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 🇺🇸

You’re building a thriving business and are amazing at what you do.

But social media doesn’t seem to work for you. 
You struggle to communicate your impact and value online and attract the right clients. 

Wasting time and effort creating content and chasing prospects to only hear crickets. 

If this sounds familiar, I can help.

Through storytelling and content, I managed to turn my consulting side hustle into full-time from LinkedIn after only 3 months after starting.

Combining my experience working in marketing and sales within Meta and Pinterest with my passion for storytelling and content creation, I grew a community of 30,000 on social media 100% organically, built a consulting business on my own from scratch, and built authority.

💰Now I teach others how to get similar results and monetize their audience with proven systems.
💰With an average of 700K-1.1M monthly views, I help brands and products get more exposure and traffic through sponsored posts ➡️ DM “Partner” if interested

Some clients highlights:
🔥a Freelancer client started to attract inbound opportunities (including a job offer) within the first week of working together on their profile and marketing strategy.
🔥 Agency Founder brought 2 high-ticket clients from LinkedIn within the first two strategic sessions. 
🔥Business Strategist reduced their time on LinkedIn from +4 hours to +35 min daily while getting more results out of it following my systems.
🔥Bestseller author and Founder got new speaking gigs from LinkedIn within 3 weeks of working together on their networking and engagement strategies. 

Other facts about me:
✅ Featured and ranked 2# on LinkedIn Sales Stars 2021
✅ Ranking on Favikon, Spring 2023:
- 37th on Marketing & Sales LinkedIn Worldwide
- 57th Female LI Content Creator Worldwide
- 22nd Personal Branding & Audience Building Worldwide 
✅ Grown a community of 30K on LinkedIn in <10 months of intentional work
✅ Reached 700K-1M monthly content views and 1% SSI. 
✅ Monetised my online presence in < 4 months of creating content intentionally. Left my 9-5 to go full in with business after 6 months. 

If you want to start building a brand intentionally and drive impact and attract the RIGHT opportunities inbound

DM "Inbound" to learn more.

PS. I am a digital nomad, not in London right now

Debora Prossomariti

Executive Director & CEO @ Personal Branding Atelier | Helping you move from unknown to visible and credible online.

New bio coming soon. In the meantime, check out my content and follow me if my posts resonate ❤️

Personal Branding & Strategic Marketing Consultant | Content Creator | Influencer marketing

You don’t need to be a celebrity or an expert to build online.

Whether you’re a successful executive employed at a company or working for yourself establishing authority online and credibility will open up new doors and attract opportunities.

Having more options will give you more confidence and leverage, and with that, the freedom to choose and live the life on your own terms.

Get a more impactful personal brand. Here's why:
- You’ll attract your ideal clients inbound without chasing them
- You’ll save a ton of money on ads
- You’ll start getting life-changing opportunities coming directly to your Inbox
- You’ll stand out from the mass and get more credibility and authority
- You’ll stay top of mind and become the go-to person when they need the type of support you offer
- You’ll build leverage and with that you’ll have more options, more freedom and the possibility to charge more.

DM for strategic 1:1s or corporate training.

Debora Prossomariti, M.Sc.

6 thoughts to leave in 2025 (personal branding edition):

- “I’m not enough {adjective} to reach this goal”
You can still be a beginner and learn. But you need to drop your ego and freaking start somewhere.

- “the market is already saturated. My voice won’t be heard”
according to the internet everything is always already saturated or d3ad at least every other week, but you still see new people showing up and building successful online empires, so why not you? Your voice will never be heard if you keep silencing yourself. 

- “I’m scared of the competition”
having competition is a GOOD thing! It means there is interest and a market willing to pay. You can differentiate yourself without trying to reinvent the wheel. 

- “I’m too old/young to start”
That’s a lie. There’s no fixed timeline. You can always change your life and your career. And even upgrade your identity. 

- “they are ahead of me” 
It’s not a race, stop comparing yourself to a manufactured version of someone else. You know 1% of others’ life and you don’t even know if what is shared on social is real (>90% of it is not).

- “what if I am seen and.. I am exposed and I stop being safe and liked?” 
This has to do more with your limiting beliefs and fears than the actual truth. Being liked doesn’t equal being respected. Owing your voice and bringing the power back to yourself is in fact safer than outsourcing your authority and being miserable doing what you’re supposed to do but didn’t choose. 

Any of these resonating with you?

I spot the patterns and invisible loops affecting your brand and performance so you can move forward faster | Featured on Business Insider

No alternative text description for this image

Business is a game so you might as well play your cards too. 
Use your strengths and “unfair advantages”. 

Because here's the truth:
Life is not fair. If you are not resilient enough the world will eat you alive. 

You have a network from your previous job?
Use it.

You were born in a city full of opportunities?
Don’t take it for granted.

You have a pretty face people are naturally drawn to? 
Take advantage of it.

Look at successful people around you.
They're not waiting for permission to use their advantages.
They're not feeling guilty about their privileges.
They're not apologizing for their connections.
They're not downplaying their natural talents.

And you know what?
That's exactly what you should do too.

You don’t need to make things harder for yourself.
Stop believing success only counts if you struggle.
(Spoiler: it’s probably a limiting belief you inherited from your childhood) 

Your advantages are part of who you are.
They're your tools. Your stepping stones.

People will call you lucky regardless if you succeed and they are not putting in the work (they will project) but you know the truth and what it took, even with your privileges.

6 LinkedIn rules I am following in 2026: 

- protect my energy 
unfollow, mute and block accounts that drain my energy and don’t add any real value, chronic liars and “I make X and I am better than you” posts and pod users

- protect my time 
irrelevant cold outreaches from strangers don’t need my energy and time. No time wasters. Greater pre-qualification filters.  

- create more than I consume 
less time on the feed (not hard to do lately as the content is 90% AI, boring and soulless). No doomscrolling. 

- be way more selective with whom I work with 
No job or client is worth my mental health. Good money is not enough to justify an unhealthy work relationship.

- avoid comparisons
Everyone shares highlights and according to the feed it looks like your career and growth should be linear. Well, it’s not. Entrepreneurship is messy and there are nuances. 

- allow breaks
Hard to do as a high performer. this feels wrong but it’s right. Period. 

What are yours?

♻️repost if this resonates

The other day I had a conversation with a business owner who told me they want to be more visible online and build authority.

“I want to be a thought leader online and drive impact” they said.

But when I looked at their behavior, there was a gap: no original posting, a few reposts of quotes, "safe" comments without a real POV shown. 
 
"They lacked strategy" you might think.
Nope, strategy is the easiest part.

There was a mismatch between who they claim they are and who they internally believe they are (unconsciously or consciously).
 
When the two versions don't fully match there is cognitive dissonance and our self trust drops.

From a neuroscience perspective, behavior is driven by the brain’s internal model of “who I am” and “what someone like me does.”

The brain doesn't care about our success, it wants to keep us "safe"
It favors actions that are consistent with that model and resists those that contradict it.

This is why relying on motivation or inspiration is a gamble. 

Without an internal belief system that supports being seen, visibility remains a concept that can be performed for some time but it's often not sustainable as the foundations are missing. 

Your identity gets to upgrade.

A simple LinkedIn DM got me in front of the VP of a $1.76 billion American company as a student in my early 20s. 

I was a European postgraduate student with less than 1000 followers on social. No network in the US or Canada yet.

But I had a mission and I believed I could get whatever I wanted in life if I was delusional enough. 

So I sent a total of 3 DMs to the executive board of a business I respected oversea.
One of them landed. The VP replied. 

She suggested getting on the phone 1:1.

I run a 1-hour interview with them, virtually from Lisbon to their Toronto HQ, and got a strong case study for my Masters’ thesis out of it. 

How did I get a reply? 

I was a total stranger and looking just a little girl (some things never change😆) I was just a student. Why should a VP care and spend time with a random 20-something year girl from oversea?

Here’s why my outreach got a reply anyway. 

1. I was deeply delusional and I believed everything was possible 

2. The message was:
- Clear
- Relevant
- With context

3. And even as a student I built credibility and positioned myself as a top performer in marketing and strategy backing up my message (the topic was business strategy)

I focused more on the quality of the message and the targeting vs copy pasted low quality template to lots of people 

It was pre-AI but the rules are still the same today. 

People are going to ignore you if they don’t have any reason not to.

Do you give them a reason to reply to your DMs? But even more important, are you delusional enough to believe you can make it? 

-

Hi I’m Debbie, follow me for more stories about my entrepreneurial journey and marketing insights

Silence is leverage. Use it strategically

Build a brand that reflects the real you | neuroscience driven frameworks | Featured on Business Insider

I used to think money was evil because there are so many men in power doing terrible things for humanity. I changed my mind.

Last year I moved my business to Dubai and met extremely wealthy people who were also genuinely kind, real, and generous. Building legit businesses, taking a slow but sustainable and honest approach.

At the same time, I watched “colleagues” in the personal branding space hit seven figures by lying, faking friendships to exploit others, buying features, engagement and followers pretending they were earned.  

Using their fake social proof to become “big players” and sell more lies. 
Here’s what I realised: 
Money is not evil. Money is an amplifier.

It doesn’t change people. It reveals them.

People with low integrity often grow faster because they are willing to cut corners and exploit others. 

Their lack of ethics accelerates results in the short term. Money simply makes that visible.

On the other side, there are people who build wealth slowly, ethically, and honestly. When they get rich, their values scale too. Their generosity, fairness, and responsibility expand with their resources.

Money doesn’t make you a bad person.
It makes the mask fall.

It amplifies who you already are.

I opened doors for people who slammed them in my face.
And you know what? 

I don’t regret it. I did what I could with the information I had at that time.

I rise by lifting others. 

I don’t want to assume people always have opportunistic motives by default because if I start doing it, I cannot keep an open heart at the same time. 

If last year taught me anything, it is that nobody is coming to save you.

If you’re a giver, takers will take.

That’s how their operating system works. 

The solution is not to become like them or to close your heart.

It’s to keep your values and change your filters.

Not assuming bad intent by default does not require giving everyone the same level of access, energy, or benefit of the doubt. 
An open heart and strong boundaries are not opposites. 
They are different systems.

You can stay a giver and still:

- Give selectively, not reflexively
- Let people earn depth, access, and support over time
- Help without overextending
- Notice patterns instead of isolated stories
- Exit earlier when reciprocity is missing

So here’s the biggest lesson I learned the hard way: 
Not everyone deserves the same level of access to you

There's a cognitive bias that you need to be aware of (and once you see it you cannot unsee it):

It's called confirmation bias:

According to neuroscience, your brain does not process reality neutrally.

When you hold a belief, whether you are aware of it or not, your attention system prioritizes information that fits that belief and filters out much of what does not. 

As a result, you notice more evidence that confirms what you already think and miss or downplay evidence that challenges it.

In simple terms: your brain looks for proof of what it expects to be true, then treats that proof as reality.

So if you believe: "I cannot share my voice online, it's not safe."

Your brain will scan for anything confirming your belief.

Every troll. Every criticism. Every person who got canceled.

Ignoring the thousands who are thriving, dismissing the opportunities, overlooking the connections you could be making.

And six months later, you're still invisible online while complaining that "it doesn't work for people like me."

Your belief becomes your reality.

So if you want to change your reality, you get to reframe the narrative and the stories you’re telling yourself about who you are. 

PS. I don’t have capacity for new retainer projects (normally in the 5 figures) at the moment but I am reopening my calendar with 1:1 power sessions for a fraction of it for a small number of professionals who are ready to break through their limiting beliefs and finally show up online in 2026, after years of “I want to do this, but… ” and self sabotage. 
Check it out here:
https://lnkd.in/dSPsVvdJ

I went from selling €200 sessions on 1-hour calls to closing €42K deals in 20-minute casual conversations.

It took me about 6 months to learn this. These are the 8 rules I follow:

1. Disengage fast when needed
If your non-negotiables are not met, it’s okay to move on. Sometimes it’s simply not a match. Bad deals are often more harmful than no deals at all.

2. Cut the noise
Unsupportive people. Energy vampires. Dismissive friends. Anyone who laughs at your goals or subtly pulls you down.

3. Build a strong personal brand and clear positioning
Higher brand equity → higher trust → higher rates

4. Put in the real work
Not the aesthetic version. There will be trade-offs you need to accept. 

5. Be delusional AF
If you lack conviction and self-belief, it shows. People feel your energy before they analyze your offer.
If you doubt your value, the market will mirror that doubt back to you.

6. Do the math and create a no-brainer offer
ROI matters. It’s an exchange of value. Stop overexposing and justifying your standards 

7. Talk to the right people
You’ll always feel like “too much” with the wrong audience.
This rule applies to business and life.

8. Leverage relevant proof
Previous wins with a similar audience beat random awards every time.

Bonus rule: Treat rejection as data, not a personal attack
Feedback, not identity.

♻️repost if you found it helpful

- 

Hi I’m Debbie and I help executives and founders build a brand that stands out and drives real impact and revenue.

Let me deinfluencing you on how your life and business are “supposed” to look at your age.

We internalise beliefs about where we should be by now. 
That we should be having more, reaching certain milestones, scaling faster by some specific age.
The world we live now is not the same as it was 30 years ago. Not even 10 years ago. 

Success is not linear and I am tired of people pretending it is.

Because social media is an ongoing highlight but it doesn't show everything. 

Take some celebrities and public figures as an example.
Kristy Sarah, big influencer with 9M followers. Until a few months she looked like having the best family and life. 
This month, her divorce was all over the news. 

Liz Wizard before her. 
The Beckham family drama now. 

I don't care about celebrity drama and avoid the news but social media doesn't let me (lol) but these are clear examples. 

Everyone wants to protect their image and their reputation so we get into this comparison loop because we only see what is shown to us. 

Forgetting about the fact that we also do the same.
We hide our struggles. We curate our wins. We unknowingly feed the same cycle we feel trapped in.

And we end up chasing an invisible, unrealistic timeline and beating ourselves up for not matching it.

This is your friendly reminder to stop doing this to yourself.

Life is not fair and success is not linear.
Ups and downs are normal. 
Failures are part of the game.

Live your life your way. 

♻️repost if this resonates

How you can manifest luck and abundance in 2026 (you might want to save this):

Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Here’s how I train myself to get lucky:
-I prepare like the opportunities are already on their way
- I rewire my thoughts to filter for possibilities
- I focus on what most people overlook

Why does this work?
→ Most people wait for opportunities to show up
 → They’re not mentally ready when a chance appears
 → They miss signals because their brain isn’t trained to look for them
But when you expect opportunities, your perception changes.

You start seeing them everywhere:
→ In conversations others dismiss as irrelevant
 → In problems others complain about
 → In people others underestimate

The difference between “lucky” and “unlucky” people?

Lucky people prepare before they need to.

They condition their minds to notice what’s possible.
They place themselves where opportunities naturally circulate.
So when the moment arrives, they don’t freeze.

They step into it because they’ve already become the person who can hold it.

That's how you get “lucky.”

Some time ago I had a new ghostwriting client who was hesitant to start working together.

Here’s why: 

He was burned in the past by an agency that made clear that they couldn’t care less about his results and reputation.

His story was disheartening. 

He wasted thousands of dollars for a mediocre job: 

- Soulless posts which were clearly copy-pasted templates written by AI without personality and even worse, without a strategy behind

- An increased engagement… coming from (probably fake) accounts in low income countries not filling his Ideal Client criteria

- An increased following base.. from other irrelevant accounts attracted to his profile as a result of the increase (irrelevant) traffic 

It turned out they were put in an engagement pod without them knowing about it (being relatively new on LinkedIn) 

Their reputation became at risk.

And their only fault was trusting a scammer, a very popular LinkedIn creator, with a lot of engagement and whose name was on the most popular “top 1%” lists.

And this client’ results? 
On the surface, they were doing great.

They had more followers, more likes, but the few inbound enquiries that came in where only from people who would never afford their services. 

They saw the red flags and canceled the contract, limiting the damage. 

But the lack of overall confidence remained. 

So I offered them my entry-level, low commitment offer first so they could have an idea of what it looked like working with me and have first-hand experience first before committing long-term. 

Reassured, they signed off on the core program and we continued working together. 

Sometimes it’s okay to take a step back and offer flexibility.

Show empathy and that you get them. 

In most cases, it’s not about you. 

But more about their history and experiences.

~

Ever been burned in the past? How did you overcome your skepticism?

taplio

The Battle

Darren Gibb

Debora Prossomariti, M.Sc.

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taplio

The Battle

Darren Gibb

Debora Prossomariti, M.Sc.

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

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