Don Barnett's Linkedin Analytics

Wish you could time travel? Ladies, pack your trousers. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆! If we set the Way-Back Machine to 1923, we learn that some really interesting s--- went down: ▪ Women in the US could 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 wear trousers for the first time. Yeah, that was a thing ▪ The sealed chambers of King Tutankhamun were found and finally revealed their secrets. Is there a statute-of-limitations on reading his diary? ▪ TIME magazine printed its maiden issue, marking the beginning of a global media revolution ▪ Insulin, the life-saver for countless diabetics, became a mainstream treatment   ▪ Prohibition ended in New York, followed by whatever they called a "rager" back in the 20's ▪ Chicago saw the grand opening of the London Guarantee & Accident Building, which would later transform into the iconic LondonHouse Chicago (shameless plug) Tag your favorite 102 year-old! And bonus points if you know what the Way-Back Machine is from 😉

There's a formula to monetizing your personal brand. And the people crushing it? They're running this playbook on repeat: ✅ Specific Knowledge → Be dangerously good at something people actually care about. Generic advice doesn’t pay. ✅ Value First, Always → Give before you ask. It’s not “build it and they will come.” It’s “help them and they’ll stick around.” ✅ Networking (Like It’s Your F***** Job) → Build relationships, not just a following. Opportunities come from people, not likes. ✅ Leverage → Utilize platforms, systems, and connections that amplify your reach. Smarter, not harder. ✅ Personality and Storytelling → Show up as YOU and tell stories. Facts tell, but stories sell. ✅ Consistency and Patience → Sure, the algorithm loves it. But more importantly? It keeps you top of mind with your network. ✅ Thick Skin → First they'll roll their eyes and ask why you're doing it. Then they'll ask how you did it. If you run this formula long enough, you won’t have to chase opportunities. They’ll be chasing you. What’s one part of this formula you’re focusing on right now?

Have your LinkedIn posts been put in witness protection? Seen by no one? Don Hoteleone has 2 pieces of advice... 1. Stop Reposting Reposting? Congrats, you just became LinkedIn’s version of a chain email. Original content is king. Reposts get buried in the desert. If you’re going to repost something, add your own thoughts and commentary to it. Otherwise, fuhgeddaboudit... 2. Stop putting a link in your post. LinkedIn doesn't condone you going against the family. In other words, they don't want you following another link off of their site. However, to get around this algorithmic nightmare, post a link in the comments. The algorithm isn’t out to get you. But it 𝘪𝘴 out to ignore you if you keep doing these two things. Want to learn more? See the link in the... now you get it...

To all the new leaders or aspiring ones out there, here's a great way to start a job... Starting a new position is an opportunity for you to hit the reset button, get a clean slate, drop any bad habits and start a few good ones. But here's the twist - invite the people in your charge to do the same. Show some vulnerability by sharing a good habit you're starting. And be aware that people will never pay closer attention to your every move than when you first start. So maybe wait until you're alone to Purell your hands after shaking theirs.

ADR. Occ. RevPar. Did you say, "Those are hotel kinky terms.” Or was that just me? Here's another one every hotelier should know: 🤳 UGC or 𝘜𝘴𝘦𝘳-𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵. In other words, the photos, videos, and reviews your guests are posting online faster than you can say room service. Why does it matter? Because UGC is 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤. It's 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦. It’s 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨... 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. Want your guests to post more of it? 🤳 Make your @handle impossible to miss. Put it on keycards, in elevators, on menus, bathroom mirrors, pet massage menus... you get it. 🤳 Repost UGC on your hotel’s social media channels. It shows love to the guest, paints a picture for future visitors, and encourages others to post and tag you. 🤳 Create “Instagrammable” moments. Think statement walls, unique decor, or even better - a surprise & delight amenity. If it looks cool or unique, or makes the guest feel seen and appreciated, it’ll end up on someone’s feed. Did I just explain an actionable marketing concept and use the word "kinky" in the same post? Yes. Yes, I did. ♻️ Repost if you think more hotels need to embrace social media.

Question for my hotel Sales colleagues: Have the government's spending cuts and layoffs made you weary of booking any government groups out of fear they will cancel or you won't get paid? Vote and sound off in the comments 🎤

"That could've been an e-mail." "That's an hour I'll never get back." 📩 Want to hold a more efficient meeting? Before you schedule that next office meeting or stand-up, here are a few questions to ask: ✍️ Will more than half of what's said be forgotten 5 minutes after the meeting? ✍️ Do you get 30-minute lectures from people? ✍️ Is the majority of information being shared relevant to most of the people in the meeting? ✍️ Seriously though, could it have just been an email? Try these things: ⌛ Cap meetings at 15 to 30 minutes. If you're bold, buy a timer. One 30-minute meeting, once a week, adds up to 26 hours a year (times each person in the room). ⌛ Enforce a no 'crocodile' rule. Crocodiles have big mouths and tiny ears. In other words, those who love to talk, but rarely listen. If someone is monologuing, cut them off. ⌛ Try standing meetings. It's unconventional and less comfortable leading to people getting to the point faster. ⌛ Have an agenda and stick to it. ⌛ Variety is the spice of life. Covering the same things day in and day out = going through the motions = easily forgettable. How do you hold more efficient meetings?

If you could travel 20 years into the past to impart some wisdom to yourself, what would you say? For me: 🔹 Worrying is wasted energy and won't change any outcome whether good or bad. 🔹 Nothing is more valuable than time. Invest it in quality people, places and things. 🔹 Tremendous freedom is gained when you stop caring what people think. 🔹 Embrace the concept of leverage. 🔹 Stop talking and start doing.   🔹 Create small daily goals that are impossible not to complete. 🔹Don't shave your entire head to the lowest clipper setting, you will regret it. What would you say to your younger self?

Did you make an offer on a lead you thought they couldn't refuse, but now you're not getting a reply to your follow-up? Don Hoteleone has 4 things to try: 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 📑 Subject line: Pique their interest. Ask a question, like "What's your next step?" or preview the end result, like "Here are 3 things we've seen result in a successful event." 📑 Content: Keep emails short, focused, and action-oriented. Ask clear questions. Try a video message via Loom. 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗨𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 A friendly call can break through the email clutter. Briefly mention your email and suggest a quick chat to discuss. 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 I'm not a fan of these in a pitch, but as a follow-up after you've responded to a lead they offer a different option. A tool like Calendly allows clients to pick a time that works for them for a call or meeting. 𝗙𝘂𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘁 If you're getting ghosted after presenting a hold-by date and a few follow-ups have come and went, let it go and move on. It's not personal, it's strictly business. What works for you?

Pause ⏸️ Battery drained? Here's how I've been recharging: 🔋 Sleep. Like Nosferatu (minus the blood sucking and decomposition). The kind with no alarm in the morning. Getting enough uninterrupted sleep might be the most important thing for your well-being. 🔋 Nature. Watched a sunset - 5 stars. Highly recommend. If you watch one over a lake it's like getting a two-for-one deal. 🔋 Unplugging. No LinkedIn. No shaving. No work emails. I did use my electric toothbrush though. I'm not a savage. 🔋 Treats. Did I eat one of those "shareable" bags of Peanut M&M's all by myself? You're not the boss of me! 🔋 Connect. Make memories with those closest to you. When's the last time you played a board game? Or agreed with your child that some lady was coughing too much and we should just leave the store? How do you recharge?

Every hotel Salesperson when a client doesn't seem interested in the hotel and you defer to the quirky stuff.

The perfect mentor doesn't exist. (except for Yoda) But these 3 variations do: 1. The Winger. Or that person who "took you under their wing."  Probably the most structured mentorship. Time set aside, specific topics covered, questions answered and a lot of patience. 🙌 Shoutout to the late Fred Rosenthal, my Winger. 2. The Expert. Someone you know that says (or does) things that resonate with you. A less direct type of mentoring, but available for questions and conversations. 🙌 Shoutout to Cory Falter 3. The Influencer. Often times they are authors, speakers, or perhaps a celebrity. But they drop wisdom nuggets that transform your perspective. 🙌 Shoutout to Neal Foard Do you have a Winger, Expert or Influencer? And who are they?

The team from LondonHouse Chicago came out to the IHLA Spring Soiree to do a little dance, drink a little booze, and eat off of little plates. I 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 worry that this post will be monitored by HR, but she was along for the fun ride. That's Pam giving the finger... The thumb is a finger! I got to have a mini-Kimpton reunion with Ron Vlasic and Sabrina Martinez, colleagues I've known for over 20 years. That's the beauty of this industry. When hospitality is in your blood, it becomes a long-term career.  Also, there's no known cure for hospitality blood so we are who we are... Great seeing a lot of talented people under one roof. ♻️ Repost this if your team deserves a raise for surviving industry events.

This was much cheaper than buying a tux to personify my LinkedIn alter-ego. All it took was: • A prompt • A persona • Some unhinged ambition Developing a personal brand that results in tremendous opportunities takes more than AI though. For that you need to show up consistently, post the way you actually talk (minus 95% of the cursing), and let people into your weird little world. And here's a LinkedIn hack: If you love music, art, or collecting vinyl records, it's okay to share that! There's a good chance there's someone on this platform that does to, which sparks conversations, opportunities, and great relationships. Have a great week my friends!

𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆! Did you know that LondonHouse Chicago sits on the exact spot where Chicago 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 began? The birthplace of deep-dish pizza, political scandals, Malort, and people refusing to put ketchup on hot dogs. Here’s a quick history: 🌭 Fort Dearborn (first structure in Chicago) was built in 1803. Then destroyed in 1812. Then rebuilt in 1816. Then destroyed again in 1857. Talk about love hate relationship... 🌭 The first star on the Chicago flag? That’s for Fort Dearborn. More than just a decoration! 🌭 In 1996, the building was designated a Chicago Landmark. That's how you know something’s important, when the government finally says, “Yeah… we should probably preserve that.” Good news, we haven't been destroyed again. 🌭 Our tagline "It Starts Here" isn’t just catchy. It's a nod to our iconic location at the start of the Mag Mile to the north, the Cultural Mile to the south, and the beginning of Chicago's epic story. If you listen closely at night, you can still hear the faint echo of Fort Dearborn whispering, “Quit f----- destroying our building."

Is there a word for the joy a dog brings? Pawphoria? Snoutopia? I'm passionate about helping our furry friends and if I can give some down on their luck dogs some love for a few hours of my day, I'm happy to do it. The comradery of doing something like this with like-minded colleagues is heartwarming as well. Special thanks to Pam Duff and Evelyn Diaz for organizing the LondonHouse Chicago team's outing to volunteer at Chicago Animal Care and Control yesterday 🐶

LinkedIn PSA of the Day That DM pitch-slap is about as charming as finding a racoon in your attic. Be curious, not salesy. Build relationships. I’ve made some 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 connections here. The kind that text you first when they hear someone’s looking for help. And I do the same for them. I’ve seen the magic. I’ve 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 the magic. Opportunities and referrals seemingly pulled from thin air. The game plan is easy: Less “Buy from me!” More “Hey, how can I help?” You’ll be amazed how far that’ll take ya. When was the last time you got a pitch-slap? (I average 3 a day)

"Hey! While you're in town, let's recreate this photo from spring break 30 years ago!" Jeff - "Meet me at 7:30." Hats off to those friends who are down for shenanigans, no questions asked... To those friends who would help you in any endeavor, legal or not, no questions asked... To those friends who will be brutally honest with you, but cause no offense because you know they want to see you win. To those friends you laugh harder with than anyone else. Looking forward to the next version of this photo in another 30 years! Fingers crossed we still have our hair and teeth. And fingers. And to be clear, the only crimes we've committed were in the form of some questionable hair styles over the years...

This place has ruined me. How's that for a job listing? HA! Two things: 1. 𝗪𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 2. Why has this job ruined me? Because I can't imagine working at any other hotel. It's the best job I've ever had. It's the longest tenure I've ever had at a job. And it has set the bar very, very high for anything else. Speaking of tenure, I'm not the only one: • General Manager - 9+ years (promoted to position) • Director of Finance - 8+ years • Director of Ops - 7+ years (promoted to position) • Me - 7+ years • Director of F&B - 7+ years (promoted to position) • Director of Revenue - 6+ years (promoted to position) • Associate Director of Sales - 8+ years (promoted to position) • Director of HR - 4+ years • Director of Engineering - 6+ years • And many more... Want to join one of the best hotels in the city? 📩 Send me a DM with your resume.

I'd like to petition that they move Record Store Day to August because it's f----- cold out here! This is one of my favorite annual traditions: camping out with my daughter to be one of the first in line, our shared love of music, and our shared passion for supporting small businesses (especially record stores). 🎸 Number of albums on my list: 8 🎸 Album I'm most looking forward to listening to: Post Malone - Tribute to Nirvana 🎸 Album you wouldn't expect to be on my list: Wu-Tang and Mathematics 🎸 Album you would expect to be on my list: Rage Against the Machine - Live in 93 Do you have a favorite annual tradition?