefront that can either attract or repel potential connections. He discusses practical steps like using AI tools to find the right keywords and creating engaging content that resonates with your audience.
Throughout our conversation, we explore significant themes such as the integration of AI in LinkedIn strategies. Al introduces listeners to his innovative approach of blending AI with LinkedIn practices, highlighting how this can enhance outreach and engagement. He also shares five essential tips for using LinkedIn effectively, emphasizing the need for a professional profile picture, an engaging background image, and the importance of sharing insightful content. The episode is packed with actionable insights that can help anyone from beginners to seasoned professionals maximize their LinkedIn experience and create meaningful connections.
As we wrap up, we touch upon the common pitfalls that users fall into, such as treating LinkedIn like Facebook and focusing solely on self-promotion. Al reminds us that authenticity and value-driven content are the keys to standing out in the competitive landscape of LinkedIn. Listen in to discover how simple changes to your LinkedIn strategy can lead to greater visibility and success in your professional endeavors.
Takeaways:
- In this episode, we discuss the importance of optimizing your LinkedIn profile to make a strong first impression, as it can greatly influence your success.
- We explore how integrating AI with LinkedIn can enhance your outreach and content creation, making it easier to connect with others.
- Al shares tips on posting videos to boost engagement on LinkedIn, emphasizing that video content gets more attention than text posts.
- We talk about the significance of genuine connections over spammy pitches on LinkedIn, stressing that authenticity is key to building meaningful relationships.
- Al gives insights on the best times to post on LinkedIn for maximum visibility, suggesting midweek mornings as ideal for reaching audiences.
- The episode highlights the value of creating newsletters and educational content to establish authority and provide resources for your network.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this...
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:41):
Well, hello everybody andwelcome to an amazing episode of
Leap to Lead where we helpelevate your connections, increase
your courage and creategreater impact.
I am your host, JacquelineStrominger, and today I have the
absolute pleasure of having onas a guest Al Kushner.
(01:02):
Now let me tell you a littlebit about.
Alright, so al is a LinkedInexpert dedicated to empowering professionals
and businesses to excel.
Drawing on his extensiveexperience and innovative strategies,
Al helps individuals at alllevels amplify their brand, build
authentic connections andachieve measurable success.
(01:24):
His practical, practicalinsights make LinkedIn a powerful
tool for driving growth andenhancing professional impact.
And we are all about helpingour leaders and, and our professionals
create greater impact.
So welcome to the podcast.
Al, how are you?
Thank you, Jacqueline.
Thanks for the opportunity.
Yeah, it's my pleasure.
So let's kind of like figurethis out.
(01:47):
How did you get into usingLinkedIn so much and becoming an
expert?
Well, I've been on a platformfor over two decades, so I would
say that since the inceptionit was just part of my strategy to
use for outreach.
You know, it's awesome socialmedia platform and ever since Microsoft
(02:07):
took over, it's reallyexpanded tremendously.
I think there's over 900million users or a billion, I guess
it's pretty, pretty, you know,impressive, you would say, compared
to other platforms.
And it's all about businessesand reaching out to people who are,
you know, my clientele, Iwould say entrepreneurs and people,
(02:30):
professionals.
And I'm excited to know, havea book that could help meld both
AI and LinkedIn together.
And that's the first of kind.
So I think that's rather unique.
That is, that is rather unique.
And so, you know, obviouslymelding AI in with LinkedIn, you
know, some people think AIjust came out like last year, but
(02:53):
it's actually been aroundquite a lot longer.
So how long have you beenactually using AI?
Well, I would say for the pastcouple of years.
And it's really developedsince its inception and the tools
and the software has beenincredible and changing.
So I really embraced it andreally made a difference in my outreach
(03:15):
and my ability to create content.
That was incredible and I'mreally grateful to be, I would say
in this time period to takeadvantage of it, you might say.
All right, so do you have afavorite platform that you use for
AI?
Well, there are several.
What comes to mind of courseis ChatGPT, as you know, which is
a very popular platform.
(03:36):
I also like to use Grammarly afew others.
I have a whole resources in mybook talking about that, but I think
that's a good starting pointfor most people is to kind of get
familiar with it and, and seehow they're comfortable with using
this technology.
Right.
It's true.
So when you're thinking aboutlike beginner or the novice, intermediate,
(03:58):
advanced, is there oneplatform that you would say like
if you've been using it, thatyou're more advanced, like this is
a better one, you know, orversus like ChatGPT which I feel
like everybody knows.
Yeah, well, there are variousplatforms out there.
I've been, I've been usingChat GPT which is, you know, always
changing and evolving, youknow, which is why it wasn't like
(04:19):
what is originally last year.
So it really has become verycompetitive compared to the other
types of platforms, you know,where you can create things like
images, you know, for products.
I mean that's incredible.
You know, come up with a bookjacket, you know, it's really something
that has not been done before.
So I think it really issomething worth considering, you
(04:42):
know, as the main mainstay.
Right.
So you know, being a LinkedInexpert and using it, you know, I'd
love to hear, you know, youknow, and I mean I know our listeners
would love this is that howdo, how you know, if you could give
somebody like just five tipson using LinkedIn for leadership.
(05:03):
Very simple focus in onoptimizing a profile because the
fact is, is that you don't geta second chance to make a first impression
and whoever you're going tohave any outreach, they're going
to look at your profile and ifit's not optimized, I mean you really
just going to, going to fall flat.
And using AI, it will helpfind for example keywords to use
(05:24):
in your title that are SEOoptimized so you can be found by
people who may be interestedin your services.
Have a professional headshottaken that represents who you are,
have it recent, within thepast six months I think is a good
idea.
I would also focus in on thebackground as well because it also
conveys some of the thingsthat you want to share with people
(05:45):
who are connecting with.
And, and so that's just thetop, top things that come to mind
right there.
A lot more of course, but.
And so as a leader, you know,you know, some people talk about,
you know, being able to use itobviously beyond obviously just searching
(06:10):
for a job and obviously theywant to connect.
But how do you help people useit with that?
That's not spammy.
Well, it's again goes back toyour profile itself.
And that really is going tomake a difference.
I mean, if you're someonethat, you know, has a profile that's,
you know, contenting, salesand marketing, sometimes that could
(06:33):
also become, you know, it'swhat the person can expect if they're
going to connect with you, youknow, they're going to be sold, they're
going to be pitch slapped, asthey say.
And that's not, you don't wantto do that.
All right?
So you really have to reallyhave a profile that really, as being
an educator and a thoughtleader, which includes articles that
you've written, includes anynewsletters you've created, perhaps
(06:55):
videos that are educational.
Should it be all part of yourprofile before you do any type of
outreach?
Because that's going to make a difference.
And if you do, once you'vecompleted that and do decide to do
outreach, I would recommendfollowing the individuals that you
want to connect with first,you know, and if they post, you'll
be alerted when they'reposting and reply to that post, you
(07:17):
know, with some comments thatgive meaning to it.
Right, And I think that'sactually a huge point, you know,
is obviously commenting andgiving meaning, you know, So I guess
one of the things that Ithink, I think a lot of people would
love to know about too is thealgorithm basically of, you know,
how it all works really withLinkedIn, you know, we all think
(07:40):
about how the.
They're always changing, right?
So what are your top 10 or topfive things that you could say to
somebody to help them get thealgorithms to work better for them?
Well, off the top of my mindcomes video.
If you are posting videos, youare definitely getting some love
from the algorithm.
And ideally the videos shouldbe anywhere from 60 to 90 seconds.
(08:04):
And if you create the videosand post on a regular basis, you'll
find you get a lot more views,a lot more interest and set yourself
apart really from thecompetition, which is most of them
are just doing text post.
So you really are making a difference.
If you do post videos and.
Sorry, so posting videos, what else?
(08:26):
Oh, well, follow influencers,for example, and when you do do that,
you'll be notified when theydo post.
And then if you can reply tothose influences within the first
10 or 15 minutes, dependinghow popular they are, and you post
first, you'll most likely getthe advantage of the people who are
(08:47):
just responding to the postlater on, but your post will be on
the top, so people will seethat first.
The key thing is when you'reposting is that reply other than
thanks for Sharing, you wantto be a little more descriptive.
So a lot of times you can useAI technology to take advantage of
the post.
Copy and paste a post into,let's say chatgpt, and come up with
(09:09):
a favorable response thatamplifies that influencer's mess.
That's really going to make a difference.
It's going to be informative,maybe ask a question or two.
These are things that aregoing to help get the algorithm to
make that post possibly viral.
What's even better is that theinfluencer may decide to recognize
(09:30):
you and say, well, maybe I'llaccept that invitation after all.
That's something that's goingto make a difference.
So define to me what it meansto be an influencer on LinkedIn.
Like what's the characteristics?
Like how many followers, howmany, you know, what's the number?
Well, obviously any numberthat has six digits in it you're
(09:54):
gonna find obviously to beimpressive to say the least.
And, or a million would beobviously ideal examples of influencers.
You could look at Kawasakiperhaps and Gary Vonicek.
I mean, just examples.
These are individuals thathave taken advantage of the platform
(10:18):
and increased their amount offollowers tremendously over the years.
So certainly when they dopost, it gets noticed.
That's an example of an influencer.
So you said you've obviouslybeen using the platform for a long
time.
Have you done, you know, haveyou looked at other platforms that
(10:40):
you know that are similar inbusiness or.
There, there's another coupleof them that.
And we just decided to stay on LinkedIn.
I just decided to stick towhat I know best.
I mean, the fact is, is thatif you're going to go business to
business, there is no otherplatform out there, simply put, that
has the range, the ability,the amount of people on there is
(11:02):
just impressive.
Plus Microsoft, I mean, it's,you know, they're running the show,
it's, it's a fairly large company.
So they are really good atwhat and in creating, creating, you
know, a platform that reallydoes a great outreach.
So it does, it actually reallydoes a great outreach.
So talk to me.
How do you work with yourclients and what, you know, what,
(11:25):
what do most people come toyou for?
Well, first thing, a lot ofthem, I do one on one optimizer profile.
We look for select keywords,we look for ideas to create newsletters,
to create content, toestablish themselves.
As a thought leader, I reallywork hard on getting a profile optimized
in a way that whoever decidesto connect will accept a connection
(11:49):
based on the informationthat's in the profile because that
really makes a difference andsome people really take it for granted.
But just for example, ifyou're using the connect with someone
and you have very fewtestimonials, if any at all, that
really is really a difference.
Or if you do have it, it'sover 10 years old.
I mean, it's not current, youknow, so people want to have current
(12:11):
and people that maybe they'refamiliar with and they can connect
with someone that can vouchfor you, you know, it's a third party
to us and simply put, which is great.
So that's the first thing Ifocus it on.
Once I've done that, then I'dlook at strategies for outreach.
So we look at ideas forcreating newsletters, running scripts
or videos, for example,focusing on influencers and the best
(12:36):
time to catch them when they post.
Those are examples wherebythey can maximize their exposure
and gain a lot of followersand tractions that way.
Just off the top.
Right.
And so speaking of posting, isthere a better time to post?
Yeah, ideally I would sayTuesdays through Thursdays in the
morning between 8 and 10 is agood time.
(13:00):
I believe Wednesday afternoonas well.
12 and 2 seems to be kind of asweet spot for a lot of people.
Yeah.
And weekends not so much moreof a drop off.
But those are kind of likeideal times to maximize exposure.
I found.
Yeah, interesting.
You know what I find becauseI, I do a newsletter on LinkedIn
and I usually send mine outTuesday or Wednesday because I always
(13:23):
feel like Monday it's likeeveryone's getting flooded.
Yeah, everybody is gettingflooded and I would say by Tuesday
to kind of get settled in andgetting a groove on.
So that's an opportune time toreach out and that really makes a
difference.
I seen, I've seen the viewshave been incredible.
So talk to me a little bitabout using, you know, because LinkedIn
(13:45):
has some, you know,enhancements or advancements things
and so one of those isobviously Sales Navigator.
So talk to me about like thepros and cons of like, you know,
reaching out to people viaSales Navigator versus regular.
I, you know, I mean assomebody who's been obviously on
it for so long, I'm sure youcould have some good tips about the
two.
Well, obviously it's a paidpremium version of that.
(14:08):
I believe it's about $100 amonth though.
If you pay for the year, theygive you discounts.
One of the things I like aboutSales Navigator is the ability to
find out who's looked at your profile.
So that's certainly anadvantage right there.
So it gives you the ability toreach out to that individual, not
necessarily connect with them,but, you know, send a message to
them and say, what made youstop by my profile?
(14:32):
And.
Or, thanks for stopping by.
And sometimes it could be, youknow, whatever reasons.
You know, some you're a friendwith someone or what have you, but
it's a good way to kind ofconnect with someone.
And also, what's great aboutNavigator is that it allows you to
find out who has been on active.
Who's been active on LinkedInfor the least past 30 days, because
a lot of people, for example,are not active at all.
And when you do an outreach,sometimes you don't hear back from
(14:54):
people for months, if at all.
And that also hurts you aswell, because when you do an outreach
and the person doesn't reply,the algorithm looks at it as a possible
spammer.
So that also helps different.
In addition, for example, youhave a billboard on your profile,
and with the Sales Navigator,it actually provides up to five billboards
(15:17):
which rotate in the background.
So you can use that fordifferent aspects of your business.
You can focus on marketing.
Maybe another one could be anemail optimization.
I mean, there are ways you cankind of like designate like, like
a billboard, but it changes,which is great.
So it really makes it moreprofessional looking.
(15:37):
Right.
Someone just said to me theother day that you could actually
now put a QR code.
Well, yeah, you can.
Well, you can create a QR coderight now for your profile.
A lot of times when you donetwork events, for example, I'll
wear a badge with my QR codeon there.
So people, instead of giving abusiness card, just snap my QR code
(15:58):
and goes right directly to theLinkedIn profile.
Which is great because itreally gives you a lot more than
just a business card.
It gives you certainly anadvantage when connecting with someone,
especially when they see yourprofile is professionally optimized.
You see, you gotrecommendations, they see articles.
It really is a great feature.
(16:18):
Right.
So talk to me a little bitabout the book and what, what got
you started on writing it.
And.
I looked out in the marketplace.
I found that all the books onLinkedIn were either dated or really
didn't address the issues of AI.
And I said, well, why don't Icreate a book that does both?
So that was the opportunity.
I jumped at the chance.
(16:39):
And I'm sure there'll be otherbooks following this, but I'm first
in, which is great.
So taking advantage of it was awesome.
And the fact is that it's sucha useful tool having AI technology
available that it just really,anyone who gets this will get so
much value from that becausethere's nothing really available
that really delves into both,both types of platforms.
(17:02):
So also being on the platformfor so long, you know, you probably
have some like, pet peeves andhow people do.
How people quote, unquote, LinkedIn.
Oh, yeah, sure.
I mean, when people post, theykind of treat it like Facebook, for
example.
They'll like showcase whatthey've eaten or what they talked
about, you know, all thisnarcissistic posting, which is just
(17:26):
ridiculous.
Or they're posting an ad,which is, should be, not really.
It should be an advertisinglike LinkedIn, but they're using
their posting as an ad andthat's really not ideal for that
platform itself.
So those are just the top thatcome to mind right off the bat.
Then of course, when I seetheir profiles and I see how they
haven't maybe filled it out oreven bothered to deal with it at
(17:48):
all, you know, so.
And anyone who reaches out tome as soon as I receive that invite,
I go immediately to theprofile and if it's not, you know,
it's not up to my standards,forget it, I will not accept it.
Right.
You gotta be selective, right?
Well, you do have to beselective, actually, because, you
know, I think that's one ofthe issues that I also see with LinkedIn
(18:10):
and what you just saidactually before also about what somebody,
what they have in their profile.
You know, somebody says, youknow, if their message is, is, it's,
you know, if on their messageit's, or on their, underneath their,
on their profile page, it'svery sales oriented.
I'm like, oh, that's going tobe a sales pitch.
(18:31):
Oh, that's going to be a sales pitch.
And I, and I usually like,nope, decline, nope, decline, nope,
decline.
And unless somebody actuallyreaches out to me authentically,
but then I still look at theirprofile and, and I say, you know,
this is just a slowintroduction on a way for you to
pitch me versus really justtrying to connect on an authentic
(18:52):
level.
Yeah, there might be somebusiness happen, but get to know
them.
Like there's a reason behind it.
A lot of times you can alsosend a message when you do reach
out to someone, maybe aparagraph, you can do up to 300 characters,
I believe, and try to indicateas much as you can that you just
want to do an outreach forsuch and such reasons.
One person sent me the otherday that they're reaching out to
(19:14):
me because they're asking,asking me if I needed a housekeeper.
I mean, seriously.
I mean, exactly.
They're family, a family business.
Wonder if you need a housekeeper.
Like, okay, block, you know,so this is just something that you
do.
So when I do an outreach, ifit's a second connection and usually
they know some people that Iknow, sometimes I won't necessarily
(19:36):
do that, but if I'm, let'ssay, going after a potential podcaster,
then I would reach out tothem, indicate that, hey, you know,
I've listened to your podcastand I'd love to be, you know, you
know, a guest on your show.
Looking for the opportunityand you know, just be honest about
it and be authentic andsincere is something that's going
to win people over right now.
(19:59):
That's.
And I think sincerity and isreally important versus just trying
to sell somebody something isreally important, is it's really,
really key.
You know, if you're, you know,one of the things that we really
try to do here is try to helpcreate people, Help people create
a greater impact.
So, you know, thinking aboutLinkedIn and obviously creating that
(20:23):
authority and being, andhaving that voice, let's say somebody
doesn't have like therecommendations, what are some of
the ways that they can theyreally get that, that true voice
and authenticity, you know, anauthority out there.
Very simple.
Create content that peoplewant to read.
You know, create a newsletter.
In fact, in LinkedIn, you cando up to five newsletters.
(20:45):
So take advantage of all fiveopportunities available and, you
know, niche that area.
I have a newsletters, forexample, for financial planners,
one for accountants, one for attorneys.
We even want for meetingplanners, you know, and how to, you
know, use LinkedIn more effectively.
And that seems to be very wellreceived, you know, when I send it
out.
So I think that's important tonote is give value to whoever you're
(21:08):
connecting with.
Sometimes, for example, I'llshare an ebook that I created that
just really helps them, let'ssay, optimize their profile.
In fact, on my website,linkedvantage.com, those who listen
can actually access a freeebook on profile optimization for
LinkedIn.
So they can go ahead and do that.
And I think that's very helpful.
And there is nothing salesy about.
(21:30):
It's just informationeducation, you know, be a resource.
That's really what you want todo, right?
Be that resource for people,which is so important.
And so when you're thinkingabout creating that impact also,
you know, creating thecontent, how often should people
be posting on LinkedIn?
(21:50):
Well, I would say A minimum ofonce a week.
I would say if you're doingnewsletters at least once a week,
you know, you don't want to bemore than that.
But it depends.
I post once a week and I alsodo videos three times a week.
So when I post that intogroups that I'm associated with.
And groups are something thata lot of people don't really think
that it's worthwhile, but Ibelieve it is because there are a
(22:15):
lot of groups that may haveyour clients and sometimes people
will accept your invitationbecause you're part of a group.
So ignore groups.
They're really quite good.
And ideally go for the mostsizable groups available that you
can find.
You know, groups of at least 5or 10,000 minimum or a hundred thousand
more.
It'd be a good, good, goodstarting point, I would say.
(22:37):
Right, right.
And so let's talk about itfrom the standpoint of a company.
You know, so a company has aprofile out there.
Is it, is it?
You know, obviously they wantto attract more people to their profile.
What are your, the top tipsfor a company to promote to get their
page out there?
(22:57):
Well, again, they have acompany page.
You would focus in on thingsthat of interest to people who may
want to use their services.
You can be examples of case studies.
You can also create anewsletter as well.
The idea behind it is that youjust want to share information that
(23:19):
is kind of company related,not necessarily from a personal standpoint.
So it could be any type ofawards that were won or other things,
attributes, volunteer workthat they've done, which is always
considered very favorable.
I would say work which isalways good.
So these are just types of things.
(23:39):
And again, they can also postonce a week just to really kind of
share information that's ofvalue and just focus on not really
advertising the services, butbe of service to people is what I.
So you, you shared, you said,you know, you do your newsletter
once a week and then you dovideos three times a week.
Are you also doing static content?
(24:01):
Well, I find for the most partthe algorithm likes videos and that
really make a difference.
The static is mostly for thenewsletters because you can't really
put news.
So that's the idea of yougoing to set yourself in the competition,
create a video, ideallybetween 60 to 90 seconds maximum.
All right.
And just upload it to, let'ssay for example, the groups that
(24:24):
you're part of.
And you'll find you'll get alot more traction that way.
Followers, people interested,and you'll develop thought leadership
a lot Quicker.
Interesting.
You know, I find thiscompletely fascinating.
So, you know, so Al, so tellus where people can connect with
you.
I will obviously put the linkto your book in the show notes, but
(24:44):
what's the best way to peopleto connect with you?
Because I honestly, people,you know, listeners, maximizing your
profile on LinkedIn is huge.
I, I cannot, I, I cannotstress this enough that it is absolutely
so important.
And I share this because Iknow, you know, in one of our networking
(25:05):
hubs, we were talking theother day and I asked people to take
a look at their LinkedInprofile and some people have not
updated it for years.
And I'm just like, guys, yougotta be on this.
Yeah, well that's, that's whatyou come across unfortunately.
And you know, you can lead ahorse to water, you can't make them
drink and.
Right.
It's really the issue.
So.
(25:25):
But for those who want to makea difference, become a thought leader.
You really got to start prettymuch having your house in order and
that's the first thing isoptimize your profile.
So whoever you do an outreachis going to accept your connection
and that really makes a difference.
The book will help peopleunderstand the reasons behind, behind
it, how AI technology can helpcreate content, create information
(25:47):
in your profile that normallyyou would spend hours on.
It takes minutes to reallycome up something that's really impactful.
So I think that's a good wayto do that.
So, yeah, go to my website,linkedvantage.com or reach out to
me on LinkedIn.
Of course.
And if you do reach out, don'tpitch slap me.
(26:07):
Guys.
Hear that.
Reach out and purposelythoughtfully connect.
Don't pitch, don't pitch slap.
I love that.
We all hate that.
So, so listeners, please do methe favor and please reach out and
connect with Al and thenplease also do me the favor of hitting
subscribe and sharing thiswith your friends and colleagues.
Because honestly, I trulybelieve if we can have people using
(26:30):
LinkedIn better and not pitchslapping people, I think it'll all
be a happier place.
Absolutely.
So thank you, Al, for being agreat guest.
I'm Jacqueline Strominger,your host of Leap to Lead and thank
you all for listening.
Thank you.
Well, hello everybody andwelcome to an amazing episode of
Leap to Lead where we helpelevate your connections, increase
your courage and creategreater impact.
I am your host, JacquelineStrominger, and today I have the
absolute pleasure of having onas a guest Al Kushner.
(01:02):
Now let me tell you a littlebit about.
Alright, so al is a LinkedInexpert dedicated to empowering professionals
and businesses to excel.
Drawing on his extensiveexperience and innovative strategies,
Al helps individuals at alllevels amplify their brand, build
authentic connections andachieve measurable success.
(01:24):
His practical, practicalinsights make LinkedIn a powerful
tool for driving growth andenhancing professional impact.
And we are all about helpingour leaders and, and our professionals
create greater impact.
So welcome to the podcast.
Al, how are you?
Thank you, Jacqueline.
Thanks for the opportunity.
Yeah, it's my pleasure.
So let's kind of like figurethis out.
(01:47):
How did you get into usingLinkedIn so much and becoming an
expert?
Well, I've been on a platformfor over two decades, so I would
say that since the inceptionit was just part of my strategy to
use for outreach.
You know, it's awesome socialmedia platform and ever since Microsoft
(02:07):
took over, it's reallyexpanded tremendously.
I think there's over 900million users or a billion, I guess
it's pretty, pretty, you know,impressive, you would say, compared
to other platforms.
And it's all about businessesand reaching out to people who are,
you know, my clientele, Iwould say entrepreneurs and people,
(02:30):
professionals.
And I'm excited to know, havea book that could help meld both
AI and LinkedIn together.
And that's the first of kind.
So I think that's rather unique.
That is, that is rather unique.
And so, you know, obviouslymelding AI in with LinkedIn, you
know, some people think AIjust came out like last year, but
(02:53):
it's actually been aroundquite a lot longer.
So how long have you beenactually using AI?
Well, I would say for the pastcouple of years.
And it's really developedsince its inception and the tools
and the software has beenincredible and changing.
So I really embraced it andreally made a difference in my outreach
(03:15):
and my ability to create content.
That was incredible and I'mreally grateful to be, I would say
in this time period to takeadvantage of it, you might say.
All right, so do you have afavorite platform that you use for
AI?
Well, there are several.
What comes to mind of courseis ChatGPT, as you know, which is
a very popular platform.
(03:36):
I also like to use Grammarly afew others.
I have a whole resources in mybook talking about that, but I think
that's a good starting pointfor most people is to kind of get
familiar with it and, and seehow they're comfortable with using
this technology.
Right.
It's true.
So when you're thinking aboutlike beginner or the novice, intermediate,
(03:58):
advanced, is there oneplatform that you would say like
if you've been using it, thatyou're more advanced, like this is
a better one, you know, orversus like ChatGPT which I feel
like everybody knows.
Yeah, well, there are variousplatforms out there.
I've been, I've been usingChat GPT which is, you know, always
changing and evolving, youknow, which is why it wasn't like
(04:19):
what is originally last year.
So it really has become verycompetitive compared to the other
types of platforms, you know,where you can create things like
images, you know, for products.
I mean that's incredible.
You know, come up with a bookjacket, you know, it's really something
that has not been done before.
So I think it really issomething worth considering, you
(04:42):
know, as the main mainstay.
Right.
So you know, being a LinkedInexpert and using it, you know, I'd
love to hear, you know, youknow, and I mean I know our listeners
would love this is that howdo, how you know, if you could give
somebody like just five tipson using LinkedIn for leadership.
(05:03):
Very simple focus in onoptimizing a profile because the
fact is, is that you don't geta second chance to make a first impression
and whoever you're going tohave any outreach, they're going
to look at your profile and ifit's not optimized, I mean you really
just going to, going to fall flat.
And using AI, it will helpfind for example keywords to use
(05:24):
in your title that are SEOoptimized so you can be found by
people who may be interestedin your services.
Have a professional headshottaken that represents who you are,
have it recent, within thepast six months I think is a good
idea.
I would also focus in on thebackground as well because it also
conveys some of the thingsthat you want to share with people
(05:45):
who are connecting with.
And, and so that's just thetop, top things that come to mind
right there.
A lot more of course, but.
And so as a leader, you know,you know, some people talk about,
you know, being able to use itobviously beyond obviously just searching
(06:10):
for a job and obviously theywant to connect.
But how do you help people useit with that?
That's not spammy.
Well, it's again goes back toyour profile itself.
And that really is going tomake a difference.
I mean, if you're someonethat, you know, has a profile that's,
you know, contenting, salesand marketing, sometimes that could
(06:33):
also become, you know, it'swhat the person can expect if they're
going to connect with you, youknow, they're going to be sold, they're
going to be pitch slapped, asthey say.
And that's not, you don't wantto do that.
All right?
So you really have to reallyhave a profile that really, as being
an educator and a thoughtleader, which includes articles that
you've written, includes anynewsletters you've created, perhaps
(06:55):
videos that are educational.
Should it be all part of yourprofile before you do any type of
outreach?
Because that's going to make a difference.
And if you do, once you'vecompleted that and do decide to do
outreach, I would recommendfollowing the individuals that you
want to connect with first,you know, and if they post, you'll
be alerted when they'reposting and reply to that post, you
(07:17):
know, with some comments thatgive meaning to it.
Right, And I think that'sactually a huge point, you know,
is obviously commenting andgiving meaning, you know, So I guess
one of the things that Ithink, I think a lot of people would
love to know about too is thealgorithm basically of, you know,
how it all works really withLinkedIn, you know, we all think
(07:40):
about how the.
They're always changing, right?
So what are your top 10 or topfive things that you could say to
somebody to help them get thealgorithms to work better for them?
Well, off the top of my mindcomes video.
If you are posting videos, youare definitely getting some love
from the algorithm.
And ideally the videos shouldbe anywhere from 60 to 90 seconds.
(08:04):
And if you create the videosand post on a regular basis, you'll
find you get a lot more views,a lot more interest and set yourself
apart really from thecompetition, which is most of them
are just doing text post.
So you really are making a difference.
If you do post videos and.
Sorry, so posting videos, what else?
(08:26):
Oh, well, follow influencers,for example, and when you do do that,
you'll be notified when theydo post.
And then if you can reply tothose influences within the first
10 or 15 minutes, dependinghow popular they are, and you post
first, you'll most likely getthe advantage of the people who are
(08:47):
just responding to the postlater on, but your post will be on
the top, so people will seethat first.
The key thing is when you'reposting is that reply other than
thanks for Sharing, you wantto be a little more descriptive.
So a lot of times you can useAI technology to take advantage of
the post.
Copy and paste a post into,let's say chatgpt, and come up with
(09:09):
a favorable response thatamplifies that influencer's mess.
That's really going to make a difference.
It's going to be informative,maybe ask a question or two.
These are things that aregoing to help get the algorithm to
make that post possibly viral.
What's even better is that theinfluencer may decide to recognize
(09:30):
you and say, well, maybe I'llaccept that invitation after all.
That's something that's goingto make a difference.
So define to me what it meansto be an influencer on LinkedIn.
Like what's the characteristics?
Like how many followers, howmany, you know, what's the number?
Well, obviously any numberthat has six digits in it you're
(09:54):
gonna find obviously to beimpressive to say the least.
And, or a million would beobviously ideal examples of influencers.
You could look at Kawasakiperhaps and Gary Vonicek.
I mean, just examples.
These are individuals thathave taken advantage of the platform
(10:18):
and increased their amount offollowers tremendously over the years.
So certainly when they dopost, it gets noticed.
That's an example of an influencer.
So you said you've obviouslybeen using the platform for a long
time.
Have you done, you know, haveyou looked at other platforms that
(10:40):
you know that are similar inbusiness or.
There, there's another coupleof them that.
And we just decided to stay on LinkedIn.
I just decided to stick towhat I know best.
I mean, the fact is, is thatif you're going to go business to
business, there is no otherplatform out there, simply put, that
has the range, the ability,the amount of people on there is
(11:02):
just impressive.
Plus Microsoft, I mean, it's,you know, they're running the show,
it's, it's a fairly large company.
So they are really good atwhat and in creating, creating, you
know, a platform that reallydoes a great outreach.
So it does, it actually reallydoes a great outreach.
So talk to me.
How do you work with yourclients and what, you know, what,
(11:25):
what do most people come toyou for?
Well, first thing, a lot ofthem, I do one on one optimizer profile.
We look for select keywords,we look for ideas to create newsletters,
to create content, toestablish themselves.
As a thought leader, I reallywork hard on getting a profile optimized
in a way that whoever decidesto connect will accept a connection
(11:49):
based on the informationthat's in the profile because that
really makes a difference andsome people really take it for granted.
But just for example, ifyou're using the connect with someone
and you have very fewtestimonials, if any at all, that
really is really a difference.
Or if you do have it, it'sover 10 years old.
I mean, it's not current, youknow, so people want to have current
(12:11):
and people that maybe they'refamiliar with and they can connect
with someone that can vouchfor you, you know, it's a third party
to us and simply put, which is great.
So that's the first thing Ifocus it on.
Once I've done that, then I'dlook at strategies for outreach.
So we look at ideas forcreating newsletters, running scripts
or videos, for example,focusing on influencers and the best
(12:36):
time to catch them when they post.
Those are examples wherebythey can maximize their exposure
and gain a lot of followersand tractions that way.
Just off the top.
Right.
And so speaking of posting, isthere a better time to post?
Yeah, ideally I would sayTuesdays through Thursdays in the
morning between 8 and 10 is agood time.
(13:00):
I believe Wednesday afternoonas well.
12 and 2 seems to be kind of asweet spot for a lot of people.
Yeah.
And weekends not so much moreof a drop off.
But those are kind of likeideal times to maximize exposure.
I found.
Yeah, interesting.
You know what I find becauseI, I do a newsletter on LinkedIn
and I usually send mine outTuesday or Wednesday because I always
(13:23):
feel like Monday it's likeeveryone's getting flooded.
Yeah, everybody is gettingflooded and I would say by Tuesday
to kind of get settled in andgetting a groove on.
So that's an opportune time toreach out and that really makes a
difference.
I seen, I've seen the viewshave been incredible.
So talk to me a little bitabout using, you know, because LinkedIn
(13:45):
has some, you know,enhancements or advancements things
and so one of those isobviously Sales Navigator.
So talk to me about like thepros and cons of like, you know,
reaching out to people viaSales Navigator versus regular.
I, you know, I mean assomebody who's been obviously on
it for so long, I'm sure youcould have some good tips about the
two.
Well, obviously it's a paidpremium version of that.
(14:08):
I believe it's about $100 amonth though.
If you pay for the year, theygive you discounts.
One of the things I like aboutSales Navigator is the ability to
find out who's looked at your profile.
So that's certainly anadvantage right there.
So it gives you the ability toreach out to that individual, not
necessarily connect with them,but, you know, send a message to
them and say, what made youstop by my profile?
(14:32):
And.
Or, thanks for stopping by.
And sometimes it could be, youknow, whatever reasons.
You know, some you're a friendwith someone or what have you, but
it's a good way to kind ofconnect with someone.
And also, what's great aboutNavigator is that it allows you to
find out who has been on active.
Who's been active on LinkedInfor the least past 30 days, because
a lot of people, for example,are not active at all.
And when you do an outreach,sometimes you don't hear back from
(14:54):
people for months, if at all.
And that also hurts you aswell, because when you do an outreach
and the person doesn't reply,the algorithm looks at it as a possible
spammer.
So that also helps different.
In addition, for example, youhave a billboard on your profile,
and with the Sales Navigator,it actually provides up to five billboards
(15:17):
which rotate in the background.
So you can use that fordifferent aspects of your business.
You can focus on marketing.
Maybe another one could be anemail optimization.
I mean, there are ways you cankind of like designate like, like
a billboard, but it changes,which is great.
So it really makes it moreprofessional looking.
(15:37):
Right.
Someone just said to me theother day that you could actually
now put a QR code.
Well, yeah, you can.
Well, you can create a QR coderight now for your profile.
A lot of times when you donetwork events, for example, I'll
wear a badge with my QR codeon there.
So people, instead of giving abusiness card, just snap my QR code
(15:58):
and goes right directly to theLinkedIn profile.
Which is great because itreally gives you a lot more than
just a business card.
It gives you certainly anadvantage when connecting with someone,
especially when they see yourprofile is professionally optimized.
You see, you gotrecommendations, they see articles.
It really is a great feature.
(16:18):
Right.
So talk to me a little bitabout the book and what, what got
you started on writing it.
And.
I looked out in the marketplace.
I found that all the books onLinkedIn were either dated or really
didn't address the issues of AI.
And I said, well, why don't Icreate a book that does both?
So that was the opportunity.
I jumped at the chance.
(16:39):
And I'm sure there'll be otherbooks following this, but I'm first
in, which is great.
So taking advantage of it was awesome.
And the fact is that it's sucha useful tool having AI technology
available that it just really,anyone who gets this will get so
much value from that becausethere's nothing really available
that really delves into both,both types of platforms.
(17:02):
So also being on the platformfor so long, you know, you probably
have some like, pet peeves andhow people do.
How people quote, unquote, LinkedIn.
Oh, yeah, sure.
I mean, when people post, theykind of treat it like Facebook, for
example.
They'll like showcase whatthey've eaten or what they talked
about, you know, all thisnarcissistic posting, which is just
(17:26):
ridiculous.
Or they're posting an ad,which is, should be, not really.
It should be an advertisinglike LinkedIn, but they're using
their posting as an ad andthat's really not ideal for that
platform itself.
So those are just the top thatcome to mind right off the bat.
Then of course, when I seetheir profiles and I see how they
haven't maybe filled it out oreven bothered to deal with it at
(17:48):
all, you know, so.
And anyone who reaches out tome as soon as I receive that invite,
I go immediately to theprofile and if it's not, you know,
it's not up to my standards,forget it, I will not accept it.
Right.
You gotta be selective, right?
Well, you do have to beselective, actually, because, you
know, I think that's one ofthe issues that I also see with LinkedIn
(18:10):
and what you just saidactually before also about what somebody,
what they have in their profile.
You know, somebody says, youknow, if their message is, is, it's,
you know, if on their messageit's, or on their, underneath their,
on their profile page, it'svery sales oriented.
I'm like, oh, that's going tobe a sales pitch.
(18:31):
Oh, that's going to be a sales pitch.
And I, and I usually like,nope, decline, nope, decline, nope,
decline.
And unless somebody actuallyreaches out to me authentically,
but then I still look at theirprofile and, and I say, you know,
this is just a slowintroduction on a way for you to
pitch me versus really justtrying to connect on an authentic
(18:52):
level.
Yeah, there might be somebusiness happen, but get to know
them.
Like there's a reason behind it.
A lot of times you can alsosend a message when you do reach
out to someone, maybe aparagraph, you can do up to 300 characters,
I believe, and try to indicateas much as you can that you just
want to do an outreach forsuch and such reasons.
One person sent me the otherday that they're reaching out to
(19:14):
me because they're asking,asking me if I needed a housekeeper.
I mean, seriously.
I mean, exactly.
They're family, a family business.
Wonder if you need a housekeeper.
Like, okay, block, you know,so this is just something that you
do.
So when I do an outreach, ifit's a second connection and usually
they know some people that Iknow, sometimes I won't necessarily
(19:36):
do that, but if I'm, let'ssay, going after a potential podcaster,
then I would reach out tothem, indicate that, hey, you know,
I've listened to your podcastand I'd love to be, you know, you
know, a guest on your show.
Looking for the opportunityand you know, just be honest about
it and be authentic andsincere is something that's going
to win people over right now.
(19:59):
That's.
And I think sincerity and isreally important versus just trying
to sell somebody something isreally important, is it's really,
really key.
You know, if you're, you know,one of the things that we really
try to do here is try to helpcreate people, Help people create
a greater impact.
So, you know, thinking aboutLinkedIn and obviously creating that
(20:23):
authority and being, andhaving that voice, let's say somebody
doesn't have like therecommendations, what are some of
the ways that they can theyreally get that, that true voice
and authenticity, you know, anauthority out there.
Very simple.
Create content that peoplewant to read.
You know, create a newsletter.
In fact, in LinkedIn, you cando up to five newsletters.
(20:45):
So take advantage of all fiveopportunities available and, you
know, niche that area.
I have a newsletters, forexample, for financial planners,
one for accountants, one for attorneys.
We even want for meetingplanners, you know, and how to, you
know, use LinkedIn more effectively.
And that seems to be very wellreceived, you know, when I send it
out.
So I think that's important tonote is give value to whoever you're
(21:08):
connecting with.
Sometimes, for example, I'llshare an ebook that I created that
just really helps them, let'ssay, optimize their profile.
In fact, on my website,linkedvantage.com, those who listen
can actually access a freeebook on profile optimization for
LinkedIn.
So they can go ahead and do that.
And I think that's very helpful.
And there is nothing salesy about.
(21:30):
It's just informationeducation, you know, be a resource.
That's really what you want todo, right?
Be that resource for people,which is so important.
And so when you're thinkingabout creating that impact also,
you know, creating thecontent, how often should people
be posting on LinkedIn?
(21:50):
Well, I would say A minimum ofonce a week.
I would say if you're doingnewsletters at least once a week,
you know, you don't want to bemore than that.
But it depends.
I post once a week and I alsodo videos three times a week.
So when I post that intogroups that I'm associated with.
And groups are something thata lot of people don't really think
that it's worthwhile, but Ibelieve it is because there are a
(22:15):
lot of groups that may haveyour clients and sometimes people
will accept your invitationbecause you're part of a group.
So ignore groups.
They're really quite good.
And ideally go for the mostsizable groups available that you
can find.
You know, groups of at least 5or 10,000 minimum or a hundred thousand
more.
It'd be a good, good, goodstarting point, I would say.
(22:37):
Right, right.
And so let's talk about itfrom the standpoint of a company.
You know, so a company has aprofile out there.
Is it, is it?
You know, obviously they wantto attract more people to their profile.
What are your, the top tipsfor a company to promote to get their
page out there?
(22:57):
Well, again, they have acompany page.
You would focus in on thingsthat of interest to people who may
want to use their services.
You can be examples of case studies.
You can also create anewsletter as well.
The idea behind it is that youjust want to share information that
(23:19):
is kind of company related,not necessarily from a personal standpoint.
So it could be any type ofawards that were won or other things,
attributes, volunteer workthat they've done, which is always
considered very favorable.
I would say work which isalways good.
So these are just types of things.
(23:39):
And again, they can also postonce a week just to really kind of
share information that's ofvalue and just focus on not really
advertising the services, butbe of service to people is what I.
So you, you shared, you said,you know, you do your newsletter
once a week and then you dovideos three times a week.
Are you also doing static content?
(24:01):
Well, I find for the most partthe algorithm likes videos and that
really make a difference.
The static is mostly for thenewsletters because you can't really
put news.
So that's the idea of yougoing to set yourself in the competition,
create a video, ideallybetween 60 to 90 seconds maximum.
All right.
And just upload it to, let'ssay for example, the groups that
(24:24):
you're part of.
And you'll find you'll get alot more traction that way.
Followers, people interested,and you'll develop thought leadership
a lot Quicker.
Interesting.
You know, I find thiscompletely fascinating.
So, you know, so Al, so tellus where people can connect with
you.
I will obviously put the linkto your book in the show notes, but
(24:44):
what's the best way to peopleto connect with you?
Because I honestly, people,you know, listeners, maximizing your
profile on LinkedIn is huge.
I, I cannot, I, I cannotstress this enough that it is absolutely
so important.
And I share this because Iknow, you know, in one of our networking
(25:05):
hubs, we were talking theother day and I asked people to take
a look at their LinkedInprofile and some people have not
updated it for years.
And I'm just like, guys, yougotta be on this.
Yeah, well that's, that's whatyou come across unfortunately.
And you know, you can lead ahorse to water, you can't make them
drink and.
Right.
It's really the issue.
So.
(25:25):
But for those who want to makea difference, become a thought leader.
You really got to start prettymuch having your house in order and
that's the first thing isoptimize your profile.
So whoever you do an outreachis going to accept your connection
and that really makes a difference.
The book will help peopleunderstand the reasons behind, behind
it, how AI technology can helpcreate content, create information
(25:47):
in your profile that normallyyou would spend hours on.
It takes minutes to reallycome up something that's really impactful.
So I think that's a good wayto do that.
So, yeah, go to my website,linkedvantage.com or reach out to
me on LinkedIn.
Of course.
And if you do reach out, don'tpitch slap me.
(26:07):
Guys.
Hear that.
Reach out and purposelythoughtfully connect.
Don't pitch, don't pitch slap.
I love that.
We all hate that.
So, so listeners, please do methe favor and please reach out and
connect with Al and thenplease also do me the favor of hitting
subscribe and sharing thiswith your friends and colleagues.
Because honestly, I trulybelieve if we can have people using
(26:30):
LinkedIn better and not pitchslapping people, I think it'll all
be a happier place.
Absolutely.
So thank you, Al, for being agreat guest.
I'm Jacqueline Strominger,your host of Leap to Lead and thank
you all for listening.
Thank you.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.