Productivity tips to manage LinkedIn in 10 minutes a day or less | Actionable insights to harness your expertise for the recognition you seek | LinkedIn trainer & COO of Narify

Most of the marketing advice you're seeing is complete nonsense.

❌Spend budget on advertising
While your colleagues have 5x more reach.

❌Spend budget on converting leads 
While the network of your sales reps already established a relationship with them.

❌ Spend budget on recruitment 
While your employees have your next talent in their network.

We think the solution is MORE. 
More content, more ads, more tactics.

This approach gets you nowhere.

You can't do everything and expect to excel at anything.

Since 2011, I have helped professionals like you leverage B2B Thought Leadership, Social Selling, and Employee Advocacy primarily through LinkedIn™️. 

Together with Richard van der Blom, I run a  consultancy and training agency called Just Connecting. We have supported over 100.000 professionals and thousands of organizations globally. 

If those topics aren't your thing, I'm also up for long gravelbike trips or teaching my Australian Labradoodle some new tricks—although, I must admit, she only seems to do them when there are cookies involved!

Anyway, my approach to my clients?

✅ Figure out what they’re actually aiming for.

✅ Support, develop and execute the systems that bring them closer to these goals

✅ Unlock the potential of employee-ship so employees want to become brand ambassadors. 
(Instead of being forced...)

I work with:
🔹Mid sized to corporate organizations 

🔹Marketing departments that want to leverage Thought Leadership and Employee Advocacy

🔹Sales teams that build authority and attract leads and costumers via Social Selling strategies via Linkedin™️ and Sales Navigator

Although I do take on other client profiles from time to time when I am 100% sure I can help you.

Follow me for insights on these topics. 

Connect or contact me to find out more about our programs and systems. 

Talk soon
📬 martijnholtes@justconnecting.nl

Martijn Holtes

Some partnerships work. 
Richard van der Blom and I have been proving this for 15 years. 
Now we're making it official.

For 15 years, we've collaborated without formalising anything. 
It worked because our skills fit together naturally. 

Just like Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger 
Different strengths, shared vision.

Richard has the market presence and expertise that people know. 
I focus on the strategic frameworks and implementation. 
Different roles, one direction.

Last year showed us that our clients' needs have evolved. 

They're no longer looking for training vendors. 
They need partners who can identify and solve the real issues.
The ones hiding behind the surface request.

We realised that to solve those deeper problems, we need to rely on each other's expertise even more. 

So we're formalising what's always been true.

From now on, we're running Just Connecting - Social Selling, Employee Advocacy and Marketing together. 

Not as vendors selling courses, but as strategic partners solving the problems that matter.

We're taking everything we've learned over 15 years and building something different. 

The next six months will be interesting.

More to come.

B2B Thought Leadership | Social Selling and Employee Advocacy | Most companies contact me for platform training. Often they walk away with something more valuable....

The biggest issue for selling isn't your lead-generation process.

It's how you treat the people running it.

I have trained sales teams for over 15 years, 
And I have found that most companies focus on the obvious stuff.

They optimize every step of the process.
Until there is nothing left to optimize 
Then they complain that it doesn't work.

They overlooked one critical element. 

Selling is emotional work. 

Deals fall through. 
Prospects ghost reps. 
The pressure never stops.
Salespeople face rejection daily. 

And if you don't support them in this.
You and the organization are going to pay a price 

So here's my message to all of you leading sales teams 
Stop talking about the f'n numbers for five minutes. 

Ask the question nobody asks:
"How are you really feeling?"

In the long run, this conversation will be what builds the business.

☝️ Swipe through to see how this actually works
♻️ Repost so others can learn too.

Carousel_Selling is a deeply emotional process.pdf

If your own team won’t like your posts...

Why should any customer trust your brand?

I always look at a straightforward thing before I take on new clients 

Do employees like, share, or comment on their own company posts?

If the answer is no, I know the problem isn't their LinkedIn strategy.

Most of our clients tell me it is about time, skills, or tools.

They ask for more training, better content, or an easy way to share posts.

(P.s. I'm all for that 😁)

But…

When people do not feel proud or safe, no tool can fix that. 

They stay silent….

Employee Advocacy acts like a mirror.

If people feel seen, heard, and trusted, they will show up. 
If they do not, they hide.

So next time when you signal low engagement… 

Do you dare to ask what it says about your culture?

Everyone in my social selling cohorts is panicking about AI
"Adapt or get replaced!"
Let's talk about adapting.

To sell anything, you need three things:
Demand
Supply
Leverage to match them efficiently

AI crushes efficiency. 
It always will.

But here's the thing: 
Efficient doesn't mean effective.

I think you are competing on the wrong battlefield.

What your leads and clients actually want? 
Your Point of View.

Not your branding. 
Not your post volume. 
Not your network size.

Your unique way of seeing their problem.

The experience you've built. 
The knowledge you've earned. The skills you've refined. 
The perspective only you have.

That's what AI can't touch.

That's what makes you irreplaceable.

Stop trying to be more efficient. 
Start being more you.


☝️ Swipe through to see how this actually works
♻️ Repost so others can learn too.

Carousel_Why you need to adapt to the new way of selling (1).pdf

Cold calling worked when people needed information. 
Now they need trusted judgment. 
Different problem. Different solution.

AI can answer your prospect's questions in seconds. 
It can summarize reports, analyze data, and serve up exactly what they're looking for.

But what AI can't do is to make them feel confident about a decision.

That requires a human they trust. 
Someone with real experience and a point of view. 
Someone they've been watching, learning from, and connecting with before they ever need to buy.

This is what I call becoming a "First Choice Authority."
Not the person with the most followers. 
The one they reach out to first when they're ready to move.
The person prospects turn to when they need to make a call. 

If you're in sales, this isn't optional anymore. 
It's how deals get made now.

Here are six reasons why building your authority on LinkedIn is the best investment you can make in your sales career.

P.S. Who's a sales professional on LinkedIn you follow because you actually trust their perspective?

Do you want to share your company's latest press releases?
No? 
Well, guess what - your employees don't want to either.

Only 1 in 10 employees actively participates in advocacy programs. 

Why? 
Because most programs are built on corporate self-interest, not mutual benefit.

Below you find a list of better alternatives. 
Your employees could be your best marketing asset - but only if you treat them like partners, not channels.

Ready to build an advocacy program that actually works? 
DM me to learn how we help companies get this right

The dumbest advice lifestyle guru’s give you is "Just be yourself.”

“Being yourself” can be the exact thing that is holding you back.

Because if “yourself” is telling you that:
❌ Playing big is arrogant
❌ Risks are dangerous
❌ That is “just” who I am….

…then authenticity becomes an obstacle, not an advantage.

We don’t want the watered-down version of you.

We want the version that dares to lead, share, and stand for something.

So don’t just “be yourself.”
Be your best self— the one that we remember, respect, and rally behind.

It improves your business and it improves your career. 
Some won't understand the best version of you. 
Some will 

No matter the outcome, doing the right thing is always the right thing to do. 

What’s one part of your “best self” that we haven't seen yet?

Social selling frameworks promise to make everything easy.
And that's exactly why most people using them aren't seeing real growth.

Don't get me wrong - frameworks and templates have their place.
They give you structure and confidence.

But the people getting real results go way beyond it

✅ They show up consistently.
✅ They ask questions they genuinely want answers to.
✅ They personalise like they actually care.
✅ Their follow-ups add value before asking for anything.

Frameworks can teach you what to do.
They can't teach you how to care.

Use frameworks as starting points.
Then master the parts you can't systemise.

Building trust through genuine human connection.

Do frameworks help or get in the way of your relationship building?

Frameworks  make Social Selling feel easy, but...

Wendy van Gilst

Scrolling on LinkedIn doesn’t deliver leads, a good LinkedIn strategy does. 

Attract your ideal customer via LinkedIn in the way that works for your business. With your personal brand or with advertising. Or maybe both. Successful LinkedIn strategies fit your business goals and deliver real results. Don’t have your ideal customer waiting for you, reach out to them via LinkedIn! 

Hi there, welcome to my profile! I'm Wendy, a LinkedIn consultant and trainer with over 8 years of experience in helping businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals to generate leads and grow their businesses with LinkedIn. I'm also an ex-LinkedIn employee, so I know the ins and outs of the platform and how to leverage its full potential for your goals.

My passion is to share my knowledge and experience with my clients and empower them to generate leads and find new customers via LinkedIn. Instead of scrolling on LinkedIn, I help you to create a LinkedIn strategy that delivers leads and new customers. Some of the clients I've worked with include Findock, Atlas Professionals, GreenDay Finance, Tribal Impact, Plinkr, NucleusBI, PAQT.com, DSM-Firmenich, Teleperformance, Adyen, and more.

Do you want to start generating leads and find new customers via LinkedIn? Schedule a FREE 20-minute call via the link at the top of my profile.

Sr. Client Solutions Manager

As a client solutions manager I'm a trusted digital marketing advisor for my clients. I'm a strategic solution driver who helps enterprise companies in the Benelux to achieve their marketing objectives using LinkedIn Marketing Solutions in the best way possible. My background as a marketer helps me to step into my client's shoes and to understand how digital marketing can be used best to drive success. Insights driven reporting, growth hacking, content and audience recommendations, are part of my core responsibilities. Together with an Account Director, I'm responsible for the Tech and Government industry. 

On a daily basis I tell stories with insights, create and present QBR reports for my clients, demo (new) products, educate my clients on their marketing strategies including how to measure ROI, deliver Content Marketing Workshops and create and maintain valuable client relationships.  

Wendy Gilst

The 14th of January always hits me. It's the date my father died, 19 years ago.

My father was only 51 years old. I was 21 and thought 51 years was old. I was aware it was not normal to lose a partner at this age, but it also felt so far away, being 51 years old. 

Since last year, I've realized how young 51 years is. He got sick at the age of 48. While building a business and raising teenagers. 

Losing a parent at the age of 21 is weird. You want to leave the house and start to build your own life. But you also need (and want) their support and advice. 

Being 21 years old when you lose a parent is old enough to have lost of memories. It's old enough to have had a solid childhood. It's old enough to have adult conversations. 

But life only begins. Like life only begins at 51. 

I would have loved to ask my father questions about raising our kids and building a business. At 21, I felt like I knew it all. 

I'm the last one to say I never struggle with getting older. I do. But thinking of my dad, I realize it is a gift to get older. 💙

Certified LinkedIn Marketing expert - I will teach you how to align your sales & marketing teams & turn your LinkedIn campaigns and LinkedIn strategy into lead magnets - Grow your business, book a FREE 20 min advice call

If I had to optimize a LinkedIn strategy for lead generation, these are the first things I would implement. 

✔️ Optimize LinkedIn profiles of all customer-facing employees. Much investment often goes into advertising or content creation. It's easy to forget that (potential) customers are checking out your employees on LinkedIn! Make sure they make a professional first impression. 

✔️ Thought leadership strategy for leadership and sales teams. Whether it is building your brand, building trust with a (new) audience, or lead generation, thought leadership is the most effective way. 

✔️ Build brand first before driving demand. Stop all advertising campaigns that focus on lead generation only and invest in branding. You can generate leads with branding campaigns, but you can't generate high-quality leads without branding.

What would you like to change about your LinkedIn strategy and why?

In H1 2026, we’re shaping Vondice Hotel Amsterdam to reflect our story.
Not bigger. Sharper. Intentional. 

We don't want to change platforms (just yet), so we’re looking for a WordPress consultant (Amsterdam region only) with strong expertise in SEO (& GEO 😅 ), conversion optimization, and website flow. 
Someone who understands that essence is about less, clarity, and intentional choices. It has to breathe through all our channels in 2026. 

Vondice is a one-room retreat.
Every click should feel deliberate, not like a funnel.

What we’re looking for:
* WordPress expert (technical and strategic)
* Strong in SEO, local visibility, and conversion (and has ideas about GEO)
* A refined sense of branding, rhythm, and minimalism
* Experience with premium or boutique hospitality is a plus

What we offer:
* Work on a design-led experience
* Full focus on quality over volume
* Space for real strategic influence, not a production factory

Know someone, or is it you?
Send me a DM or Jean-Paul N.. 

www.vondice.com

This is why I believe it's important for my kids to see I work out daily (and this is the main reason WHY I can work out daily with kids). 

When I tell people I work out daily, they always ask me, How? 

One of the reasons why a lot of people struggle to work out is that they have kids. They can't go to the gym or for a run because the kids are at home. They don't have time before or after work because the kids are around.

Interestingly enough, they do support their kids with their own sports program (football classes, ballet classes, swimming classes). 

Our kids mirror what we do, so how can we expect them to take sports seriously when we don't do anything ourselves?

When my oldest daughter was born over 7 years ago, I started to work out again right away (with the right support and advice). She joined those sessions, and seven years later, she is still used to being around me when I work out at home. This is very similar to my 4-year-old. 

When I work out at home, my kids colour, play with Duplo, and read books. They are used to me leaving for an hour on Sunday morning for a sports class. When I drop them off at school, wearing my running outfit, they know I will go for a run. 

My kids are growing up seeing me working out and prioritizing sports. Because of this, I can work out daily and hopefully inspire them to live a healthy lifestyle, too.

If I were asked to optimize a LinkedIn strategy for lead generation, these are the first three things I’d put in place:

✔️ Optimize the profiles of all customer-facing employees
Companies invest heavily in ads and content, but often overlook something crucial: prospects check out your people. Sales, leadership, consultants, their profiles are brand touch points. Make sure they create a professional, credible first impression.

✔️ Build a clear thought leadership strategy for leadership and sales
Whether the goal is brand building, trust, or lead generation, thought leadership consistently delivers. It positions your team as experts, shortens sales cycles, and attracts the right conversations.

✔️ Build brand before pushing demand
Pause lead-gen-only campaigns and invest in branding first. Yes, branding can generate leads, but without a strong brand, you’ll struggle to generate high-quality ones. Demand follows trust.

What’s the one thing you’d change about your LinkedIn strategy right now and why?

This was my first week after the Christmas break. How was yours…

The one investment that consistently grows my personal brand and brings in new clients via LinkedIn.

I run a lean business.
A few software tools.
Website hosting. (Which I consider to stop...)

Nothing excessive.

But there’s one thing I intentionally invest in: Content Creation.

I work with a photographer and videographer to create high-quality visuals. 

Not because it’s required, but because it delivers results.

Over time, I’ve learned that:
✔️ Showing your face builds real connection
✔️ Strong visuals create trust before a single word is read
✔️ Personality-driven posts spark meaningful engagement
✔️ People remember faces far more than names
✔️ Familiarity leads to credibility, and credibility leads to clients

As a consultant, I don’t have a large marketing budget.

And I don’t need one.

I simply need to show up, consistently, clearly, and authentically.

These are the 3 reasons you shouldn't invest in LinkedIn premium accounts. 

We have reached this point with all of my customers, who want to generate leads via LinkedIn. Should we invest in LinkedIn Premium? 

My answer is often yes because, without a premium account, it is harder to generate leads from your organic and thought leadership efforts. 

But, there are 3 reasons why I do not recommend you to invest in LinkedIn Premium:

❌ When your teams don't have the goal to generate leads via their profiles
❌ When there is a lack of knowledge within the team about LinkedIn
❌ When LinkedIn can't be part of the daily routine

The return on investment with LinkedIn Premium can be huge. But, commitment and knowledge of the usages is key. 

What is the reason you do or don't invest in LinkedIn Premium?

If I had to start over with my LinkedIn profile to grow my following and to generate leads, this is what I would do.

• Set a clear goal with my profile 
• Write my profile for my ideal customer
• Add a clear profile picture and compelling banner
• Buy LinkedIn premium for the premium button (and more!)
• Communicate a clear CTA across my whole profile
• Reach out to connect with relevant people on a daily basis
• Follow up on all relevant profile visitors
• Create engaging content 3-4 times per week 
• Add relevant comments to content, every day

Generating leads via LinkedIn requires consistency, more than anything else. Consistency in what you communicate, how you communicate and how often you communicate. 

It's not hard of difficult, you just have to show up and keep on showing up.

Only a few likes on your posts? This doesn't mean your content isn't relevant. 

People are very careful when they "like" content on LinkedIn. Because liking is associating yourself with content. 

Instead of focusing on getting likes, focus on other metrics such as impressions, profile visits and new followers. 

Likes feed our dopamine addiction, high quality profile visitors bring leads. (sorry not sorry)

taplio

The Battle

Martijn Holtes

Wendy Gilst

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreMartijn Holtes's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreWendy Gilst's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Martijn Holtes

Wendy Gilst

Followers

Posts

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);}Martijn Holtes's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreWendy Gilst's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMartijn Holtes's LinkedIn Performance