At my agency, we’ve learned that LinkedIn is far more effective as a slow-burn marketing tool. Instead of forcing instant interactions, we focus on building genuine connections through consistent, valuable content over time. And it’s working. Let me lift the hood on some of our sales processes that we have refined, tested and measured over the years.

Potential clients often tell us that they first found my agency via my weekly LinkedIn ‘What’s Noteworthy in PR’ video segments. They might watch one, then another, and perhaps even a dozen more, quietly following our work before reaching out. It’s a strong reminder that trust is built slowly over time.

From LinkedIn, potential leads often move to our website. Here they watch additional videos, read through detailed case studies, and review our capabilities thoroughly. Before making direct contact, prospects will often head back to LinkedIn. Days, months, or even years might pass by before they feel ready to reach out. That’s okay – we’re playing the long game, after all.

When potential leads feel ready to investigate further, they then get in touch either by filling out contact forms on our website or by calling directly. We track this closely and are able to quickly evaluate the suitability of each enquiry. If there is uncertainty about whether we’re the best fit, we request the potential client complete a bespoke briefing form to help determine our compatibility.

When they do eventually get in touch, our leads have already formed a clear impression. They’ve seen our expertise demonstrated over and over again, which accelerates the sales conversation significantly. By the time they’re on the phone or filling out a contact form, they’re warmer leads, because trust has already been established.

Once qualified, we set up an initial call to gather essential information. Using this insight, we craft a tailored proposal offering multiple budget options, often accompanied by a personal video message to strengthen the human connection that we kick-started on LinkedIn.

People buy from people, not businesses. Our presence on LinkedIn bridges the gap between a faceless agency and our real, relatable team members – the people our potential clients will be working directly alongside.

LinkedIn also serves as a powerful reassurance tool. Perhaps a client initially discovered us through SEO or media coverage quoting me as an expert. Before they take the plunge, they inevitably head to LinkedIn to verify what they’ve heard elsewhere. This step solidifies trust because they’re seeing consistent messaging, genuine interactions, and real-time evidence of our capabilities.

Many of our long-term clients can be traced back to LinkedIn, where initial curiosity gradually became genuine interest and, eventually, loyalty.

LinkedIn is not an instant-gratification play. If you view LinkedIn purely as a place for quick wins, you’re missing its true power. It’s a long game, where consistency, authenticity, and value-driven content steadily cultivate trust and credibility.

Don’t underestimate the quieter, relationship-building power of LinkedIn. Use it to regularly showcase expertise, offer real value, and build trust – without the spammy messages.

The post Why slow-burn LinkedIn leads are the best leads for my PR agency appeared first on Inside Small Business.

Issues management 101 advises that in a crisis, businesses should put together a short, factual statement that doesn’t contain much emotion and is as short as possible. The idea is to give away as little information as you can, and repeat the same phrase over and over again, even when questioned by media, customers or concerned community members.

I disagree with this advice. If your business chooses to stay silent, that’s when inaccuracies come up. That’s when hype and hysteria can mutate the story and turn it into something it’s not or blown out of proportion.

If you have prepared well and shown at minimum the expected level of care, then you have nothing to hide. Being helpful, transparent, confident in your response, and demonstrating care, will ensure your business is not the problem – the unavoidable effects of living in a pandemic are. “No comment” is never an option. It implies defensiveness, even guilt and does not help show that you are proactive, in control, or compassionate.

All businesses should have a holding statement ready to go in case of a crisis, especially since a COVID-19 outbreak is now a very real possibility for many businesses in Australia. A holding statement is a pre-prepared statement that you prepare ahead of time and hold on to until you need it. Make sure it’s flexible enough to be adapted to the specific conditions of the hypothetical situation if it does occur.

All messaging should be designed to assure your staff, customers, and stakeholders and emphasise calm. When writing it, put yourself in the shoes of anyone who might be hearing this potentially alarming information for the first time.

Make sure you regularly update this statement to reflect the changing conditions of the pandemic, as things can change dramatically in a matter of days. Share what you know and don’t be afraid to say what you don’t know and what you will update people on later on. The goal is to balance the need for information and truth with not wanting to cause panic or paint a worse picture than needed.

A good recent example of this is @wearenutie, a small business that had a staff member of one of their stores test positive to COVID. They responded with care, highlighted the safety measures they already had in place, went above and beyond in the steps they took to address it, empathised with their customers and staff, reassured the community and update customers on the next steps. And they have continued to keep their customers and the community informed along the way. Gold stars for them.

When it comes to steps that you will take to address the situation, go the extra mile. Negative perceptions, concern and fear can sometimes be greater than the issue itself, and taking generous steps to reassure people is hugely important.

Remember: fast action and quick responses make huge differences to the outcome of an issue or crisis, so be prepared for late nights and weekends. The media doesn’t stop for anyone, especially not a small business in the middle of a crisis. The good news is, with a little preparation, you’ll be able to respond in a timely, clear, and reassuring manner.

The post What to do if your small business is plunged into a crisis appeared first on Inside Small Business.

Over time, though, what might once have been a healthy way to grow a fledgling business becomes a fast track to burnout, overwork, and exhaustion. By saying yes to everything, we leave little to no time for the most important work, and in turn, end up failing our clients, customers and ourselves. By saying yes to everything, we become jacks of all trades and masters of none.

Play to your strengths (and avoid your weaknesses)

According to Marcus Buckingham, author of Go Put Your Strengths to Work, only 17 per cent of the workforce believes they use all of their strengths on the job. That means more than four in five people have potential assets up their sleeve in the form of unused skills, knowledge and/or experience.

By saying no to the work your team doesn’t want, you’ll make room for all those untapped skills to shine. Empower your team to say no, and they’ll have the space and clarity to make full use of their strengths.

Check in with your team every so often to ensure that they’re not saying yes for the wrong reasons and give them a safe space to discuss their workload, priorities, and goals. You’ll only learn their likes and dislikes by giving them a judgement-free space to air their thoughts and concerns.

Saying no for the sake of your clients

Saying no isn’t just important for your team, but it’s critical for building a successful relationship with your clients. Only say yes to projects that will result in a great experience for your customer or client.

With every piece of work you take on, you should feel confident in your competency. You should be confident that this work will lead to sparkling feedback, brilliant testimonials, and repeat business.

If you simply say yes to every job that comes your way, you’ll not only be wasting your time, but you’ll also be wasting your client’s budget. Clients want to work with the very best person for the job, and by saying no to work that you know you’re not the best option for, you’ll simply be proving your respect for their time and money.

Saying no in the right way

Saying no has some clear business benefits, but that doesn’t mean that it’s an easy thing to do. There are a few strategies that can make the process easier on everyone and avoid any bruised egos or unhappy customers.

First of all, it’s helpful to explain why you’re saying no. Turn this into a positive by sharing what you are brilliant at and explaining why the current ask doesn’t fit into your core strengths, rather than focusing the conversation on all the things you don’t do.

Have a list of trusted businesses that you can refer customers or clients to if they’re not quite the right fit for you. This would show to your client that you are a trustworthy operator who honestly wanted the best outcome for them while you continue to build goodwill with the other agency.

By saying no, we remove unnecessary strain on our headspace, so that we can continue to do the things that we do best. We can continue to focus on the work that we’re known for and are confident in, instead of wasting time and energy on work that we’re merely good at. By saying no, we can focus on being great.

The post Why business leaders must learn to say no appeared first on Inside Small Business.