"I don't know where to start." 

Someone told me this recently during a meeting about postingon LinkedIn. She said she wanted to be more active on the platform, because she knew it would lead to opportunities, but she just didn’t know where to begin. 

I suspect this is a common obstacle for people, not just forbuilding their personal brands on LinkedIn, but for doing anything new that is good for them. We’ve all been there. Myself included. 

There are plenty of people who are smarter than I am who cantell us about the psychology of self-limitations. I won’t get into that. 

Instead, I’ll just share a few ideas for how you can getstarted posting and telling your stories on LinkedIn. 

Liking & Commenting 

The first Start out by liking and commenting on otherpeople's posts. But really comment. Don’t just say “Yes!” or “I agree!” Strive to add to the discussion by adding your perspective. 

Disagree in the Comments 

If you see a post that you don’t quite agree with, don’t beafraid to disagree in the comments. Be respectful, of course, and keep it professional. By disagreeing, you’re adding to the discussion and planting the seeds for your own content, later. 

Transform Comments into Posts 

LinkedIn has a handy feature that lets you create a post outof a comment. Use it. Or simply share someone else’s post with your commentary. This will help you get your feet wet by giving you topics to think about and share, and get you used to posting. 

Take Photos to Share 

We all have cameras with us at all times. Take some photosto document stuff you or something you find unusual, interesting, or funny. Then write a short post about it. Don’t worry about being profound. Just share your thoughts. They might resonate with people. Or they may not, in which case, who cares?  

Keep an Idea File 

If you’re like me, ideas come at the most inopportune times.Keep a digital journal or idea file. You probably have an app on your phone that lets you take quick notes and voice memos. When inspiration strikes, capture it. Even if it's not complete. You can come back to it later. 

Use a Scheduling Tool 

Whenever I get an idea for a post, usually late at night, Icapture it in Buffer. That lets me write the post and schedule it for a better time, when people are actually on LinkedIn. Most scheduling tools like this have a free version that's more than sufficient for an individual user. Get the mobile app version, then you can write/capture content at any time and easily schedule it for later. 

Click “Submit” 

It’s a scary thing to do, but it’s also thrilling (I mean,not like a waterslide or anything). Don't be afraid to hit Submit. As long as you're not being mean, what's the worst that could possibly happen? Unless you're sharing company secrets - definitely don't do that. 

Just Have Fun with It 

The best time to start your storytelling journey is rightnow. Once you do, you’ve opened the door to opportunities you didn’t even know were there. So just start. Have fun with it, and be yourself. 

Not sure where to start? I can help. As your storytelling coach, I can helpyou unlock the power of your own stories to become un-ignorable and unforgettable with your content.