"I Went to the Beach This Weekend… Here’s What It Taught Me About B2B Sales" (Spoiler: Absolutely Nothing): How Not To Fail At LinkedIn

You know those LinkedIn posts that start with, "I got married this weekend… here’s what it taught me about leadership," or, "I lost my keys this morning… and that’s when I realised the power of teamwork" Yeah, we’ve all seen them. If your first instinct is to roll your eyes - you’re not alone.

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So, let’s be clear: your beach day probably didn’t teach you about B2B sales. But what is worth learning is how to raise your LinkedIn profile in a way that’s meaningful, and professional, without making your connections feel like they’re reading a bad self-help book. Here’s why it matters and how to do it right.

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Why Do People Feel The Need to Convert Life Into “B2B Learnings”?

LinkedIn is a social media platform, and what’s more, it’s a business networking arena where you can capture the attention of potential clients. In a world where you’re recommended to post regularly and build up a following, finding inspiration for new and exciting content about yourself is… well… hard! 

What’s more, with over 1 billion members in more than 200 countries, finding a way to stand out from the crowd can pose a real challenge. How many times can you talk about your business in a fun and engaging way? (take it from us, quite a lot, but that’s easier said than done when you’re not in marketing!)

Why Do B2B Leaders Need To Pay More Attention To Their LinkedIn Profiles?

I’m Jess at The Marketing Plot - I work as an outsourced CMO for scaling businesses, working closely with business leaders to elevate their brand and personal voice. In a nutshell, it’s my job to make sure that a business is seen by the right people, at the right time. 

When we carry out personal branding exercises with our clients, we always start by reminding them that LinkedIn is much like a digital networking room. You wouldn’t run into a networking event throwing business cards at everyone asking them to buy from you, but equally you wouldn’t interrupt a serious meeting to tell people about your yoga class.

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So if LinkedIn might be the first touchpoint people have with you, you’ll need to find a balance of being approachable, but also showing professional credibility and expertise.

Don’t let this intricacy put you off, LinkedIn can have a host of benefits for B2B leaders:

Visibility: 

Sadly, (for B2B marketers like me who take the time to nurture business LinkedIn pages), personal profiles work a lot better for a business than the company pages. In fact, personal LinkedIn profiles outperform company pages with 5x more engagement and 2.75x more impressions. 

So if you’re a business leader with a marketing team, start talking to them more about how to promote your own LinkedIn page rather than focussing solely on your business page.

When you raise your profile on LinkedIn, you’re increasing your chances of being seen by potential clients, partners, and talent. It’s like networking at a business event - except it’s happening 24/7.

Thought Leadership: 

It’s reported that 75% of decision-makers (including the c-suite) have researched products and services they have not previously considered due to thought leadership online. 

By sharing relevant insights (not random life lessons), you position yourself as a go-to expert in your field. This builds trust and authority, making people more likely to reach out when they need a solution in your niche.

Business Growth: 

Engaging in LinkedIn doesn’t just make you look good - it can directly impact your bottom line. As a business leader, the more visible and credible you are, the more doors open for collaborations, partnerships, and sales. That’s why 89% of marketers use LinkedIn for lead generation, and 62% say it’s effective. 

Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Thought Leadership

There’s a fine line between being relatable and being cringe. People love a good story but they hate being force-fed metaphors that stretch reality thinner than excuses for avoiding cold calls.

When creating content for LinkedIn, steer clear of overused, exaggerated life-event analogies. The moment you find yourself typing, "As I looked out at the ocean waves, it reminded me of how clients come and go…" STOP. Your followers will thank you.

Instead, focus on providing real, actionable insights. Talk about trends, share data, or give genuine advice. There’s no need to shoehorn your latest trip to the zoo into a post about marketing KPIs.

Harnessing the Power of Authentic Storytelling On LinkedIn 

Storytelling on LinkedIn works when it’s relevant, genuine, and tied to your professional experience.

Here are 10 LinkedIn prompts to help

1. What’s a big achievement you’ve experienced recently in your business? 
2. Give one of your team members a shoutout 
3. What’s happening in your industry at the moment that others should know about? 
4. What’s a funny anecdote about a mistake you made in the past? 
5. What have you learned in the last month that your network would benefit from knowing? 
6. Share some great feedback a client has given you recently 
7. What’s your biggest pet peeve in your industry? 
8. Debunk jargon in your industry
9. Share a story about one of your first jobs 
10. Share a story about how you got to where you are now - and why!

The Art of Strategic LinkedIn Networking

You wouldn’t walk up to strangers at a conference and start with, "Give me your phone number and I’ll send you everything we do in web design" so why do it on LinkedIn? Thoughtful, targeted engagement is key. Connect with people in your industry, engage with their content meaningfully, and avoid the urge to sell to them straight away or force-feed them family updates.

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Networking on LinkedIn should be about adding value, not turning every mundane moment into a metaphor. Be strategic, be professional.

Final Thoughts: Keep Your Personal Life Off Your LinkedIn Sales Strategy

If there’s one takeaway here, it’s that no one needs to know about your beach trip, wedding, or breakfast burrito unless it genuinely impacts your industry knowledge. Avoid gimmicky posts that make people cringe, and instead, focus on providing value through authentic, thoughtful, and relevant content. 

So, next time you’re tempted to start a LinkedIn post with “I went to the beach this weekend…,” pause. Ask yourself: is this actually worth sharing, or am I verging on inauthenticity?