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 🇺🇸

I’m Ron Burgundy? Ranked Forbes Top 7,000,000 LinkedIn Connections | Content bruh-fessional | Weird and Sassy | Sometimes I share my guitar skillz | My mom says I’m funny… oh and Smiling is my favorite

After more than a decade in the automotive and fleet world, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. 

And honestly, I’ve made peace with the fact that vehicles always choose the worst possible moment to breakdown. 

Today, I lead Fleet Maintenance & Safety for a 5,000+ asset fleet at Wrench Group. 

I’m all about smart, fast decision making, controlling costs, navigating accident repairs, and knowing when it’s time to repair, replace, or politely retire a vehicle that’s been around the block one too many times. 

I enjoy turning complex fleet challenges into clear, practical solutions that keep operations moving and drivers supported.

If there’s a chance to streamline a process, improve performance, or save the team a few headaches, I’m on it.

Jacob Schwer

We have cameras in all of our company vehicles, it's a non negotiable. I WISH we didn't need them, but when you're a large organization with thousands of trucks on the road, all people see is a payday. 

Last year, we had a lady try to go after us for 500k or a million dollars I don’t remember, but it was ridiculous. She claimed our vehicle backed into theirs in the parking lot. 

First off, the tab was so light it didn't even trigger an event. 

Second, when I found the clip, we were backing out, our driver noticed them, stopped and honked, then they hit us.

Third, the other party tried offering US money not to report it. 😬 

It was resolved. We protected ourselves and our employee. Without a camera, who knows. 


So, due to the fact that people are literally insane, we will continue to have cameras in our vehicles.


*** hello world, it’s been a minute. Say hi. If you want to hear more about my fleet/automotive/corporate world thoughts, experiences learnings and more insane stories, give me a follow/connect. I really love my org, and It’s my goal to share more and network with fellow fleet/safety pros out there.

#fleetmanagement

If you’re new to fleet management, buckle up.

This job is less “office professional” and more “triage nurse for a rolling circus” 

Every day is a fresh adventure you never asked for. 

You’ll log in Monday morning expecting to review PM schedules, and instead find out one of your trucks is on the side of the highway because “the engine was making a weird sound but I figured it would stop eventually.” It did not stop. It got louder. Then it made other noises.

But that’s just the warm-up.

By Wednesday, someone will file an incident report that reads like a riddle. Something like:
“Vehicle contacted object. Object was stationary. Vehicle was also stationary. Unsure how contact occurred.”

You will also be unsure. Physics will be unsure. No answers will emerge.

And by Thursday, you’ll receive three emails marked “URGENT,” none of which are even remotely urgent, while the actual urgent issue will arrive with the subject line “Quick question,” followed by a photo of a wheel that has completely removed itself from the vehicle and is living its best life 40 feet away.

Friday will bring the real plot twist: a driver insisting their van “always sounded like that,” as if the high-pitched squealing of mechanical agony is part of the original factory specifications.

But here’s the beautiful part: this madness is where new fleet managers become seasoned ones. 

You develop instincts.
You develop patience.
You develop an internal radar that detects chaos before it happens. 

You learn to handle it all with grace, or the closest approximation of grace possible while on your third coffee and your fifteenth ping of the morning.

Here are the skills they don’t list in the job description, but absolutely should:

• The ability to interpret vague driver complaints using only context clues and spiritual intuition.
• The emotional strength to open repair invoices without flinching.
• The composure to say “Tell me exactly what happened” without sounding like you’re bracing for impact.
• The mental resilience to discover brand-new, never-before-seen types of vehicle damage.
• The optimism required to believe—against all evidence—that someday, someone will report damage within 24 hours of it happening.

And somehow, through all this, the fleet moves, the work gets done, and you become the quiet hero keeping an entire operation from collapsing into logistical anarchy.

So to all the new fleet managers out there: welcome. The job is chaos, but it’s the good kind. 

The kind that turns you into a better leader, a sharper problem-solver, and someone who can handle absolutely anything.

If you can survive fleet management, you can survive pretty much anything.

#fleetmanagement #thriving

EVs are being sold as a fleet solution. Yet many of them are still an experiment.

Sure electric vehicles have their benefits. Fuel savings, slightly less maintenance, and environmental benefits that matter.

But for a large, service based fleet, the reality still looks like this:

• Lower resale, fewer configurations, and real unknowns around batteries under load
• Charging that is inconsistent where our techs actually work
• Higher accident repair costs, higher chance of total loss (even minor repairs become major)
• Fewer body shops and vendors equipped to handle EV repairs 
• Range that works on paper and falls apart on long days, not to mention route planning concerns

EVs are not a bad idea. They are just not the right idea for us… yet.

Right now, I care most about trucks starting every morning, techs getting to jobs on time, and everyone getting home safely.

Because when a tech runs out of gas, they are mildly annoyed.

When a tech runs out of charge, suddenly I lose my will to live.

We will get there when the timing is right.

Until then, I am perfectly comfortable letting someone else be the case study.

#fleetmanagement #ev

I am not interested in being a leader that avoids hard conversations.

I am not trying to fit into some stereotypical leadership mold. Cause tbh, the current mold is broken. 

- I'm not trying to make bosses happy
- I'm not in it for the bonuses or promotions
- and I refuse to play corporate politics

I'm not about that life.

I care a lot about what I do, and I care about the people I do it with. I simply refuse to put my success above the needs of others. 

If the corporate ivory tower is making decisions without communicating with those in their charge, mistakes will be made. Trust will be lost. And the whole system fails. 

There's gotta be a consistent, real talk, open feedback loop. You gotta encourage honesty rather than getting a bunch of "yes men" 

That's what I bring to the table

I'm real
I'm kind
I'm unapologetically honest 

We have roughly 35-40 fleet/safety managers in our organization and I try to stay in touch regularly with each of them, and get to know their strengths and struggles. 

I'm not perfect at it, but I do my best. 

I'm confident that if you ask any of our fleet/safety personnel about me, you'll hear positive feedback. 

That's not me being cocky, I just know my people and I've been able to build trust with them. They know their voice matters just as much as mine

These folks in the trenches every day are smarter than me, many have more experience than me in a variety of areas. Why would I NOT lean on their expertise? 

Sure, we can't please everyone. And I get that leadership isn’t about being "liked"

But shouldn't we at least try? 

I'm not perfect, but I do believe I have the potential to elevate Wrench Group because of who I am as a person.

Hey so quick PSA… eating & driving do not mix well 

especially if it involves a fork, spaghetti and/or meatballs, 

oh and definitely not when going around corners. That’s a no no. You will indeed ruin your pasta/hit a tree. 

Thank you. 🙏🏼 

#protip #besafenotstupid

If you’re looking for marketing genius, go follow Morris-Jenkins 

They have a friggin ice cream truck. It’s beautiful and brilliant. And it’s free! 

I find their social media strategy to be one of the more refined ones. 

They’ve got humor, testimonials, videos, memes, educational, and they get their techs involved which is always cool to see. 

It’s beautiful. And I don’t think they get enough attention for their hard work building such an awesome brand. 

I don’t know the marketing people there, but I love them. And I’ve been a fan for years, even before joining Wrench. 

Any other underrating brands you follow? I wanna know about them

No alternative text description for this image

Brake lights don’t tell us the full story… 

Whether you slam em or lightly tap them, the brightness is the same. 

Because they tell us so little, safe driving habits become even more important.

If you wanna avoid collisions, do this

1. Keep a safe following distance.
With only one brightness to work with, space becomes your reaction time. It is the buffer that turns a surprise into a manageable slowdown (Hint - you need way more space than you think)

2. Avoid harsh braking whenever possible.
Smooth braking helps everyone behind you stay in control and reduces unnecessary ripple effects through traffic. (How? See point # 1) 

3. For the love of Moses, put that cell phone down. It’s never that important. Mount it, use bluetooth but don’t touch it. And eyes on the road, not the radio. 

Follow those 3 pieces of advise and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a safer driver. 

Make sense? 

#fleetmanagement #safety

This is how oversimplified math turns into bad business advice 

This is LinkedIn math, not fleet math.

Comparing total rent paid vs purchase price (while ignoring repairs, downtime, insurance, depreciation, financing, and cash flow) is how bad decisions get justified with clean numbers.

Renting isn’t “wasted money.” Especially if it’s only $2500 per month, what a steal! 

It’s paying for flexibility, risk transfer, and guaranteed uptime. Ownership only wins when utilization is high and risk is acceptable.

If your rent‑vs‑buy analysis fits in a post, it’s probably incomplete.

Real world operational math > social media math

#fleetmanagement #hottake

The #1 Work Truck Upfit Creator | Helping 6,000+ fleet managers & upfit pros avoid costly truck mistakes and build smarter, safer, more profitable fleets.

𝗛𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟭𝟴 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀. 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱'𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁.

Contractor renting a dump truck at $2,500/month for a "temp" gig.

18 months later: still renting.

Let's do the math:

→ 18 × $2,500 = $45,000 down the drain
→ Comparable used dump truck = $35K–$45K
→ Equity after renting = zip

Paid premium to own nothing.

Now look, renting makes sense sometimes:

→ One-shot specialty hauls
→ Trialing a new service line without full commit
→ Peak season overflow

But "temporary" has a way of becoming permanent. And every month you rent, you're funding someone else's asset.

The rule I tell fleet managers:

If you're renting the same gear for more than 6 months, crunch the buy vs. rent numbers. You might already be bleeding cash.

Renting = flexibility. Owning = equity.

What gear are you renting that screams "buy me"?

Great interview Meghann McNally 👏🏼 

It’s a fantastic group to be a part of. Talent is everywhere.

From national expansion to local execution, scaling home services requires alignment across brand, performance, and customer experience.

Our CMO, Meghann McNally, shares how Wrench Group is navigating that balance in this interview at ICR Conference 2026 with Exec Edge.

Watch here: https://bit.ly/4ag2GE1
#WrenchGroup #WrenchLife #HomeServices

Open article: Wrench Group CMO Meghann McNally on Scaling Home Services: ICR Conference 2026 – ExecEdge by executives-edge.com

Wrench Group CMO Meghann McNally on Scaling Home Services: ICR Conference 2026 – ExecEdge

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The Battle

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Jacob Schwer

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The Battle

Darren Gibb

Jacob Schwer

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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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