How do we stand out without selling out?
with Claudia Cardinali, Head of Strategy at personal branding agency Great Influence (clients include Gary Neville, Alan Barrett, Oliver Cookson)
TL;DR
Treat LinkedIn as a career asset, not a content chore.
Show up consistently (sustainable cadence beats sprints).
Use AI as a thinking partner, not a ghostwriter.
Success = right people reached, not viral likes.
Build systems so posting isn’t at the bottom of your to-do list.
Claudia’s Origin Story: A Career Built on One Platform
In 2020, during the pandemic, Claudia began posting on LinkedIn about post-uni uncertainty and “cost-life crisis.”
A DM from her now boss led to freelance copywriting, then strategy at Great Influence, shaping digital profiles for CEOs and founders.
Early LinkedIn felt like a “golden era”—low supply of creators, high upside—but the core lesson endures: help people, speak clearly, show up.
Personal Brand ≠ Just Ghostwriting
Claudia reframes it as managing digital profiles aligned to real business goals:
Where do you want your career or company to go?
Which audience matters for that outcome (often a very small set of decision-makers)?
What signal should your content send to them?
“Every post should move you one step closer to getting in the room with the right people.”
Standing Out Without Selling Out
Start with “Why now?”
KPI posting to tick a box will feel icky.
If it’s career leverage, make content the tool that supports goals: hiring, partnerships, acquisition, reputation.
Right metric: Mentions in meetings, relevant DMs, invites—not like counts.
Authenticity > polish: Imperfect, human posts that reflect your thinking beat generic, AI-shaped sameness.
Using AI (The Smart Way)
Use ChatGPT for research, prompts, and synthesis (“What’s everyone missing about X?”), then inject your take.
Avoid “write this post for me” sameness. Audiences can feel generic content instantly.
Think of AI as a creative partner that speeds you up; never a replacement for your brain.
The Biggest Mistakes on LinkedIn
Flash-in-the-pan sprints (daily for two weeks, then vanish).
Algorithm obsession before consistency.
Speaking to “everyone” instead of the 10 people who matter.
Short-termism—expecting leads this week vs. compounding reputation over years.
“Show up once a week for a year > 10 times in a month and disappear.”
A Sustainable System (So You Actually Keep Posting)
Keep a notes file for sparks (meeting takeaways, client questions, screenshots, half-ideas).
Batch 20–30 minutes to turn notes into 4 quick posts rather than 1 over-polished carousel.
Choose a cadence you can keep for 6–12 months.
Review quarterly: what content gets in-room mentions or quality inbound?
Channel Strategy (Do You Need TikTok/IG?)
Decide by goal + audience:
Mass exposure: TikTok/IG help.
B2B decision-makers / sponsorships: LinkedIn first.
Avoid spreading thin. Nail one platform, then expand.
Aim for consistent impression across channels (no brand whiplash).
The Next 6–60 Months on LinkedIn
More creator-led behaviors, but LinkedIn’s economics are still software-driven, not creator payouts.
Likely rise of “LinkedIn-only” influencers needing to diversify.
Your searchable digital footprint (incl. AI search in tools like ChatGPT) will increasingly drive discovery and referrals.
For Individuals: Quick Start Checklist
Clarify your why now (job change, promotion, pipeline, speaking, etc.).
Define your who (be specific—roles, firms, problems).
Set a cadence you can sustain (e.g., 1 post/week).
Build a notes habit (ideas > blank page).
Post observations, lessons, and shows-your-work stories.
Track qualitative signals: DMs, “saw your post” moments, invites.
For Companies & Leaders: Make It Worth Doing
Tie content to business outcomes (recruiting, BD, perception change).
Give employees clarity, time, and templates, not just KPIs.
Measure relevance (meeting mentions, shortlist adds, talent quality), not vanity metrics.
Align founders’/execs’ posts to investor/buyer narratives as much as customer stories.
Favorite Soundbites
“Use AI as a partner, not in replacement of your brain.”
“It’s not content—it’s an audience and reputation you carry for a decade.”
“If the goal is viral, the goal is wrong.”
Where to Find Claudia
LinkedIn: Claudia Cardinali
Instagram (new, experimental): @ClaudiaCardinali — small audience, high-quality conversations over vanity numbers.
