The Followers vs Buyer-First Audience Framework
Why Most Experts Build the Wrong LinkedIn Following
The Core Problem: Playing the Wrong Game
Most experts on LinkedIn are playing a game they can’t win. They’re optimising for followers, likes, and comments—treating LinkedIn like Instagram for professionals.
But here’s the thing: social proof doesn’t pay your bills.
There are two fundamentally different games you can play on LinkedIn:
Game 1: The Follower Game (Status-Driven)
- Goal: Maximum reach and engagement
- Metrics: Follower count, post views, likes
- Content: Broad appeal, motivational, shareable
- Audience: Everyone who might engage
- Revenue Model: High volume, low price
- Ego Reward: High (peer recognition, social proof)
- Business Impact: Low to moderate
Game 2: The Buyer Game (Revenue-Driven)
- Goal: Quality connections that convert
- Metrics: DM quality, client inquiries, revenue per follower
- Content: Niche-specific, problem-focused, authority-building
- Audience: Decision-makers with budgets
- Revenue Model: Low volume, high value
- Ego Reward: Moderate (less visible success)
- Business Impact: High
Why Experts Choose the Wrong Game
The Status Trap
Branding can become a status game, especially for non-marketers. When you see industry peers hitting 10K, 50K, 100K followers, it triggers competitive instincts.
The follower count becomes a proxy for expertise and success.
The psychology: “If I have more followers, I must be more successful/knowledgeable/respected.”
The Visibility Illusion
More followers feels like more opportunities. But visibility to the wrong audience is just noise.
Would you rather speak to 10,000 broke college students or 100 Fortune 500 CEOs?
The Vanity Metrics Trap
Followers and likes are easy to measure and feel good. Revenue attribution is harder and takes longer.
So most will optimise for what’s visible and immediate rather than what’s valuable and sustainable.
The $100K Math That Changes Everything
Let’s break down the economics of both approaches:
Path 1: High Volume, Low Value
- $10 × 10,000 people = $100,000
- Requires: Massive audience, perfect funnel, incredible conversion rates
- Challenge: Finding 10,000 people willing to pay anything
- Reality: Most “influencers” with 100K+ followers struggle to hit $50K revenue
Path 2: Moderate Volume, Medium Value
- $100 × 1,000 people = $100,000
- Requires: Quality audience, solid product-market fit
- Challenge: Consistent delivery and customer success
- Reality: Achievable but requires systems and quality
Path 3: Low Volume, High Value
- $1,000 × 100 people = $100,000
- Requires: Expert positioning, proven results
- Challenge: Premium pricing confidence and delivery
- Reality: Many consultants achieve this with small, engaged audiences
Path 4: Premium Positioning
- $10,000 × 10 people = $100,000
- Requires: Elite expertise, enterprise-level problems
- Challenge: Finding and closing premium clients
- Reality: Possible with 2,000-5,000 highly targeted connections
Which path sounds more sustainable?
The MrBeast Principle for LinkedIn
MrBeast is obsessed with his audience, but he thinks strategically about conversion.
Every YouTube video is optimised not just for views, but for viewer retention, engagement, and ultimately revenue (sponsors, merch, Beast Burger).
So, the question becomes: Do you want eyeballs or a community that buys your stuff?
The Buyer-First Audit System
The DM Test (Most Important)
Open your LinkedIn messages. Count the last 20 DMs you received:
- How many are from potential clients who could afford your services?
- How many are from your ideal client profile?
- How many led to actual business conversations?
If fewer than 20% pass this test, you’re building the wrong audience.
The Comments Quality Check
Look at your last 10 posts. In the comments, do you see:
- Decision-makers from your target market?
- Senior executives or business owners?
- Referral sources and industry influencers?
If your comments are mostly peers, students, or generic “great post!” responses, you’re attracting browsers, not buyers.
The Connection Pattern Analysis
Review your recent connection requests:
- What titles/industries are connecting with you?
- Are they people who could hire you or refer business?
- Do they match your ideal client avatar?
If you’re attracting mostly other competitors, fellow peers, non-buyers, your positioning needs work.
The PACE Framework for Buyer-First Growth
P - Position for Premium Value
Your profile should immediately signal authority to decision-makers with budgets.
Instead of: “Marketing Consultant” Try: “CMO Advisor | Helping B2B SaaS Companies Scale from $1M to $10M ARR”
Instead of: “Leadership Coach”
Try: “Executive Performance Coach | $50M+ in Client Revenue Impact | Fortune 500 Expertise”
A - Audit and Attract Your Audience
Create a detailed buyer persona:
- Job titles and company sizes
- Specific problems they face
- Budget ranges they work with
- Where they spend time on LinkedIn
Then audit: Is this who’s actually engaging with you?
C - Create Content for Conversion
Stop creating content that just educates. Start creating content that demonstrates your ability to solve expensive problems.
Educational (builds ego): “5 Leadership Tips for Better Team Performance”
Conversion (builds business): “The $2M Leadership Mistake I See Every Quarter (And How to Fix It)”
E - Engage with Economic Intent
Be strategic about where you spend your engagement time:
- Comment thoughtfully on posts by ideal clients
- Share insights in discussions relevant to your buyers
- Connect with decision-makers, not just industry peers
- Participate in groups where your buyers gather
The Uncomfortable Truth
Building a buyer-first audience means:
- Your follower growth will be slower
- Your content might get fewer likes
- Your peers might not notice you as much
- You’ll turn down opportunities that don’t fit
But your profit margins will thank you.
The Next Level: Community vs Audience
The ultimate evolution of buyer-first thinking isn’t just attracting buyers—it’s building a community of buyers who refer other buyers.
This is where The Trusted Voice membership philosophy comes in: create a space where your ideal clients want to spend time, learn from each other, and naturally become advocates for your expertise.
Action Steps
- Complete the audit (DMs, comments, connections)
- Choose your game (followers vs buyers)
- Refine your positioning for premium value
- Pivot your content strategy for conversion
- Engage strategically with economic intent
The question isn’t whether you can build a massive following.
The question is: What kind of following will actually build your business?
