Bradley Jacobs's Linkedin Analytics

I hear it constantly: "I need clients now. I don't have time for strategies that take months." After helping thousands of fractional executives build their practices, I've found LinkedIn offers unique advantages that no other platform can match. The key benefit? Nurturing relationships over time with your ideal audience. Here's why this matters: When you connect with a relevant decision-maker on LinkedIn, they join your network even if they don't immediately respond. Your consistent content appears in their feed regularly. When a pain point you address becomes acute for them, they're primed to reach out - already familiar with your expertise and approach. This creates a powerful compound effect that traditional marketing can't match. Let me share a practical framework to leverage this advantage: Step 1: Define Your Ideal Client Precisely Before adding a single connection, get crystal clear on who specifically benefits most from your expertise. Ask yourself: What size company can afford and justify my services? Which industries align with my experience? What specific problems do I solve better than anyone else? Step 2: Build Your Network With Precision LinkedIn allows approximately 100 new connections weekly (varies based on your profile). That's potentially 400 relevant decision-makers joining your network monthly. Remember: Every connection should be someone who might reasonably need your services someday. Step 3: Create Content That Demonstrates Expertise Consistency matters more than frequency, but aim for at least 3 posts weekly. Instead of explicitly selling, address common questions and challenges in your niche. For example, if you're a fractional CMO specializing in marketing attribution, share: Common mistakes companies make with measurement: a. How proper attribution changes investment decisions b. What an effective marketing dashboard includes c. Metrics that truly matter for growth These topics showcase your expertise without directly selling. Step 4: Track Progress With Meaningful Metrics Monitor: -Network growth (quality over quantity) -Post engagement (comments matter more than likes) -Inbound inquiries (the ultimate validation) The Timeline Reality: Day 30: Might feel like nothing is happening Day 60: Small signs of traction Days 90-120: Meaningful results becoming visible through inbound and calls booked Day 180: Potential business transformation The most powerful aspect of this approach? It gets easier over time while delivering increasingly better results.

The early months of entrepreneurship can be a vacuum of positive feedback. Focus on just 2-3 needle-moving activities that directly impact growth, and don't forget to celebrate your wins, no matter how small.

New Podcast Episode Alert: Want to know how I built a $25K/month consulting business through LinkedIn? In my latest Six Figure Secrets episode, I break down the exact content strategy that kept my calendar filled with 8-10 potential client calls every month. A few insights that worked for me: • Post 3-4 times weekly at 6am CT to maximize engagement across time zones • Create content pillars around specific expertise that helps clients "see around corners" • Share authentic stories about past work experiences that demonstrate your value • Engage with everyone who comments on your posts - they're your warmest leads My consulting success wasn't just about having expertise, but consistently showing up where decision-makers could find me. Listen to the full blueprint: Apple: https://lnkd.in/ejvuFTeW Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eqGzzCxX

New Podcast Episode Alert: Mastering Deep Work and Authentic Sales: Game-Changing Insights with Kay Phillips! Kay Phillips and I had a fantastic conversation about mastering deep work and authentic sales. Kay shared some game-changing insights including: • The danger of "pre-crastination" - feeling productive while actually just being busy • How intentional boredom can unlock creativity and business growth • Why you're likely only productive for 4 hours per day (and how to maximize that time) • Simple communication tweaks that make sales conversations flow naturally If you're struggling with distractions and want to build systems that actually work, this episode is packed with actionable advice. Listen now: YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eG3W9eV5 Apple: https://lnkd.in/eKgWNNZr Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eyVQc6gK

94% of B2B decision-makers research vendors on LinkedIn before taking a sales call. Yet most fractional executives treat their profiles like digital resumes instead of sales assets. Three simple profile adjustments that instantly increase your credibility: Replace your job title headline with a client-focused value statement. Instead of "Fractional CMO," try "I help B2B software companies build marketing engines that generate predictable pipeline." Transform your About section from biography to solution narrative. Start with the problems you solve, not your career history. Save your impressive background for supporting evidence. Feature results as experience, not responsibilities. "Increased conversion rates by 47% through targeted funnel optimization" beats "Responsible for marketing operations and conversion rate optimization." Your LinkedIn profile isn't documentation of your past. It's an argument for why someone should hire you today. What story does yours tell?

I spent years failing at business development before I understood this fundamental truth: Trust isn't transferred through declaration. It's built through demonstration. Think about the last time you hired a service professional. Did you choose the one who simply claimed they were the best? Or the one who consistently showed up in your world, generously sharing insights that proved their expertise? Your LinkedIn strategy should mirror how real relationships form. Consistent. Value-forward. Each post is a small deposit in the trust accounts of hundreds of potential clients. Those deposits compound over time. Most fractional executives quit too early, mistaking the silence for failure. But beneath the surface, recognition is building. Familiarity is growing. Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, the messages arrive: "I've been following your content for months. We have a challenge I think you can help with." That's not luck. That's compound interest on your content investments. What small deposit will you make today?

After years of helping fractional leaders build their practices, I've noticed a pattern: Most marketing fails because it doesn't respect the two essential phases of client acquisition. Phase 1: Awareness Building This isn't about reaching "everyone." Of the millions of companies on LinkedIn, only a fraction need your specific expertise. Your job: Make yourself visible to that precise audience. Phase 2: Trust Development Once someone knows who you are, you must develop sufficient trust for them to consider working with you. This happens through consistent demonstration of expertise and approach. When someone reaches out after following your content for months, they're already half-sold. They know your philosophy and experience. The sales conversation becomes dramatically easier because the relationship exists before the first call. Here's the harsh reality: You can't rush either phase. Awareness takes time to build. Trust requires consistent evidence. The good news? When done correctly, this approach creates a sustainable pipeline that eliminates the feast-or-famine cycle plaguing most consultants. What phase are you currently focused on in your marketing efforts?

Want to get more done in two hours than most do in a full day? It’s not about hustle. It’s about focus. Here’s a simple framework fractional experts can use to master deep work: Plan your deep work the night before—know exactly what you’ll tackle Eliminate distractions: close Slack, use a site blocker, silence your phone Set a timer: work in focused sprints (start with 60–90 mins) And here’s the key: Don’t rely on willpower. Build a system that makes distraction-free focus your default. Show up consistently, even when it’s uncomfortable. That’s how compounding results start.

Me: “What’re your dream monthly revenue goals?” Most consultants: “$30k / month in 25 hours per week!” Me: “Awesome! What do you do for business development weekly?” Most consultants: “Not much! I get my clients from referrals and word of mouth.” Me: 🤔

If I need to get something done, I lock my phone in a box. As a business owner, I need my deep work time. But it's easy to get distracted responding to Slack or LinkedIn messages. I use blocker apps on my computer and put my phone away, because willpower alone isn't enough - it's a muscle that needs training. Full episode: bit.ly/mylancepod

If your to-do list is growing faster than your business, it might be time to revisit what really moves the needle. A common trap for business owners: “pre-crastination”—staying busy doing work that feels productive, but doesn’t generate results. Think: tinkering with a newsletter, reworking a business model, or researching something you should outsource. Start here instead: Identify your revenue-generating activities Use the Eisenhower Matrix to separate the urgent from the important Put everything else on the back burner—literally Sometimes the most powerful growth strategy is learning how to not do everything.

"I don't have time for LinkedIn," James told me. A successful fractional CFO with 15 years of experience, he was brilliant at his craft. But his client pipeline was dangerously empty. "I need results now, not months from now," he insisted. Six months later, we reconnected over coffee. "What happened with your business development?" I asked. "I finally gave in and tried your LinkedIn approach. I spent three months posting twice weekly about financial strategies for early-stage SaaS companies." "And?" "Nothing happened." "So you stopped?" "No. Something told me to stick with it." "Then what?" He smiled. "Month four, a CEO commented on my post. We had coffee. That turned into a $7,500 monthly retainer." "Just one client?" "Three more followed. I'm now turning clients away." The revelation wasn't that LinkedIn works. It's that LinkedIn requires patience. The first-order benefits (likes, comments) are trivial. The second-order benefits (relationships, trust, inbound inquiries) are transformational. But they only appear after consistently demonstrating value. What could your pipeline look like if you started building that foundation today?

The most expensive marketing strategy? Quitting too soon. I see it constantly with fractional executives - they abandon their marketing efforts just before the tipping point. Truth: Effective marketing is never an overnight success story. While seeking immediate clients is understandable, sustainable growth requires patience. Think about SEO - everyone accepts it takes 6+ months for meaningful results. Why expect instant returns from other marketing activities? The secret: Apply the "SEO mindset" to everything. Consistency compounds. Authority deepens. Relationships strengthen. But only if you stick with it. What marketing effort have you abandoned too quickly that deserves another chance?

"Most People Set Their Prices By Looking At Competitors" Problem is, what if those competitors have no idea what they're doing? Robin Waite reveals the reality: in any industry, the top 10% extract 60% of the value, leaving everyone else scrambling for what's left. Don't copy a flawed business model when setting your prices. Set a goal, then price accordingly.

You're charging by the hour without realizing it. I've seen this pattern countless times with independent consultants. Take that $3.5K monthly retainer, divide by 160 hours – that's your effective hourly rate. But what does the client actually get? Most consultants list activities but never talk about results. You could be generating massive value for a $20 million business while collecting pennies on the dollar. Full episode: bit.ly/mylancepod

You don’t need to go viral. You don’t need to be a “thought leader.” You just need to consistently show up on LinkedIn — with real stories, simple insights, and a message that speaks to your niche. Most consultants overthink their content: “Is this smart enough?” “Do I sound like an expert?” “Is this even helpful?” The truth? Some of the best-performing posts I’ve seen are short, raw, and honest: A quick story from your career A mistake you made and what you learned A client result and how you got there It doesn’t have to be profound. It just has to be real.

Everyone thinks Uber just threw money at the problem. But to launch UberEats in DC, we didn’t start with billboards or ad campaigns. We went door to door. Walking into restaurants. Sitting down at the bar. Ordering an appetizer. And asking to speak to the manager. No titles. No fancy decks. Just a pitch and a hustle. Here’s how we did it — and what it taught me about building a business: 1. Sales started at street level. Before we had a product in the market, we had to build supply — meaning restaurants. So we did it the old-fashioned way. We’d pick a neighborhood, walk in cold, and strike up real conversations. We didn’t start with the sell. We started with curiosity — asking questions, learning about their business, building trust. Then we’d introduce Uber Eats. And yeah... a lot of them said no. 2. Grit beat budget. People assume Uber was just throwing VC money around. Sure, we had funding. But money alone doesn't get restaurants signed up — especially when you're asking for 30% of their revenue. We had to earn it. That meant hearing “no” — a lot. It meant getting kicked out, laughed off, and ignored. It meant refining the pitch every single day until it worked. And when it did work, it was because we’d gone the extra mile — and walked a few to get there. 3. Every great launch starts with the unscalable stuff. Before Uber Eats scaled into a global brand, it was a few of us walking into restaurants cold. Before there was mass adoption, there were conversations that ended in rejection. Before there was a billion-dollar business, there were individual managers saying “yeah… let’s give it a shot.” 💥 Everyone wants the growth. Few are willing to do what it actually takes to get it. That launch taught me one of the most important lessons in business: You can’t skip the early grind. You earn scale by doing the gritty, unscalable stuff first. And you don’t always need a big budget — you need belief, consistency, and a willingness to show up. How are you approaching your business? Are you walking in the door? Or waiting for someone to let you in?

When was the last time you sat in silence, without your phone, a podcast, or a scroll? It sounds counterintuitive, but boredom can be a huge catalyst for clarity and creativity. Our subconscious needs space to process, ideate, and even solve problems—but when we’re constantly consuming, we shut that off. Try this: Sit on your porch for 10 minutes and do nothing Don’t reach for your phone or write anything down Just let your thoughts pass You might be surprised by what surfaces. This small shift can unlock better decision-making, reduce anxiety, and actually grow your business in ways that hustle never could.

I've reviewed over 500 LinkedIn profiles of fractional executives, and I'm noticing a troubling pattern. Almost everyone is making the same critical mistake. They're positioning themselves as a title instead of a solution. "Fractional CTO" tells me nothing about the value you provide. "Fractional CTO helping early-stage SaaS companies build scalable tech infrastructures without technical debt" tells me everything. Your headline isn't about who you are. It's about the transformation you create for clients. The decision-makers scrolling LinkedIn aren't looking for roles to fill. They're looking for problems to solve. Position yourself as the answer to a specific, painful question. Not as another professional seeking employment. This subtle shift has helped my clients double their response rates within weeks. What problem do you solve better than anyone else?

The most expensive content marketing mistake fractional executives make? Thinking nobody sees the content you post so you stop. You meticulously craft that LinkedIn post... Thoughtfully share your expertise... And watch as it collects 3 likes and so you create the story that nobody saw it so it's a waste of your time. When I started posting daily, nothing happened for weeks. Then months. Then suddenly, strangers began reaching out saying, "I've been following your content for months and it's been super valuable." The truth? Most of your network only sees about 10% of what you post. This isn't a sprint. It's a marathon where the real results begin around mile 8. Keep showing up.