Darren Gibb

I teach coaches how to win more clients using Strategic Content that Converts | Ask about my CLOSE Framework

How many times have you tried to make LinkedIn ‘work’ for you? 🤦‍♂️

If it's not working, you're focusing on the wrong things. Here's why 👇

Because most LinkedIn advice focuses on fluffy nonsense
→ Hooks
→ Formatting
→ How to grow your account (whilst making no money).

(spoiler alert: I am unashamedly about helping you make $$$, not get likes).

It’s easy to look popular.
To fain popularity.
And to get people liking your content.

But what coaches truly suffer from is creating the right type of strategic content.

The type of content which attracts the right people
And repels the wrong.

The type of content which turns you into your prospects’ number 1 expert.

The type of content which strategically positions you as the ONLY solution to their problems.

And the type of content which - best of all - converts those followers of yours into happy, paying clients.

You’ve likely tried the free courses.
Paid some money to unlock the ‘secrets’ from the gurus…
Yet still don’t have a predictable amount of leads coming your way every month.

Or perhaps you feel that you’ve cracked LinkedIn and are ready for that next step:
Webinars, Masterclasses and Challenges (ask me about how I helped one of my clients, Andy, turn a $150 webinar into almost $50k 👀) 

LinkedIn and social selling isn’t difficult - and I make it easier with my CLOSE Framework:

→  𝗖ontent That Attracts & Repels
→  𝗟everage LinkedIn Intelligently
→  𝗢ptimized DM Strategy
→  𝗦trong Sales Strategies
→  𝗘nhance Expert Influence

It really is as simple as that.

And that’s what I’m known for (check out my testimonials for evidence).

If you want to CLOSE and make money.
Shoot over a DM saying 'CLOSE' to find out more.

But - I only work with hard-working coaches who are serious about 

→ improving their LinkedIn strategies
→ Serving more of their ideal clients
→ Know that everything takes work.

If this sounds like you, I look forward to chatting.

If not, I hope you still learn something from my content.

And if you’ve read down to here, drop a DM just to say hello. 

DM the word ‘STARBURSTER’ and I’ll send you over something I usually sell...

For free 🌟 

Also check out my website in my Featured Section to get some free gifts and also sign up to my newsletter.

Storytelling on LinkedIn Coach

Combining my knowledge and passion for storytelling with my knowledge for LinkedIn, I help coaches and solopreneurs use storytelling and proven strategies to improve their content and convert more followers into paying clients.

It's not DMs you're avoiding.

It's rejection (or damn scripts).

DMs feel sleazy. 

Spammy. 
Cringe. 
Desperate.

But here's why you find them morally repugnant 👇

What you believe about them - based on what you've experienced personally, or been taught - doesn't align with you.

Your values.

You know you need to do them...

But you'd rather be dignified than wealthy.

It feels like you're almost tricking them.

I remember my client Sam telling me he felt he was "bothering them."
Rachel felt they could "smell it coming."

And it was always because they were using scripts they had been told to use.
Verbatim.

So you shy away from doing it.

✅ You write another post.
✅ Hope for more congratulatory comments and likes (mostly from your peers)
✅ And 'double down' on 'content' instead

But running your own business is full of rejection. 

Which is why you run from DMs and don't book calls.

Because if you can avoid those two and only focus on fluffy content, at least the ego doesn't get bruised.

I know this because every one of the 120+ people I've coached came to me at the same point.

And I used to do the same.

It was when I learned that I was the prize.
I was there to be won.

That everything changed.

The energy. 
The confidence. 
The close rates.

After a week of applying it, Craig said:
"FLAME and TORCH are SOOOOO WORKING. I am having some incredible success... I've even been able to flip so I am now in the power frame."

He felt the switch immediately.
Frameworks remove the cringe.

(I'm showing you this framework on Jan 26th. No charge. dmstocalls.darrengibb.com)

If what you're saying feels cringy, then it is.
So cut it.

Experts diagnose in DMs.

Amateurs pitchslap - or teach and explain, becoming the "valued friend."

Others preach "provide value!" and "the right people will find you!"

That's bullshit.

Waiting to be found isn't a strategy. 
It's a lottery ticket.



🗣️ Let me know in the comments 
👉 Where do you feel the cringe most - the first message or the follow-up?



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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

A big reason your DMs don't book calls?

You get trapped in the friend zone. Every time. 

Most service experts are passionate.

Which means they love talking about it -
This is their place of expertise and comes naturally.

But here's what people miss every time:

Experts in DMs don't explain.
They don't justify.

They diagnose.

And when they allow a prospect to diagnose themselves?

A call follows almost every time.

You've shown them that gap that they're missing
(whilst allowing them to FEEL as if they've discovered it themselves).

Steve recently told me he felt as if he was "a library to be browsed, not a store to be bought from".

And it stuck with me.

Coaches are the worst for this
(through not fault of their own).

They naturally go into coaching mode in the DMs
(and then if they get sales calls, there too).

You coach them where they believe "Ok, now I know what to do, I don't need their (expensive) help any more."

You've heard it a hundred times:

"Give value, value, value - give it ALL away" 
(Yep, Hormozi can afford to do this - because YOU likely aren't his ICP).

And I tried it many moons again - it only makes it worse.

You become a free resource rather than a prized asset worth paying for,

Whilst you're "nuturing", they're finding someone who can directly solve their problem.

You become the friend, rather than their expert.

When you give too much value and they'll never pay.
Stop scratching the itch for free.

SO, what do you do instead?

Well, thanks for asking.

I'm hosting a 60 minute workshop on exactly this where I'll show you the exact system I use to book 5+ qualified calls every week - without the scripts, bs or ick.

Find out more here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com


🗣️ Let me know in the comments
👉 Have you ever found yourself stranded in the comments?

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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

undefined undefined

Hey [first], I just wanted to quickly thank you for taking the time to comment on today's post, I appreciate it! How's everything going with you?

ChatGPT Webinar

In-depth comment

Another tool to be using is ChatGPT... And it just so happens I'm going to be running a free, LIVE 2-hour webinar showing you how we can be using it to help us to optimize our LinkedIn profile and create better content.

Seats will be limited.

Reserve yours, before it is full, at http://www.darrengibb.com/chatgpt 💥

Every guru teaches content strategies...

Yet never TEACH you how to convert clients.

Within 3 days of a bootcamp I ran last year, Harry booked -  and closed - his first client in his new business.
 
No engagement pods. 
No "get more confidence!" fluff. 
No magic.
 
Just a system for turning DM conversations into booked calls.
 
Here's what the gurus won't tell you:
 
Every January, they roll out the same promises: 

"Get more authority!" 
"Get more inbound leads than you can handle!" 
"Build confidence!"
 
Same empty words. 
Same AI-sounding copy. 
Same results: none.
 
The vast majority of people I work with have been through those courses and memberships.
 
✅ They understand what to post 
✅ They feel more "confident" 
✅ They have likes and "great post!" comments from engagement pods
 
But they come to me:
 
❌ Still broke at the end of the month 
❌ Inbound leads rarely come 
❌ No idea how to take a DM to a booked call
 ❌ Still losing sales calls
 
Content → DMs → Calls → Clients.
 
Most are teaching part 1 of that equation.
 
That's why Harry closed in 3 days whilst others are still playing about with the colours on their banners and writing cute posts for the wrong people.

He had followed all the 'rules'.
Been on the courses.
And was 'being consistent'.

Yet struggled to speak to the right people and close them with ease.

With my proven system he achieved this within 10 messages.
(and over $3m in client sales shows it doesn't only work for him).

Content → DMs → Calls → Clients.
 
The adults are focused on all four - with DMs as the bridge.
 
Because DMs and sales calls aren't that different. 
Master one, you've mastered the other.
 
🔥 If your content's working but your DMs aren't converting, comment below or DM me a "IT'S WORKING, BUT..."  and I'll send you over exactly what Harry used.

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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

Your 'vulnerable' content is costing you clients.
 
(this is gonna piss some people off 💅)
 
And it's killing more than your pipeline.
 
Over the past 3 years, it's been peddled by the gurus:
 
Show up.
 
"Be vulnerable." 
(Anyone remember the Crying CEO? 😅😭)
 
"Be consistent."
 
The gurus who peddled it built their 'personal brands' on this.
 
Did it give them followers? Yes. 
Likes and comments? Yes. 
A profitable business growing year on year?
 
Nope.
 
They're called vanity metrics for a reason. 
And they're engineered by fluffy, 'vulnerable' content.
 
So creators take this as a green light to create just that.
 
Sharing every worry. 
Every imposter moment. 
Every urge to quit.
 
Followed the next week by a 'success' story.

Followers know it doesn't add up.
 
Which is why you get emotionally invested fans.
But inconsistent paying buyers.
 
Your prospects need to see you as their expert. 
Having your shit together. 
Sharing authentic stories of your success. 
Understanding THEIR problems. 
And showing how you solve them.
 
Yes, vulnerability can be beautiful. 
Yes, it humanises you.
 
But not when your followers see a constant shitshow in your content.
 
It comforts them: 
"This person is like me!"
 
But it rarely pushes them towards transformative action.
 
How can they trust you to solve their problem when you're still drowning in yours?
 
Use vulnerability like this:
 
Talk about the situation you were in. 
The moment you didn't know how to break through. 
The realisation that shifted everything. 
The action thatyou then took. 
The bumps along the way. 
And the transformation.
 
Vulnerability is beautiful. 

But show you USED to be the person they ARE right now.
 
That's what builds trust. 
Confidence. 
And belief.
 
That's what turns "I love your content" into "How do I work with you?"
 
Buyers don't want pity parties. 
They want to be seen and emotionally led.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

$10k is sitting in your inbox right now*.
 
Not new leads. Old conversations...

The ones that "went nowhere."
 
Monday 26th January | 6pm CET | 12pm EST - I'm showing you where every leak happens and the exact fixes.
 
Register here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com
 
You see, most people think they have a lead problem. 
They don't.

They have a leak problem.
 
Here are 4 places your deals are dying:
 
Lead Speed 
→ 23 hours to respond. 
↳ Your competitor already closed them.
 
Follow-Up Fear 
→ You follow up twice and call it dead. 
↳ 80% of sales happen after the 5th touch. Some up to 11.
↳ You're not "bothering them" - you're disappearing.
 
Proposal Purgatory 
→ Most coaches and consultants do NOT need to send proposals before a deal is done
↳ If you feel you MUST send one, your deal is too complex.
 
Pipeline Bullshit 
→ "I think I have some warm leads." 
↳ You can't improve what you don't measure.
 
"More content = More visibility = LOADS of inbound leads!!" is what they want you to believe.
 
Converting the leads you already have is what actually works.
 
 
P.S.
 
* That $10k in your inbox?
 
Find the conversations where symptoms or pain surfaced. Don't "check in". Ask how they're getting on with that specific thing.
 
A lot changes in 3 months.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

95% of you are paralysed in the DMs.
 
The "Nice Chat!" Fallacy kills your DMs and Sales.
 
People I work with, like Ryan whose close rate went from 20% to 80%, don't suddenly just get "good at sales". 

Because he stopped teaching in DMs and started diagnosing.

(I'm breaking this down live on the 26th: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com)
 
Those who struggle in the DMs typically struggle with sales.
 
This is what I call the "Nice Chat!" Fallacy.
 
In the DMs, it sounds like "Thanks so much, I'll reach out when ready!"
 
On calls, it's "Let me think about it and I'll get back to you."
 
Same pattern. Same result.
 
You've satisfied them. You've taught them by accident. And they're happy enough to 'work it out themselves' with the nuggets you've offered.
 
The pattern that kills your calls starts in your DMs.
 
Because if you manage to get them onto a call, you've already conditioned them to expect even MORE teaching.
 
Which, invariably, you give them.
 
It's when you say things like "I'd love to help!" or "Let me know if you're interested!" that leak this frame.
 
You sound over-enthusiastic. Needy.
 
And your prospect knows it.
 
When they ask to be taught, redirect with a question.
 
If you're an executive coach and they ask: "How do I lead my team better without becoming a micromanager?"
 
You should never answer directly.
 
Let them diagnose themselves.
 
Instead, ask: "What's the part you keep stepping back into… even though you know you shouldn't?"
 
This forces them to identify the gap they have. The gap they need your help to solve.
 
"Building rapport" is great until you become a free resource.
 
Rapport without urgency is just friendship in a suit.
 
 ____

The pattern that kills your calls starts in your DMs.
 
Fix the DMs first.
 
I'm covering the complete framework on January 26th. 60 minutes. How to turn DM conversations into booked calls — without the cringe.
 
6pm CET / 12pm EST
 
find out more and register here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com

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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

How many of the following non-buyers...

Are you STILL wasting your time with? 

They feel like progress. 
You tell yourself "at least I'm getting calls booked!"
 
But underneath, you sense - even before getting on a call - that this person is never going to convert.
 
Because they never do.
 
The problem isn't that they exist.
It's that you keep feeding them your time.
 
Here are the Infamous Four:
 
🧠 THE BRAIN-PICKER → Sees you as a peer. Never the expert. 
↳ "Could we get a quick chat so I can pick your brain about something?"
 
🪟 THE WINDOW SHOPPER → Likes everything. Your biggest fan. Never responds to DMs. 
↳ Browsing, not buying.
 
🦵 THE TYRE KICKER → Books calls. Asks questions. Loves "working together." Never ready to.
 ↳ Wants to feel productive without committing.
 
🙍‍♂️ THE LONELY FOUNDER → Long calls. Tells you everything. Deep shares. Deeper pain. No budget.
↳ They'll send you a Christmas card. Never a payment.
 
I guarantee you've had them all.
(I went through a dark period where I attracted all four like a magnet.)
 
And here's where it stings: It's your fault.
 
Not theirs.
 
You haven't filtered them through your DMs. 
You got excited and let them book a call without real qualification.
 
That's 3-5 hours a week on calls that were never going to close. 

At only $600/hour, that's $120,000+ a year in wasted opportunity cost.

Yep. Read that back again.
 
Here's a quick filter you can use today: 

When someone says "Can we hop on a quick call?" - reply with: 
"What specifically are you trying to solve?"
 
If they can't name it, they can't pay for it. 

The Infamous Four can't answer that question clearly. 
Ever.
 
This will help you out until next week.

On Monday 26th January, I'm showing you the full framework that filters these four before they hit your calendar.
 
It's called FLAME:
 
• Find the issue
• Learn their attempts
• Aha Moment (break their false belief)
• Map the choice they can make
• Engage the call
 
Five DM messages. 

No more wasted discovery calls on someone who was never going to buy.
Only ones with those who can.
 
Monday 26th January. 6pm CET | 12pm EST. 
register here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com
 
Let others rub their tummies. 

You've got deals to close.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

How Laura closed $560k on LinkedIn
 
(spoiler: it wasn't "POST MORE CONTENT!")
 
Laura is an experienced Executive Coach.
 
A glance at her content showed: 

→ Decent likes 
(sometimes from her ICP) 

→ Comments 
(mostly from fellow coaches) 

→ 'Thought leadership' topics 
(saying the same as everyone else)
 
But behind the content: 

→ Ghosted DMs 
→ "I'll get back to you later" 
→ "Can I just pick your brain..." 
→ Stalled conversations that felt warm but went nowhere.
 
Her target for the year was $500k.
 
So we installed my DM Framework.

(The same I'll unveil in 3 days (Jan 26th, 6pm CET | 12pm EST), 
No replay. 13 spots left.
Register here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com)
 
We went back through those ghosted DMs. 
Through the proposals that got ignored.
 
One conversation she'd written off 4 months ago? 
Reopened with three messages. 
Closed at $280k.
 
Same expertise. 
Same market. 
Same positioning.
 
Different system.
 
Two weeks later, she messaged me:
 
"Darren, we need to revise the target."
 
My stomach dropped.
 
"That's now two closed deals totalling $560k. New target is $1M this year. Double that next year."
 
Her audience was already there. 
Her skills were already there. 

The system was what was missing.
 
The gap between her and you?
 
It's not talent. 
It's the layer you haven't installed.
 
 
PS
 
The question I'd ask yourself:
 
How many conversations in your inbox "went nowhere" that actually just needed a different approach?
 
That's what Monday is about.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

Everyone defines 'success' on LinkedIn differently.
 
Conversion to new business is a vital metric.
 
Your content gets saved and shared.
 
And your pipeline?
 
Flat.
 
The truth:
 
Visibility doesn't pay bills. 
Cheerleaders don't hire you. 
Likes don't book calls.
 
I see it constantly with coaches and consultants over 40 who've done the work:
 
Content thriving - pipeline empty.
Bookmarked and recommended - but never bought from.
Too proud to DM - still waiting for inbound to save them.
 
(Swipe through the carousel. Those who are ready will count how many describe you.)
 
Each sign comes with the fix.
 
Not theory. 
Not "try posting more."
 
The actual shift that turns attention into action.
 
If you recognise more than two?
 
That's not a content problem - it's a conversion problem.
 
I built a framework to fix exactly this.
 
Live session. 
January 26th. 
6pm CET | 12pm EST.
 
1 hour. 
My DM Framework. T
he exact sequence to turn conversations into calls.
 
18 spots remaining.
 
Sign up here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com



PS
Want a more in-depth explanation of how to solve these signs?

DM or Comment below "GIMME DEPTH!" and I'll send over a guide I've just finished putting together to help you fix this faster 🙌


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

5 signs you look successful on LinkedIn

Here's why DM scripts and automations fail:
 
They book bad calls with the wrong people.
 
Chances are you use them because you don't know what to say. 
(That's ok - it's an art, seriously.)
 
But following a mundane script attracts mundane people:
 
The Tire Kickers. 
The Freebie Collectors. 
The "Can I Just Pick Your Brain"-ers.
 
And because scripts don't book many calls, you get desperate. 
You accept anyone because it feels 'productive'.
 
I know this because I was there.
 
Spamming 100+ people per day. 
Offering bullshit lead magnets no-one asked for. 
Overexplaining everything, hoping to look like an expert.
 
It doesn't work.
 
So I built something different.
 
Not scripts. 
Not automation. 
A system that lets you sell with dignity.
 
On 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝟲𝗽𝗺 𝗖𝗘𝗧 (12pm EST), I'm opening up to my network a 60-minute session where I'll walk you through:
 
→ The 7-8 message path from stranger to booked call 
→ How to qualify in DMs so you stop wasting time 
→ Why "nice chats" don't convert (and what to do instead) 
→ The phrases killing your deals
→ How to get calls booked.
 
This is for coaches, consultants, and fractional service providers who:
 
✓ Post consistently but aren't booking enough calls 
✓ Know they should be DMing but find it... uncomfortable 
✓ Want a system, not a script
 
Looking for copy-paste templates and automation hacks?
 
Walk on. 
They're not here.
 
I'm teaching skills, not painting by numbers.
 
𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟲𝘁𝗵. 
𝟲𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀. 
𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲.
 
Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eFRg8P6K 

🗣️ Let me know in the comments:
👉 What's your LEAST favourite type of DM to receive which makes you 🤢🤮


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

New Year's Resolutions...

How many of us have already broken them?

I personally don't set them.

They feel like a 'nice to have' rather than anything else.

I don't even really set myself goals either.

(yep, cue the productivity 'experts' coming for me).

Shit just kinda gets done and happens.

Perhaps I've always felt that I might fail them.. So what's the point in making them
(which is completely against my competitive personality).

But this year, I've decided to go against my own beliefs.

And make some big ones.

A few non-negotiable business ones.

One HUGE one I want to make happen.

And a few 'nice to have' personal ones.

5 in total
(see comments for one or two).

And since I have literally just made them, 
I haven't broken ANY of them (yet 😈).

Oh, and I'm back after Christmas, New Year's and a few extra days.

Hi. 👋

Some of you reading this will be feeling guilty for taking time off LinkedIn.

You know, actually living your lives rather than grinding against a seemingly unforgiving algorithm.
(shame on you).

Don't.

You needed it.

If you're like me, you worked your arse off last year - you deserved time to recouperate, rejuvenate and prepare for the year ahead.

(and anyone who tells you "there are only 51 weeks left in the year!!!!!!!!" also need a break).

But now the work starts.
The passion.
The grind.
Hard work.

Cos we've had that break, right?

Now, let's get to it. 💪

🗣️ Let me know in the comments:
👉 Did you take a break or grind it out?
👉 Have you made any resolutions you're going to keep? 😜

"I got 212 leads from one post!"
 
"I booked 87 calls this month!" [COMMENT!]
 
Yeah. 
Those posts are flooding your feed.
 
Here's what they're actually doing:
 
Manufacturing FOMO.
 
They KNOW you're struggling to book even 1 call a week. 

So they slap "AI" and "Agents" onto the front of it, 
And compound your fear that you just don't know what you're doing.
 
It's bullshit. 
And no-one's calling it out.
 
So let me ask you:
 
Out of 212 "leads" - how many are your ICP? 
How many are qualified? 
How many have a problem you can fix? 
How many have the budget to do so?
 
And those 87 calls... 
How are you fitting them into your calendar? 
How many are tire-kickers?
How many ACTUALLY convert?

Those as the numbers you never see.
 
After reviewing 15,000+ DM conversations with clients and working with over 150 of them 1:1, 
I don't need 87 calls a month.
 
I need 3-5 with the right people.
 
And I get to choose who those people are.
 
So the next time you see a hype post with massive claims, zero proof, from someone who doesn't even serve people like you...
 
Just remember:
 
Even if those numbers were real - and they're not - you'd still be sifting through a mountain of garbage to find one person worth talking to.
 
That's not leverage. 
That's desperation dressed up as automation.
 
Let the kids chase manufactured volume. 
The adults are working on conversion.

🗣️ Tell me in the comments
👉 What are YOUR first thoughts when you see those posts? 🤦‍♂️


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

Every 'just circling back' I sent?
 
Another dead deal in the DMs.

"Just checking in!"
"Did you see this message?"
"Just making sure you saw this..."

Or, the most needy, most cringe.

"Just bumping this up!"

We've all done it
(more times than we care to admit).

I used to tell myself, "at least I'm following up!"

But in actual fact, I was killing a deal dead in the water.

Before it even had a chance to happen.

The moment you use phrases like this, you surrender your frame.

You are no longer the prize to be won.

Your energy becomes needy.
Insecure.
Desperate.

And they can smell it a mile away.

This energy puts them in control - and you lucky to receive a response.

Here are two plays I use to counteract being ghosted.

1️⃣ Find a recent post of theirs, comment on it, wait for a response and then re-open the conversation.
↳ No need reference what they ghosted you about - come back to that later by reframing it.

2️⃣ For one last throw of the dice, call it out directly and be prepared to exit gracefully.
↳ "Hey [name], I appreciate things get busy - no worries. Is this conversation worth continuing, or shall we leave it?

Either way, your frame stays intact.
 
I've had ghosts come back weeks later and book calls - simply because I didn't chase.
 
And the ones who don't? 
They were never going to buy anyway.
 
Let the gurus keep bumping. 
The adults offer one chance - and move on.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

LinkedIn Gurus still preach the same broken playbook.

This is why you're getting likes, but no clients 👇

So many follow the 'content playbook' on LinkedIn:
"Just post"
"Tell stories!"
"Be consistent!"

Over time, they begin to get some engagement.

Justin knew this - "I was getting profile views and engagement on my content, but struggling to convert them into clients".

We changed this within a couple of weeks and got them converted.

You see, engagement feels good.
You feel seen.
You feel people see you as an expert.

But when you dive into that engagement, it's usually:
Industry peers hoping you'll also support their content.
Lots of fluffy comments, boiling down to "great post!"
AI bots and comments 🤦‍♂️

A consultant I was recently on a call with told me honestly:
"I'm crushing it on the outside... But crumbling on the inside".

I hear this every week on calls. 
Same story. 
Same frustration. 
Same confusion.

I recognise it because I lived it early on.

Content thriving.
Business dying.

Yes, content does the heavy lifting.

But without strategy
(the Oprah quotes don't work)

Without direction
(not talking about toxic bosses every day)

And without a conversion process
(honestly, no-one cares about your billboards)...

Then it's nothing more than performative theatre.

And every week you spend performing is another week funding an expensive hobby.

This content 'process' is your bottleneck

Posting for your peers rather than prospects makes for unpredictable months.

And not knowing how to read the right signals from the right people keeps your calendar empty.

The gap isn't your content. 
It's what happens after.

If you're here just to "network" and "build a community", please, follow this 'process' 👆

But those who are selling their services need to convert.

The Guru says: "Trust the process, keep posting"
Adults know: "Engagement without conversion is an expensive hobby".

Who you choose to follow will determine your success here in 2026.


___________________
Click here to follow --> Darren Gibb 

💾 Save to come back to later
♻️ Repost to help someone in your network

Bonus points if you ring the bell 😉

I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

You're now 26 days into Q1.
 
Pipeline full? Great. Stop reading.
 
Still here?
 
Then let's talk about why your content is working, 
but your revenue isn't.
 
You're posting. 
Getting likes. 
Maybe even starting DM conversations.
 
But the calls aren't coming.

Every conversation that ghosts. 
Every thread that goes cold. 
Every "let me think about it" that never comes back.
 
That's not bad luck. 

That's a system failure.
 
Here's what I've seen fix that:
 
→ Steve: 40% → 80% connection rate. 4 new clients. Constant pipeline. 
→ Nathan: 10+ clients from LinkedIn in one year. Zero before. 
→ Maartje: 8 clients in 10 weeks. After years of inconsistency. 
→ Andy: $20k in month 1. $70k+ by month 3.
 
Same platform. 
Same effort.
 
Different approach in the DMs.
 
Today at 6pm CET | 12pm EST I'm breaking down exactly where deals die in the DMs - and the moves that bring them back.
 
No replay. 
No recording.
 
Also picking 10 people for a live DM Audit this week. 
Your conversations. 
Shared screen. 
Line by line.

Only available to those on the call.
 
Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/eFRg8P6K
𝟰 spots left.
 
One hour. 
Might fix your Q1.

What have you got to lose?

Jenny Gonzalez, Nikki Richmond FCA CTA and 4 other attendees

The Art and Tech of sending LinkedIn DMs [link in comments]

I talk a lot about DMs.

Come along and hear me talk more.

Also, take a look at the tech I've been using for my LinkedIn DMs which means I never miss a thread (cos we all know the native LinkedIn inbox sucks...).

No nonsense, no bs - and a great introuction to my webinar on Monday where I show you my DM framework (dmstocalls.darrengibb.com if you've not already signed up for that).

View company: Thought Leadership Branding Club

The Art and Tech of sending LinkedIn DMs

If you’ve ever stared at the LinkedIn “Message” box thinking…

“I don’t want to sound salesy… but I do need to start conversations.”

You’re not alone.

Most DMs fail for one reason:
They feel like a transaction, not a relationship.

That’s why we’re doing this livestream:
“The Art and Tech of sending LinkedIn DMs”
with Bobby Umar, Mitchell Tan, and Darren Gibb

Friday, January 16, 2026 — 11:30am ET

What you’ll walk away with:
✅Practical guidance you can apply immediately
✅Real examples (not theory-heavy frameworks)
✅Clear language you can adapt to your own voice
✅A balanced view of both the art (human nuance) and the tech (systems, structure, efficiency)

Bring one DM you’re about to send. We’ll give you better words and a better structure.

#LinkedIn #SalesLeadership #MarketingStrategy #Recruiting #BusinessDevelopment

Christopher Carew, Jake Erickson, MBA and 36 other attendees

LeeAnna Stock-Luoma  RD, LD, CD, CDCES 🇺🇸

Building personal brands with AI & Video through a GPT system 🤖

Celeste Yamile 🤖

3 years ago, I made the decision that changed my life.

Took the risk. Hoped to figure it out... eventually. 

"You should get a degree" 
"You should have a plan B"

But... what if I go all in?

・Traveled to learn English, made friends globally
・Locked myself in for 24 months
・Obsessed with content to get damn good at it
・Invested 6 figures in my currency in knowledge
・Got in a business magazine and podcasts
・Helped some of the fastest-growing companies in the US with LinkedIn (yeah, the Inc. 5000 ones)
・Became the highest earner in my family tree at 21

I still have a lot to learn, and I definitely had a ton of "I quit" and "screw this" moments.

(btw, mom still doesn't get what I do for a living)

But wanted to use this as a reminder to do the uncomfortable this year.

With a bit of that uninformed optimism screaming:
"Why can't I?"

If that move for you is growing your business with content on LinkedIn...

We're doing free profile audits at BrandWise to help you set up a blueprint for the rest of the year: https://lnkd.in/gkgaA9JR 🎁

If you're willing to step out of the comfort zone,
it might actually change your life.

I'm committing.
Will you?

AI-assisted personal branding to help founders scale their high-ticket offers | Smarter content, better engagement, more inbound leads

A silent killer for LinkedIn growth.

This mistake stole 2 years of progress from me: 

I overthought everything.

・ I binged YouTube tutorials like they were Netflix 
・ I created 10+ versions of my vision board 
・ I collected 1,000s of freebies 

Then reality slapped me in the face:

Even after all the "learnings" (but no practice) 
I sucked! (and not just a little)

Because learning without action is lying to yourself.
It feels productive, but it changes nothing.

Want to skip that whole mess?

I'm doing free audits to help you get a high-converting LinkedIn profile & content plan for inbound leads in 2026: https://lnkd.in/gkgaA9JR

This is the shortcut I wish I had when I was starting.

If you're ready to actually DO stuff this year (not just bookmark "one more tip") I'll see you there: https://lnkd.in/gkgaA9JR

Dreamers dream, doers actually grow.

Agree?

The 5-minute AI strategy that turns ignored profiles into authority magnets:

In this 3-part breakdown, we're diving into headlines that actually work.

Most headlines sound like everyone else's (boring).

But when you nail this formula, the right people start paying attention.


P.S. Want me to roast your profile like Gordon Ramsay roasts amateur chefs? (minus the yelling... mostly)

I'm doing FREE profile reviews where I'll show you exactly what's scaring away your dream clients:

🎁 https://lnkd.in/gkgaA9JR


P.P.S. Here's the prompt I used: 

--- 

Help me write my headline, give me 3 examples for each of these 3 templates. Adapt it to my needs. 

- My ideal audience: […]
- The problem I solve for my audience: […]
- The mechanism I use to solve that problem: […]
- Some social proof about me is that […]

TEMPLATE 1: I help you get [Benefit] through [Mechanism] | [Credibility] | [Topic1] [Topic2] [Topic3]
Example: I help you attract & convert clients through Power Writing. | Ranked No.37 LinkedIn creator in the world | Brand - Content - Copy

TEMPLATE 2: [l do X] for [specific audience]. [Benefit 1], [Benefit 2], and [Benefit 3]
Example: I ghostwrite LinkedIn posts for 7-figure B2B founders. Save time, grow your audience, and get more leads.

TEMPLATE 3: I help [Audience with X characteristics] achieve [Y goal]. [Relevant question]. [CTA]
Example: I help men over 40 recover their energy. Want to feel stronger, younger, and unstoppable? Shoot me a DM

---

LinkedIn headline

LinkedIn as we knew it has been dying since 2024.

Some notable "deaths" include:

1. AI comments, thinking "no one will notice"
2. "Would love to connect and explore synergies"
3. "CEO | Thought leader" (anyone can be one now)
4. "Hi [victim name], I saw you commented on [X] post"

The reality is that we're tired of:

• "Personalized" messages that clearly aren't
• Cold pitches that make no sense
• AI-ish content with zero value
• The fakeness

But all that noise is a big opportunity.
Cuz doing the opposite wins the respect of a high-quality audience.

Is it hard? Hell yes.

As a non-native speaker, sometimes I feel like I don't have the vocab to be part of the cool kids club.

I'm figuring it out, and I'll share what works with you. 

For now, I found this pretty useful:
1. Map out everything you hate
2. Do the exact opposite

The first time I tried it for a week, I got more leads than in an entire month following someone else's advice blindly.

Your turn: 
What do you feel stopped working the most?

4 fast steps to validate your LinkedIn

(And avoid missed leads)

Most founders treat LinkedIn like a business card.
But clients don’t reach out because you exist.

It’s about positioning yourself as the obvious choice to solve their problem.

Here's how to calculate the metric that will tell you if you're doing it right. 👇 

::: 

P.S. If you want me to roast your profile and show you what's not working in your strategy, I'm doing free profile reviews for my community ✨ 

https://lnkd.in/gkgaA9JR

Profile Efficiency Score

This has to be the craziest AI prompt I’ve tried.

It helps you create new photos for your LinkedIn.

Two weeks ago, a client did a photoshoot.

She was worried because even though she looked like a total girl boss…

All the photos had the same theme and outfit.

So I figured we could fix it with Nano Banana.

Here’s how you can modify and remove hard objects without creating a plastified, weird version of yourself: 

1. Go to Nano Banana (Google’s image model)
2. Select the “Thinking” model + upload your image
3. Write your prompt. You can use mine as a guide

::::::

𝘙𝘦-𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.
𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦.
𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴:
- 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘧𝘪𝘵: 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮-𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘝-𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦
- 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘱 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥

::::::

Now, if you want more help looking professional on LinkedIn…

I do free audits to help you get a high-converting LinkedIn profile with AI so you can get inbound leads.

🎁 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gV3XkST3

Curious, have you played with Nano Banana before?
I’m getting obsessed with finding cool use cases.

Building a business is sold as a dream.

But these are 3 things I wish I knew before having one: 

1) You'll have to build many careers in record time: 

・Sales
・Writing
・Marketing
・Public speaking
・Project management
・Product development

2) Simple things become trickier than you expect: 

・Offer crafting
・Email
・DMs 

3) Yet, others will sell courses teaching:

・How to reach 6 figures in 3 months
・How to generate money while you sleep
・How to automate 99% of your work with AI

Most advice is garbage until you see the truth:

・This takes reps
・This takes failures
・This takes dedication

The work is heavy, but it's worth it.
Keep going!

Want to start posting in 2026 but have no plan?
Here's a weekly structure I use with clients to book their first 3 high-ticket clients with organic content.

No ads.
No cold outreach.
No unstable referrals.

Consistency can also mean posting 3 days a week.
So... if you don't post daily, just alternate the formats.

🎁 Bonus to give you an extra hand: 

You can steal here my list of 200 proven hooks, so you never stare at a blank screen wondering how the hell to start scrolls topping posts: 
https://lnkd.in/gAm-JT-6


P.S. How many days per week are you planning to post?

Going viral won’t grow your business.

Google’s 7-11-4 rule proves it.

They noticed that the more time someone spends knowing you, the more likely they are to buy.

 This is the average they found: 
• 7 hours of content
• 11 different interactions
• Across 4 platforms or places

So no, 1 viral hit isn't the magic pill.
You're stacking trust over time.

That's why I built a client pathway instead of letting one cold DM do all the heavy lifting.

As a result, my close rate jumped from 12% to 49%

Meaning, with my 1st offer for every 10 calls:
• Before: 1–2 clients 
• After: ~5 clients

I used to think I needed more leads.
But I just had to build more trust with the ones I had.

If you want my help building your client pathway…

We do free 1:1 mapping sessions at BrandWise.
You'll get a visual blueprint you can implement immediately: https://lnkd.in/gMMEG7f8 🎁

Plus, you'll see my content-to-client map if you want to steal the structure.

Most founders skip building deeper relationships.
Don't be “most founders”

RIP PowerPoint. Use AI to create your business presentations in ~10 minutes

Cuz they aren’t hard, they’re just time-consuming.

You open PowerPoint for something “quick” and suddenly an hour is gone.

Even in Canva, you can lose a ton of time just fixing layouts, fonts, and spacing.

This tool (Dokie AI) takes care of that:
https://lnkd.in/g5eTqDFM

Just write your vision in the chat, and it's AI builds it and makes changes in seconds.

Here’s how I would use it for my program lessons 👇

Presentations with AI

The # 1 reason founders fail at converting on LinkedIn:

Chasing the 3%.

The rule suggests that only about 3% of your market is actively ready to buy.

That’s why the usual hacks die:

• CTAs people ignore
• Cold DMs that get lost as spam
• Calendar links that nobody books

All cuz you ignored the 97% who could buy
(if they had a reason to trust you)

❇️ Here’s what I did instead:

• Understand how people make buying decisions
 (I show you a bit with the Buyer’s Pyramid below)
• Wrote content for the confused, curious, & skeptical
 (not just the ready)
• Replaced “book a call” with “here’s something useful”

Fix your brand with value-first funnels for the 97%.
🎁 I’ll share mine (and help you build yours) here:
https://lnkd.in/gMMEG7f8

If your entire strategy starts with “book a call”…
you’re building trust backwards.

This prompt forces ChatGPT to call out your weak ideas. 

Time to stop it from always agreeing with you.

Here's how: 

1 - Go to settings
2 - Find the “personalization” section 
3 - Add this to the custom instructions: 

Act as my no-BS advisor:
- Push for growth over comfort
- No praise, no softening, no vague advice
- Call out excuses, avoidance, and playing it safe
- If my request is unclear, interrogate it until it’s specific
- Point out weak logic, missing data, and contradictions

Would you try this? 


---
📌 More AI tips to grow your business with content in my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gCeHYHF4

I got asked this on the last podcast I was on: 
“What do buyers want before hopping on a call?”
The answer can give you 5x more revenue:

It’s trust.

It’s when they believe in you before the call, thanks to your content, values, story, you name it.

👉 For easy math, let’s use:
The average ticket size of my clients: $3,000
And say you get 100 leads this month.

👉 Now, with industry standards:

Cold traffic closes on average at 1–3%
↳ That’s 1–3 clients = $3k–$9k

Warm leads close on average at 5–15%
↳ That’s 5–15 clients = $15k–$45k

Same traffic, but now they actually want to talk to you instead of ghosting like it’s a bad Tinder date.

That’s why a personal brand isn’t optional.

If you’re tired of chasing and want a pool of warm buyers instead…

I’m looking for 5 founders this week to build exactly this through our 90-day inbound challenge.

Content + AI + LinkedIn strategy that actually converts.

Drop me an “hola” in my DMs if you want more info ;)

How I turned my LinkedIn inbox into a sales pipeline
 
(and got 3x more deals in 60 days)

For this strategy breakdown, you’ll need Kondo: https://www.trykondo.com/

I use it with all my clients.
It's how we stay organized and close more deals.

🎁 If you wanna try it, steal this code to play with it completely free for 2 months: CYKONDO

(Limited uses available, be fast)

Here’s the workflow 👇

LinkedIn DMs hack to get more clients

The LinkedIn playbook changed.

Most people didn't notice.

After 2 years on LinkedIn, I've seen the patterns most still follow, even though they stopped working.

If you want to apply the new way and start attracting clients with content...

In this guide, I give you a full master prompt to build your personalized content strategy in 6 minutes with AI: 🎁 https://lnkd.in/g94_V2qj


ps - curious, which mistakes have you seen (or done)? 🙈 I was guilty of some

taplio

The Battle

Darren Gibb

Celeste Yamile 🤖

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreDarren Gibb's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreCeleste Yamile 🤖's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Darren Gibb

Celeste Yamile 🤖

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Darren Gibb's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreCeleste Yamile 🤖's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDarren Gibb's LinkedIn Performance