Natasha Walstra's Linkedin Analytics

The "post and pray" method is a recipe for LinkedIn disappointment. Nobody knows to look for you. (𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦. 🙊) They may not even know they have a problem you solve. Meaning: creating content alone isn't going to cut it. In fact, if all you're doing is creating content and hoping people find it, you'll be burning out and giving up in just a matter of months, if not weeks. What actually works? If you genuinely solve a problem people have: - Go find them (they're here!) - Engage with their content first - Start conversations in their comments - Share insights that specifically help them - Connect over thoughtful, non-pitchy messages "But what if they're not posting?" Good question! If your dream clients don't post regularly: - Set up Google alerts for them or their company - Follow their company page to engage there instead - Search shared interests/experiences to connect over - Look for mutual connections to facilitate introductions - Find a genuine reason to reach out (industry news, event attendance) Because while your content builds credibility, your engagement builds relationships. Think of it this way: Content is your lighthouse. Engagement is you actively throwing life preservers. Don't wait for them to find you. Find them, help them, connect with them.

Their like was the first move. Your DM should be the second. No one will get mad at you for sending a DM after they like your post. In fact, they might even be grateful you reached out because, guess what, Initiating conversations is hard! And someone has to start the conversation - why not let it be you? 🤔 Plus, the way I see it: - A like - A profile view - And definitely a comment These are the digital (subtle) versions of starting a conversation. It's them waving saying, "Hello, I hear you and what you said makes sense!" Now, don't go pitch-slapping them, please. 🙏 But connect, say hi back. See where the conversation goes. You never know what inspired that little hint of interest. - Might be your next client. - Might be a referral partnership. - Might be an intro to the best networking call you've ever had. All I know is this: The best opportunities happen once words are exchanged. ____ PS. I know it might be time consuming. I have to admit I'm not able to do this all the time either. But here's the truth: if you're not doing this type of follow up, you're going to struggle to see results from all the effort you're putting into actually posting! My challenge to you: After your next 3 posts, send 5 DMs to people who engaged with each one. Start small. See big impact.

"Every time I see your picture, I'm like 'Ooh, what's Natasha have to say?!" I hate taking pictures for my posts. But, aside from getting more engagement when I do… It's also a better way to connect with my audience. In fact, when my client told me her initial reaction, I was shocked to know my posts could make someone react this way. (𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘻𝘻𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 🤗). It's not vanity or ego, it's genuine and honest. Your face is your most powerful trust signal. It's how people recognize you. It's what makes you human in a digital world. That split-second recognition matters. It creates familiarity. It builds connection over time. It doesn't have to be every post. It can be one every so often if you're not comfortable. (Trust me, I get it) But it's a great way to accelerate trust. No fancy photoshoots needed. Just you, showing up as you. 💜 ____ PS. Here's the reframe that helped me overcome my selfie-phobia: 𝘐𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘕𝘖𝘛 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘐'𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦. It doesn't have to be every post, but in a world where AI and bots are taking over this platform, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲. The more authentically human you can be, the more you'll stand out.

You have a gift.✨ You solve a problem people have. You make their businesses or lives better. You've poured your heart into building something valuable. The problem? Only those in your circle know about your gift. Now imagine if you could amplify what's already working? What if you could scale the word-of-mouth and referrals that drive your business now? That's what happens when you show up consistently on LinkedIn. You're not doing anything different. You're just doing it where more people can see it. Suddenly you're top of mind not just for your existing network, but for your network's network, too. And it feels natural and authentic because you start to find more of your people, expanding your circle. People who fit your vibe. People who need exactly what you offer. Then the magic really happens: - Doors begin opening - Opportunities start appearing - Connections turn into clients - Engagement turns into revenue All because you decided to show up. Before you know it, you've built a network of people who know, love, and trust you. People who seek you out specifically. People who can't wait to work with you. Sounds pretty good, wouldn't you say? 🤗 ___ PS. There's a reason 99% of users on LinkedIn don't post original content. It's scary putting yourself out there. You're not alone in feeling this! Introverts and extroverts alike - visibility is a challenge. Fortunately, you don't have to do it alone. If you want to see how I can support you, DM me "LFG."

Professional doesn't mean boring! Your LinkedIn doesn't need to sound like it was written by a committee. 🥸 You know the profiles I'm talking about: - Third-person bios that create instant distance - Corporate jargon that says absolutely nothing - Those weird template phrases everyone uses When I look at your profile, I want to hear YOU. (𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴! 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥, 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘬𝘺, 𝘧𝘶𝘯 𝘠𝘖𝘜!) I want to get a sense of who I'd be working with. I want to feel like we're having coffee, not reading a press release. Because here's what I've learned after years of doing this: The most successful people on LinkedIn aren't the most polished. → They're the most recognizably themselves. Your voice is your superpower. - It's how you stand out in a sea of sameness. - It's how you build trust before you ever talk to someone. So stop trying to sound "professional" if it means erasing your personality. 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱. ___ PS. Personal doesn't mean over-sharing either. The way I see it, I share personal things (wins, obstacles, life events) but some things are private and meant to stay private. Sometimes "private" is temporary - just while you're going through it. Then down the line, it becomes something you can share when you're ready. Being authentic doesn't mean sharing everything. It means showing up as yourself... with healthy boundaries.

Maybe you're not an 'expert' yet. So what? Share anyway. If you're: - A technical expert newly in a VP role - A top sales executive in a new industry - A fresh college grad entering the workforce - A subject matter expert transitioning to sales - A founder navigating leadership for the first time Listen carefully: Not being the ultimate authority doesn't mean you have nothing valuable to share. 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻. Talk about that. When I landed a VP role at Forbes Books, did I know anything about book publishing? Absolutely nothing. What did I know? - Personal branding - How it drives sales - And yes, I was an avid reader So that's what I talked about. I didn't position myself as a publishing expert. I positioned myself as someone bringing fresh perspective to an established industry. And for fun, for ex, I created "Title Talks" where I'd share insights from books I was reading. I connected dots between what I was learning and how it applied to my audience. Did I study publishing as quickly as I could? Of course. But even today, I wouldn't call myself a publishing expert. Your learning curve is relatable. Your unique angle is what makes your content valuable. Your outsider perspective spots opportunities others miss. Stop waiting until you're "expert enough." Start sharing your journey now. ___ These Title Talks were some of my first posts sharing content beyond "Check out our new product X" or "We'll be at Event Y." It was nerve-racking - especially for this picture, I was SO uncomfortable. But taking that leap completely accelerated my journey here on LinkedIn  — so much that a year after this post I was launching my own business.

Raise your hand if you're a lefty! 💁🏼‍♀️ I had a random shower thought that I can't get out of my head. Back in the office, I knew who all my left-handed colleagues were. You know, Sarah from HR, Joe in engineering... (Is that weird or do other lefties do this, too? 🙃) Anywhos, I'm now itching to know who are all my lefty Linky friends? 🫶 EDIT: Minus points 🙋‍♀️ for leaving out ambidextrous. So sorry, y'all!

"Can you hear me sweating?" I blurted out on a cold call with a Sr. Marketing Director at Home Depot. D’oh! What was I thinking? 🤦‍♀️ Cold calling didn’t come naturally to me, to say the least. But I knew outreach mattered. The issue? I hated the way it was taught. Pick up the phone, smile, dial. Repeat 100 times a day. As an introvert and someone who used to be incredibly shy, being an SDR felt like the worst possible job. At first. Then, I discovered something different: there are other ways to connect. I started reaching out on LinkedIn, doing my research, and sending thoughtful messages. It made cold calls feel... warmer.🙌 Turns out, people were WAY more receptive to genuine interest. Who knew? 👀 That was my lightbulb moment in sales: 👉 It' about all about connection and curiosity. Forget mass automation and the "smile & dial" routine. Those tactics make life easier for sellers, but miserable for buyers. Sales doesn’t have to feel icky. In fact, it’s actually fun when you help someone make their life easier. When you leverage your personal brand by: > Optimizing your profile > Connecting and engaging with your ICP > Sharing content that speaks directly to your ideal customer You become the go-to expert in your industry. Sounds pretty sweet, doesn’t it? ___ PS. Funny enough, I ended up getting a second call with that marketing director. I think my awkward "Can you hear me sweating?" moment actually humanized me. Whether he was genuinely interested in our product or just felt bad for me, I'll never know - but it created an opening! Sometimes our imperfections connect us more than our polished pitches ever could. We're not perfect. And that's actually a way to connect with people.

The best-kept experts remain the best-kept secrets. LinkedIn is full of brilliant people who no one knows about. Not because they're not talented. Not because they don't have value to offer. But because being visible feels uncomfortable. It's easier to: - Be a lurker 👀 - Wait until you feel "ready" - Hope someone discovers you naturally But here's what I've seen with my clients: The moment they shift from background to foreground, opportunities start appearing — lots of them. Not because they suddenly got better at what they do. But because people finally knew they existed. Being visible isn't about being loud or self-promotional. It's about being helpful. It's about being present. It's about being consistent. Your expertise deserves to be seen. Your voice deserves to be heard. Your ideas deserve attention. ___ PS. Your expertise without visibility is like that proverbial tree falling in the forest that made no sound, because no one was around to hear it. All that value. All that potential impact. And no one knows it exists. #DontBeThatTree 🌳

The best 'hack' to building relationships? Your personal brand. "How the heck does a personal brand help you build relationships?" you ask? Because your personal brand is working for you 24/7: — You're sharing valuable content with your network — You're staying top of mind with consistent content — You're engaging with your network's content, supporting your colleagues — You're present, passionate, and that energy is contagious and remembered I get it — in the day-to-day chaos, it's hard to nurture relationships. But a personal brand allows you to communicate one-to-many in a way that actually strengthens connections. Fun example: I recently posted and someone I met 9 months ago at an event commented: "Congrats!! I was just thinking about you. I'll send you a DM." — She DM'd me with an opportunity. — 3 hours later we met over zoom. — Later I was introduced. — 2 days later signed a $5700 deal. The funny part? When we jumped on the call, she said: "Sorry I didn't actually read your post! How is everything? All good?" She saw my name, remembered I "did LinkedIn," and immediately thought of me when someone in her world needed LinkedIn help. That's the power of a personal brand. — You're remembered. — You're referred. — You're relevant. Even when people aren't reading every word. ___ I'm curious, what's holding you back from showing up?  Time, fear, discomfort? All are valid, but there are ways to make LinkedIn work for you - it's not one-size-fits-all. I'm here to help you figure out what the perfect size for you is : )

You're sending messages on LinkedIn - good! But crickets. No responses.  👀 Why? 𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬, 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦. But let's start with the foundations: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴? Example: a guy booked a call with me recently. His profile? Corporate. Polished. Lifeless. My immediate thought? "𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘦." That's what happens with personality-free profiles: → They trigger sales alarms.⏰ Think about real-life networking: You don't walk up and pitch-slap your services. You find common ground first - a thread that bonds. You build rapport through shared interests or experiences. So why not make it easier to do the same on LinkedIn? Add "ice-breaking" content to your profile: - Your unexpected career path - The cause you care deeply about - That hobby you're passionate about - The travel story people always find interesting When someone receives your message and checks your profile, they'll find something human to connect with. This isn't just "being personal" - it's being strategic. It transforms you from another sales pitch into a person they might actually enjoy talking to. When you do this, here's what happens: 1. Less resistance, more openness 2. Conversations that flow more naturally 3. Higher response rates to your outreach 4. Genuine connections (that often lead to business) Because relationships start with human connection, not business transactions. __ When you look at my profile, what interests do you think I have? Heck - all's you have to do is look at my profile pic!🪴

From zero to multiple 6-figures in 18 months... That journey started with one Entreprenista meeting. Now I'm excited to be hosting their Office Hours on April 2nd to share how members can turn LinkedIn into their best business growth tool, just like I did. When I joined Entreprenista in October 2023, I didn't even have a business yet. I was planning to maybe launch "someday" in 2024. But after my first Member Connect, I was so inspired by the incredible women I met, I started wondering, "𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘢𝘮 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦? 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯!" A week later, literally, I left my job and signed my first client. (An Entreprenista, no less 🙃) This community has been everything and more: — Professionally: I've 100x'd my investment — Personally: Made the best of friends (𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 + 𝘮𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘐’𝘮 𝘰𝘯!) If you've been considering joining, I honestly can't recommend it enough. Link with more info in comments! And of course, would love to see you at Office Hours!

The look on my face here? That's a cocktail of excitement, relief, disbelief, and pride. This was yesterday - moments after giving a workshop to over 100 female founders! It was awesome. But let me be honest: I was nervous. I spent the entire week prepping, rehearsing, refining based on feedback. I felt prepared, yet that flutter of nerves never quite disappeared. There's something special about serving female founders. They make up 70% of my client base, and watching them find their voice on LinkedIn while growing their businesses? Pure magic. ✨ So when Entreprenista asked me to speak, I was beyond excited. But public speaking challenges me. I've done workshops before, but never for a group this size. Turns out, preparation actually works! (𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵! 𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘱!💪 ) These messages afterward made every nervous moment worth it: "Your talk was FANTASTIC. I really enjoyed it. 1. the content but also 2. your style and energy. Really enjoyed. Congratulations!!" "Natasha! You killed that presentation!!" "Just wanted to say your presentation was amazing!! Seriously great work." Now you understand that look on my face? That's the face of someone who just did the scary thing and lived to tell about it. 🤓 __ PS. I've got an opportunity to speak at an in-person event in November - 200 female leaders in the manufacturing industry. Do I do it? `🙉 What's something out of your comfort zone you've done recently?

Feeling uninspired? ME TOO. That's why I only posted 2x this week. (and one was a recycled post). It's been a long few weeks. — I just moved across country from CA to SC (𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯/𝘔𝘵 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦??) — My 3mo old has had explosive gas..only at night.💣 — I've had a headache since Monday. — Oh, and that foot pain I've had for the last 3 months? Turns out it's fractured. 🤦‍♀️ So honestly, 𝗧𝗚𝗜𝗙 because this week has kicked my butt. Here's the thing though: I used to stress so much if I missed a day on here. "What if my numbers tank?" "What if I miss a big opportunity to connect with someone?" "What if TODAY was the day that person would reach out to me?" 👀 OR, "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭?" 🤔 We put so much pressure to be "on" everyday. When life often times gets in the way. And guess what? That's OK! As my mom always says: "Tomorrow is a new day." (𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦) Next week is a new week. Until then, have a fantastic weekend y'all! I, for one, will be RESTING. (and unpacking 🙃)