I was out walking Rosie the dog on garbage day when I had an epiphany that completely changed how I think about personal branding on LinkedIn.
And no, I wasn’t digging through my neighbor’s trash like some weirdo. 😂
But when I spotted a Waste Management garbage can, I immediately felt …
Happy?
Entertained?
Ready to cut loose?
Who the heck looks at a garbage can and feels ready to party?
Let me explain why this matters for your LinkedIn success – and how it can help you attract clients who are already sold on YOU before you even talk to them.
The Surprising Branding Lesson Hidden in Your Neighbor’s Trash
Here’s what hit me: Waste Management sponsors the loudest, craziest, most fun golf tournament on the planet – the Waste Management Open in Phoenix.
Think Happy Gilmore meets the PGA Tour …
We’re talking rock bands, people partying in the stands, fans throwing drinks in the air when someone gets a hole-in-one, etc.
On the famous 16th hole, crowds actually cheer WHILE golfers are hitting!
It’s complete chaos. And it’s brilliant.
Waste Management took the most boring, unglamorous business imaginable – literally dealing with garbage – and associated their brand with FUN.
Now when I see their logo, I don’t think “trash company.” I think about that wild tournament. I smile.
I have positive feelings about a sanitation company!
That’s the power of intentional personal branding.
Your single biggest advantage in today’s online marketplace is YOU!
Why 99% of LinkedIn Profiles Fail (Including Yours)
Most LinkedIn profiles read like boring résumés. All credentials, no personality.
It’s like being trapped at a cocktail party with that guy who only talks about himself and his achievements. You know the type – makes you want to fake a phone call just to escape.
That’s exactly what WAY too many LinkedIn profiles (maybe including yours?) are doing right now.
But here’s what actually works …
The Consultant Who Got My Business in 5 Seconds
I was searching for a CRM software consultant recently. I went to a website (provided by the CRM software company) with a whole list of “certified experts” with impressive credentials.
You know who I picked?
The guy with a picture of him and his kid on his landing page.
Not the one with the most certifications. Not the cheapest. Not even the one with the best testimonials.
I picked the dad who showed he was a real human being. Who said on his website that he’s all about building his consulting business around his family time – not the other way around.
Why?
Because I thought, “This is my kind of person. Someone I’d actually enjoy working with. He’s got the same vibe / views / values as me.”
And that’s when it clicked …
The Formula That Never Fails
Here’s my dead-simple LinkedIn personal branding formula that has been working to generate nonstop leads (and clients!) since 2012 …
Personal Story + Business Lesson = Irresistible Content
Let me show you exactly how this works with a real example.
Picture this: It’s 95 degrees, 100% humidity, and I’m unloading a minivan full of garbage at the local dump.
The smell is making me gag. I’m covering my face with my t-shirt. Sweat is pouring down my face like I just ran a marathon in a sauna.
Miserable, right?
But driving home, I thought: “There’s content gold in this suffering.”
Garbage dump → Stinking thinking → Mindset transformation
I published a LinkedIn post about how negative self-talk (business lesson) is like having a garbage dump (personal story) in your mind. How it stinks up your potential. How, to paraphrase Zig Ziglar, working on your mindset is like showering – if you don’t do it daily, pretty soon things start to smell bad!
That post generated a ton of views, engagement and leads.
From a trip to the dump. 🗑️
Who Are You?
You’ll find photos of me on LinkedIn wearing:
- A popcorn bucket on my head
- Zubaz pants (Google them if you’re under 45)
- Minnesota Vikings gear (usually while crying after another heartbreaking postseason collapse!)
Am I insane? Maybe.
But here’s what happens…
Every single sales call starts with prospects laughing about those photos.
They already feel like they know me. The ice is pre-broken. We start from a place of connection, not cold professionalism.
More importantly? The people who think I’m “too unprofessional” never book calls in the first place.
I’m automatically filtering out bad-fit clients who want stuffy, corporate relationships.
Putting your personality into your content attracts people who really vibe with you and repels people who’d be a terrible fit.
The LinkedIn Personal Branding Strategies That Actually Work
1. Show Your Real Personality (Even in “Serious” Industries)
Lawyers and doctors think they need to be robots on LinkedIn. Wrong.
Being the ONE attorney who cracks jokes stands out MORE in a sea of suits.
Memorable beats professional every time.
2. Give People a Story to Remember You By
Quick: Name three LinkedIn connections from last week.
Hard, right?
Now name the person who posted about their entrepreneurial journey starting in their garage.
Or the consultant who shared how they failed three times before succeeding.
Stories stick. Credentials don’t.
3. Use Your Quirks as Client Filters
Introverted? Make that your superpower: “I help fellow introverts build businesses without the exhausting networking circus.”
Love dad jokes? Use them liberally. You’ll attract clients who appreciate humor and repel the ones who take themselves too seriously.
Work in your pajamas?
Own it!
Some CEO out there is dying to work with someone who gets that suits don’t equal success.
4. Create “Vibe Check” Content
Every piece of content should help prospects answer: “Is this my kind of person?”
My content says:
- I’m a goofball who takes business (but not myself) seriously
- I’m a stay-at-home dad who built a 7 figure business from scratch using LinkedIn
- I believe work should be fun, not a death march
- I value authenticity over polish
Result? I only attract clients who want that exact vibe.
The Mindset Shift That Tripled My Revenue
True story: After reading “Psycho-Cybernetics” by Maxwell Maltz and working on my self-image, I literally tripled my monthly revenue.
Not eventually. In ONE month.
Why? Because I stopped trying to be what I thought clients wanted and started being unapologetically myself.
Two key lessons from my business coach that I’ve never forgotten:
- Income improvement follows self-improvement.
- You can’t outperform your self-image.
Turn Your LinkedIn Profile Into a Client Magnet (Not a Resume)
Stop asking: “How can I impress people with my achievements?”
Start asking: “How can I show ideal clients I understand their world?”
The Client-Facing Profile Formula:
- Headline: Their problem + Your solution (not your title)
- About Section: Their challenges + How you help + Personality elements
- Experience: Results you’ve delivered + Industries you understand + Client testimonials
- Featured Section: Your best content that demonstrates expertise + personality
Remember: People hire people, not résumés.
Putting more of yourself into your brand does mean the occasional stranger will tell you precisely what they think of it. Survivable, and sometimes useful: here is what I did with an angry email instead of deleting it.
The Bottom Line on Personal Branding
With over 1 billion people on LinkedIn, you’re not going to run out of leads by being yourself.
Actually, the opposite is true.
The more authentically YOU that you are, the easier it becomes to attract perfect-fit clients who can’t wait to work with you.
Just like Waste Management turned garbage into gold by associating with fun, you can transform your “boring” business into a client magnet by injecting your real personality.
I mean, if a guy who wears publishes photos of himself with popcorn buckets on his head playing “Star Wars” with his kids can build a 7 figure business here on LinkedIn, what’s your excuse!? 🤣
Prefer to have our team run this for you instead of DIY? Here’s how our LinkedIn lead generation works for consultants.
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