In this blog, I show how you as an IT entrepreneur can become realistically, credibly, and professionally visible on LinkedIn - and how you can use LinkedIn for IT companies without being salesy, without hassle, and without forcing your team.
The Importance of Visibility on LinkedIn for IT Companies
If you use LinkedIn for IT companies wisely, LinkedIn is a very nice platform where entrepreneurs can build trust with future clients. Clients are researching online. Besides technical solutions for their problems, they also look at who is behind the company before they invest time and money. The more complex or expensive the product, the more certainty a client seeks. For a pen, the decision is made quickly. For migration to a new Cloud platform, thorough research is obviously required.
People and their expertise create trust – and this works best when you facilitate stories from your own organization instead of 'salesy' scripts. Show on LinkedIn what you stand for. What problems you tackle. So you don't have to sell on LinkedIn. You just show what you do and for whom. How you go about it. So that your client starts thinking positively about you. And you involve them in the purchasing process.
Posting as an Entrepreneur or Director
As an entrepreneur or director, you are the face of your company. Don't expect your technical team to start posting actively right away. Start with yourself. You don't have to tell big stories. One short post per week is enough to be visible.
Is that already too much? Then give relevant comments within your client's network. A 'congratulations' is very nice as a response, but doesn't show any of your expertise. You are not just addressing the person who posted something on LinkedIn. There are also many readers. So provide a bit more context.
Posting as Management
As a CEO, it is good to show that you are visionary. Where is the market heading? What influence do events have on certain developments? But that is not for everyone. Start with more practical contributions:
- A project that has just been completed (and what it delivered for the client)
- A client question that you often receive – and your answer to it
- A behind-the-scenes look: how do you solve something, what do you see along the way, how do you work together?
Just share what you do. Without embellishment. Use spoken language, not formal 'brochure language'. This type of content is human, substantive, and accessible. You don't have to build a campaign. You just share what you are already doing. That builds trust. Of course, you ensure anonymity where necessary. Once you have that as management sorted, you can cautiously start looking at how to involve your team in this, without it feeling like a must.
Involving Colleagues
You should have the LinkedIn company page. This is essential as an anchor, but the real reach lies in personal profiles. Your tech team may not be interested in social media and that's fine. But that doesn't mean they don't have valuable input. You just have to make it easy for them. And structure provides consistency. Ad hoc posting doesn't make much sense. I've said it before: LinkedIn is not a sprint, but a marathon.
For example, ask a simple question in the weekly meeting like: 'What was the biggest technical challenge this week?' Or: 'What did you solve this week that made a client happy?' Or: 'What tip would you give a client this week if you could only choose one?'
Let them text, shout, or even complain: you (or your marketer) will write something about it later. This way, you gather content without hassle. And often they find it fun too, when they see what eventually goes online.
IT Company Page
It makes sense to ask your team to like or repost a message on the LinkedIn company page. Turn it around. Give a response as a company page. And of course also as management. This encourages your team's activity. It also gives a direct good impression externally that there is collegiality, that management is involved in what the team does, that people are valued. In short: a nice company. And that strengthens trust.
Stay Credible and Not Salesy
Just leave the sales talk out. You don't have to shout about "being a market leader" or "years of experience". You don't say "We are great", but show the benefit from the client's or user's perspective. It's not about you, but about the convenience you provide.
You gain trust by showing how you work, what you pay attention to, and what you find important. Give substance to the words in your mission so that they are not empty words that everyone uses.
A good starting point: explain how you do something, not just what you do.
For example:
- ÔØî "We provide IT management."
-  "We ensure everything runs Рupdates, security, backups. No worries, no interruptions."
Or:
- ÔØî "We provide cloud solutions."
-  "Cloud migration? We do it in phases. First, we map it out, then hybrid live, switch teams one by one. This way, work continues as usual."
Does a LinkedIn Strategy Really Work for IT Entrepreneurs?
I really can't say it often enough: LinkedIn is – also for IT companies – not a sprint, but a marathon; a long-term game. After a few weeks, you will notice that profile visits increase. That a client says: "I saw your post recently..." Or that you find it easier to initiate conversations and close deals because people already have an image of you.
Success on LinkedIn lies in recognizability and relevance. You achieve this by consistently talking about your profession. Start small, share what you know and do, and stay close to yourself. Only then will you keep it up and it will generate new business for you.
About Trudy Pannekeet
Trudy Pannekeet is a marketer and LinkedIn Trainer. After working for years for large companies like Sanoma and Mattel, Trudy Pannekeet shifted her focus to training companies and professionals in the field of LinkedIn. She shares her knowledge not only there but also in her book 'Stand Out with LinkedIn'.
Trudy Pannekeet
