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In this episode of the Human First AI Marketing podcast, Mike Montague sits down with LinkedIn strategist and author Daniel Alfon to break down what actually works on LinkedIn in 2025, especially for B2B professionals, SMB owners, and marketing directors. They dive into why you don’t need 10,000 followers to win on LinkedIn, how to turn profile views into real business conversations, and how to create a standout profile that drives inbound trust and referrals. From leveraging LinkedIn without posting daily to using AI tools without losing your human voice, Daniel shares a playbook that’s practical, ethical, and refreshingly anti-hype.

Key topics include leveraging LinkedIn to build trust and long-term relationships, the risks of automation and shortcuts, AI-assisted content strategy (without compromising authenticity), and optimizing your profile as a conversion asset. Whether you're trying to grow a service-based business, improve your personal brand, or equip your team for smarter outreach, this conversation will reshape how you think about LinkedIn and how you use it to grow.

Top Takeaways

1. You Don’t Need to Post Daily to Win on LinkedIn
Success on LinkedIn doesn’t require daily posting; many professionals generate leads simply through an optimized profile and intentional networking.

2. Automated Tools Can Hurt More Than Help
Overusing automation tools can damage your credibility, get your account restricted, and undermine the trust you’ve built.

3. AI is Great for Brainstorming, Not for Replacing Your Voice
Use AI to generate ideas or draft copy, but always edit to reflect your authentic voice before publishing or messaging.

4. Your LinkedIn Profile is Your Most Valuable Asset
Treat your profile like a landing page: clarify who you help, what you offer, and the exact action you want visitors to take.

5. Start Conversations, Not Campaigns
Real business comes from real relationships. Focus on using LinkedIn to connect personally, not blast messages.

6. Stay Human in a World of Bots
Maintaining a human-first approach, checking in with real people, remembering birthdays, and sending emails builds deeper, lasting trust.

7. You Can Succeed with Just 200 Quality Connections
Having a small, engaged network that knows, likes, and trusts you can generate more business than thousands of superficial followers.

8. Referrals Trump Reach
Most high-value B2B deals come through referrals, not viral posts, so prioritize building trust with your immediate network.

9. Educational Content Converts
Teach your audience something valuable, and they’ll come back for more (and eventually ask how they can work with you).

10. Your Call to Action Should Be Low Commitment and Clear
Instead of pushing for a sale, guide people to a podcast, free resource, or email newsletter to keep the conversation going.

The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.

Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.

No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!

Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here.

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