Last year, I attended the NetWork conference for the first time. It felt a bit like going to my high school prom – both exciting and nerve-wracking. There were so many familiar faces, people I respect both professionally and personally, seeing them in a new setting. I had to say something constructive without coming across as a professor giving yet another lecture.

Now I know there was no need to worry. If you ask me, NetWork is the ultimate "nerd fest" – and I mean that in the best possible way because I've always been a bit of a nerd myself! Imagine a room full of people discussing the latest IT and business trends with the same enthusiasm as they would their favorite movie or TV show. The discussions were productive and often quite humorous. Networking felt like an episode of "Speed Dating," but with more talk about software and hardware than romance. And the concerts? Well, let’s just say, there was some serious dancing going on!

So, how did I end up there? I’ve been in B2B sales for many years, both in research (how many people do you know who have a PhD in sales?) and working with companies to optimize their sales processes. Most of my current clients are from Northern Europe. It’s already clear there that LinkedIn is much more than just a recruitment network; it’s a primary platform for facilitating B2B sales. I'll go as far as to say that if you’re in sales (yes, even IT sales) and not on LinkedIn, it’s like you don’t exist professionally.

LinkedIn is much more than an online showcase for your latest professional achievements. It’s a platform for connecting with industry peers, following the latest trends, learning, and of course, communicating with the goal of making sales. Like any communication, LinkedIn interactions target specific audiences, which vary for each of us. Our target groups will expect different dynamics and types of messages, but there are similarities too. Let’s start from the beginning.

What did we talk about? Potential clients don’t want to see another "copy-paste" profile. People appreciate humor and personality – they want to see a real person. So, the first step in building a personal brand is optimizing your profile. The second step is networking. Networking is like playing a board game – you need to know the rules and have a strategy. Start by connecting with colleagues, former colleagues, friends from school and university, and people you meet at conferences like NetWork. Don’t forget to send personalized invitations – no one likes automated messages. Once connected, be active – like, comment, and share content. It’s like mingling at a business cocktail party, but without the free drinks.

The third step is content. Content should be educational and engaging. Wondering what educational content is? It’s not corporate brochures written in PR language. Educational content is clear, understandable, and written (or better yet, spoken) in everyday language. Take, for example, the questions you get from your clients – each one is an opportunity for content. This way, you educate future clients even before they become clients. Educational content serves the purpose of sales; treating LinkedIn as a platform for self-promotion often irritates and doesn’t help sales. Clients don’t want to hear what you know; they want to see through your content how you do it. They’re interested in how you or your product helped your clients achieve their goals. Maybe you have a client who improved conversion rates or saw increased portal visits thanks to your solution, maybe loading times decreased, or they saved a significant amount thanks to your product.

Set aside time in your calendar for creating content and interacting with others' content. If you’re unsure what kind of content to create, look at what those whose content you find interesting are doing, especially if they’re in your industry (remember, target groups aren’t identical).

Now you’re ready for sales. If you’ve diligently worked on the previous steps, inquiries should already be coming in. But also explore tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

These are some of the topics I discussed at my first NetWork conference. I’m gearing up for the next dance. This year, I’m planning even better because what’s the point if the second dance isn’t better than the first?

See you there!