Social Media Writing Skills

I was catching up with a communications colleague recently. While we were chatting, she received an email with the same subject line as so many others: "Quick comms request." I could see the frustration cross her face as the notification popped up on her screen. She receives so many of these messages, all with asks to profile work happening within the organization. Program team: "Can you post about our workshop series?"  Development: "Don't forget to highlight this funder partnership!"  ED: "Board wants to see more about our policy work in the newsletter." It's all good and worthy so she's lost her will to say "no" despite the volume. The problem isn't that nonprofits are doing too much work. It's that they're communicating about too much work, all at once, without a frame. Every program gets a mention. Every milestone gets a post. Every partnership gets a release. But, without an overarching narrative, it all lands as noise. Your community doesn't need to know about everything you're doing. They need to know what it all means—for them, for the people you serve, for the change you're trying to make. When you communicate without a plan, you're working twice as hard for half the impact. You're writing posts that get scrolled past, newsletters that don't get opened, annual reports that don't inspire anyone to give again. And your team knows it. They feel it. That's why those "quick comms requests" keep piling up. Everyone's trying harder because nothing's breaking through. Before you write another word, name three ideas you want your community to actually understand right now. Not three programs. Not three events. Three ideas about your work and why it matters. Then look at all those requests sitting in your inbox. Which activities, milestones, or stories actually support one of those three ideas? Use those. Give them context. Weave them into something meaningful. The rest? They can wait. (Or, maybe they don't need external comms at all.)

My agency has driven $200+ Million in email revenue for our clients. Here are the 15 Copywriting Rules that made it possible: 1. Big Idea Make your copy revolve around a Big Idea. This idea has to be: - Exciting - Interesting - Timeless, and - Relevant to the reader Remember: People don't buy products, they buy ideas (BIG ones). 2. Irresistible Offer What makes an irresistible offer? Simple. Perceived value >>> price. Your copy must show prospects they're getting A TON of value for a relatively small amount of money. That way it will be easier for them to say "Yes" than to say "No". 3. Rule of One Don't focus on too many things at the same time. Sell ONE thing. Present ONE idea. Explore ONE topic. Solve ONE problem. Share ONE solution. This is how you write effective copy. 4. Headline + Lead = the most important part These two determine who will read your copy (and who won't). Make your headline interesting, intriguing and specific. Make your lead engaging, compelling and entertaining. In short, make the first part impossible to ignore. 5. Subject Lines must grab attention The sole purpose of the subject line is to make people open your email. You accomplish that by grabbing their attention. How? >> Spark curiosity >> Include benefits Example: "The worst 5 marketing mistakes and how to avoid them." 6. Write like you speak This one is pretty self-explanatory. Here's a great exercise to accomplish this: 1. Read your copy out loud 2. If it doesn't feel like you're the one talking, rewrite it Works like a charm. 7. Write, then trim When writing your first draft, write everything that comes into your head. Then edit multiple times to remove redundancies, adverbs, etc. Your copy will be way shorter but way more effective. 8. Talk to a person, not a crowd Your target should feel like your copy is written specifically for them. Here's how to accomplish that: - Use YOU language - Avoid generalization - Show some personality Selling to one -> Many sales Selling to many -> One sale 9. Show what's in it for them The only thing going through your target's head when reading your copy is: What's in it for me? Answer that question and the sale is yours. 10. USP Whatever product you're selling online, Chances are there are 1000's of similar products in the market. If you want yours to succeed, you need to stand out. How? By showing your targets your Unique Selling Point. I.e. What you have that your competitors don't. 11. Big Problem Your copy has to be centered around a Big Problem. The bigger the problem, The more it aches them, The more they want to get rid of it, The more they'll pay for a solution, The more money you will make. Internalize this: Big Problems = Big Money. PS. Read further in the comments

Day 3 of teaching A to Z of Linkedin .Today is “C for Content that goes Viral” Let’s get real if profile is the body of your LinkedIn, then content is the soul. I’ve been creating content on LinkedIn for over 3 years now and here’s what I know for sure: ✔️ Content builds visibility. ✔️ Content builds credibility. ✔️ Content builds community. But wait, not all content performs equally. Let’s break it down: 📌 What kind of content works on LinkedIn? ✅ Personal Experiences with Professional Learnings Posts that start with “I failed at...” or “I learned this the hard way...” often get 3x more engagement. Vulnerability + Value = Viral. ✅ Carousels with Clear Value People love to learn. Give them step-by-step guides, templates, or tips. Tools I’ve used? ChatGPT, Canva, and Notion. ✅ Contrarian Opinions Don’t be afraid to question the norm. My most viral posts? When I said, “Don’t romanticize overworking in your 20s.” Be bold, but respectful. ✅ Industry Breakdown & Trends Whether you're in finance, design, tech, or marketing ,educate your audience about what's changing. Format it like “What’s new in ___ this week?” or “X things I wish I knew before joining ___.” 📌 How often should you post? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But here’s a solid starting point: Beginner: 2x a week Intermediate: 3–4x a week Advanced/Creator: Daily (5x a week is ideal) More than consistency, clarity and relevance matter. 📌 Structure of a High-Performing LinkedIn Post: 1. Hook (Line 1–2): Grab attention. Make people stop scrolling. Example: “I was rejected 17 times before I landed my dream job at AmEx.” 2. Story or Insight (Lines 3–8): Tell a story, share context, add emotion or lessons. Make it relatable. 3. Value/Framework (Lines 9–12): Give something they can use. A mindset, a tip, a list, or a reflection. 📌 CTA : End with: “What’s your take?” “Would you do this differently?” “Comment below with your experience.” 📌 Common Mistakes to Avoid: 🚫 Posting only when you need something 🚫 Turning your post into a CV 🚫 Using too many hashtags (3–5 max) 🚫 Copy-pasting viral templates with zero originality 🚫 Not engaging with comments on your post 📌 My 3-Post Challenge for You: If you’re just starting out , here's your content roadmap for the next 7 days: 📌 Post 1: Talk about a challenge you faced & what you learned 📌 Post 2: Share 5 tools that help you be more productive 📌 Post 3: Reflect on a book, podcast, or reel that changed your mindset Any guesses or suggestions for tomorrow's word :D ? Let’s build your voice, one post at a time. #LinkedInTips #ContentStrategy #PersonalBranding #riyagadhwal #linkedin

Most people think copywriting is about “sounding smart.” It’s not. The brutal truth? Nobody buys when they’re confused. Nobody buys when they’re neutral. Nobody buys when they don’t see themselves. If your copy isn’t converting, check 3 things: 1. Are you clear in the first 3 seconds? If a 12-year-old can’t explain your offer, it’s too complicated. (Good copy is simple, specific, emotional.) 2. Are you solving an urgent problem? People don’t want solutions to “important problems.” They want solutions to painful, annoying, urgent problems. Example: • Not “improve your digital presence.” • Say “Get 3 clients this month using content you already have.” 3. Are you making them FEEL something? Logic convinces. Emotion sells. Storytelling > Features. Benefits > Technicalities. Connection > Cleverness. Mini Framework you can steal: Pain — Paint the current struggle Dream — Describe the life after solving it Bridge — Offer the roadmap (your solution) Example: • Pain: “Tired of posting content that even your best friend ignores?” • Dream: “Imagine waking up to 15 leads saying, ‘Hey, can we work together?’” • Bridge: “That’s exactly what my B2B storytelling framework creates for you.” Lesson Reinforcement: Good copy isn’t about adding more words. It’s about removing more doubt. Which part do you struggle with the most..clarity, urgency, or emotion? #linkedin

You can’t afford a silent personal brand. Doubts cost you freedom, daily. An external force isn't stopping you… It’s the internal illusions you let consume you. ☑ Identify the self-sabotaging behaviors: Spotlight Effect Cringe: Overestimating how many see your posts and judging every word you write. Distraction: Mindless scrolling instead of meaningful engagement. Comparison Trap: Measuring likes, views, and connections against others, fueling insecurity. ☑ Understand the real obstacles: Decision Paralysis: Believing success requires perfect data and strategies before taking action. Personal vs. Useful: Focusing on personal opinions over genuine value for your audience. Vanity Metrics Addiction: Chasing impressions instead of true community-building. ☑ Implement these strategies to combat sabotage: Reality Check: Recognize that not everyone reads (or judges) your every post. Intentional Engagement: Dedicate time to comment, connect, and converse with your network. Self-Comparison: Track your own progress rather than obsessing over others. ☑ Develop a mindset for success: Embrace Imperfection: Learn in public and grow by sharing, not by hiding. Prioritize Value: Offer expertise that genuinely helps others instead of just voicing personal rants. Focus on Connection: Relationships over chasing larger and larger impression counts. ☑ Tools to help you stay on track: Time-Blocking: Schedule engagement sessions so distractions don’t derail you. Confidence Boosters: Keep reminders of past wins visible to fight impostor syndrome. Analytics with Purpose: Measure what matters—impact, relationships, and progress. ☑ Optimize your environment for growth: Supportive Circles: Join groups or masterminds that encourage your LinkedIn journey. Clear Your Feed: Mute, unfollow, or reduce content that triggers comparisons or doubt Structured Routines: Create consistent posting habits to overcome hesitation. ☑ Top tips for maintaining momentum: Post Consistently: Overcome the cringe feeling by taking action repeatedly. Reward Incremental Wins: Celebrate every milestone to keep motivation high. Keep Learning: Seek feedback, refine your approach, and always move forward. ☑ Ensure every action aligns with your goals. Adopt a strategy that includes: Clarity of Purpose: Know whom you serve. Consistent Execution: Show up every day. Resilient Mindset: Obstacles are part of the process. Act despite the illusions. The real villain isn’t out there. It’s within.

In college, I made YouTube videos no one watched. I changed one thing and we hit 100k views. Earlier, it was only me in the videos, giving 'gyan' on a topic. Later, I went to the campus cafeteria with a DSLR camera, rode shotgun microphone and joby tripod to ask the college students questions like: “What’s your most embarrassing campus moment?” “Who has the worst attendance in your class?” The videos started blowing up. Because it wasn’t focused on me anymore. It was about them (or their friends). 👉 If your audience doesn’t see themselves in your content, they scroll. Which is why - even now, with a bigger stage, more events and better lighting - I still say no to 99% of ‘standard’ selfie or event format posts. I don’t post 37 photos from an event only because the lighting was good. Instead, I like to pick one raw moment like a thought that I was thinking about in the cab ride back to the airport. Or I prefer to ask 5 people the same question and compile their answers in a video like this → https://lnkd.in/dN6GvThw Something real. Emotional. Human. Honestly, I don't care for the Times Square billboard flex. Or the “I ranked #1 on Favikon in India this year” posts. Or the "100,000 people follow me" on LinkedIn. Cool to win - but cooler when people win something because of you. So before I post anything, I often ask myself: → Is this post about me or is there something in it for them? → Will this make someone say, ‘Damn, I’ve felt that too’? → Will they want to share it with their friends? If the answer is no, then I don’t post it. #ContentWithContext #Storytelling #PersonalBranding

Every time someone tells me: “I want to write on LinkedIn but I don’t know how to start…” Here’s what I say: You don’t need writing skills. You need a system. Here’s the exact process I use — from idea to post — that helped me go from 1–2 likes to meaningful engagement 👇 🔹 𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰 Don't ask, “What should I write about?” Ask, “What happened recently that made me think?” Examples: A conversation with a colleague A mistake you made at work A question someone asked you 🔹 𝟮. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 Your content should give, not just tell. Ask yourself: “Why would this matter to someone else?” If it doesn’t teach, inspire, or relate — it won’t land. 🔹 𝟯. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 = 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸 → 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 → 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 → 𝗖𝗧𝗔 Example: Hook: I almost got rejected from a role because I gave the perfect answer. Story: Quick context, what happened. Lesson: Here’s what I learned about being too polished. CTA: Ever had a moment like this? Let’s hear it. 🔹 𝟰. 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 Read your post out loud. If it sounds robotic or like a textbook — rewrite. LinkedIn rewards relatable over refined. 🔹 𝟱. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗽𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗲 I maintain a Notion doc where I drop: Questions people ask me Topics I want to explore Sentences I like from others When I’m stuck, I don’t start from scratch — I go there. LinkedIn reports that creators who post weekly gain 5x more profile views and 7x more connection requests. Translation? You don’t need to go viral. You just need to show up consistently. #LinkedInWriting #ContentCreation #PersonalBranding #WritingTips #CreatorStrategy

A story structure you can use on LinkedIn: Going from writing 75,000-word books to 240-character tweets (pre-Elon) kicked my butt. It’s a different type of storytelling. Plus, I: • Had no network • Didn’t get psychology • Knew nada about copywriting And that meant my first few months writing on the internet were brutal. Recently, I changed my approach for one reason. Storytelling is rooted in transformation. No transformation, no story. But how the heck do you fit that in a tweet? A LinkedIn post? An email? So, I dedicated quite a bit of time to create what I call “Micro Storytelling.” It’s a combo of storytelling principles and two copywriting formulas: • Before - After - Bridge • Attention - Interest - Desire - Action Together, copywriting and storytelling help you get attention, keep attention, and turn that attention into something valuable. Here’s the 5 steps to create a Micro Story: 1. Before 2. After 3. Bridge 4. Lesson 5. Action BABLA. I tried so hard to make it a better acronym. But here we are… let’s agree to call it “Micro Storytelling.” 1. Tell people about the Before Introduce the Before state. Where you’ve been, how you thought, the argument you’re about to lay waste to. 2. Juxtapose the After (or the “Desired Future”) In short-form storytelling, juxtaposition becomes your best friend. Put unrelated or opposing ideas next to each other and you simultaneously: • Create tension • Form open loops • But keep the solution hidden At this point, the reader’s begging you to show them the bridge. 3. Bridge the gap (this is the “Transformation”) You’ve opened the loop. Now, it’s time to close it. Tell your reader how you went from Before to After. 4. Share the Lesson, the “So What” Bridges need foundations. What are your takeaways? Why did you care about the Before, After, and Bridge? What should your reader do about it? This is the step I used to skip. But without it, the story lacks its conclusion. Share your non-obvious takeaways. Share your perspective. Share your opinions. Share whatever you can share that nobody else can. 5. You’ve inspired desire, now ask for the Action People see themselves in stories. When you connect steps 1-4, you create desire in the right person. They want the transformation for themselves. Present a way for them to take that step. Tldr: I’m not a big template guy. Instead, focus on the psychology of short-form storytelling. • Juxtaposition to create conflict and interest • Transformation to illicit desire and intention • Lessons to show confidence and conviction Writing on the internet isn't about trends, algos or virality. It’s about resonating with people. And to do that, become a great writer and storyteller. The rest will come. --- If you want to become a better storyteller, try my free newsletter with 81,538 others. You’ll get 1 storytelling tip each Saturday morning. Tap the ‘visit my website’ button in my bio to join us.

If you over-curate & overthink your personal brand to perfection, your engagement will be dead! You see them everywhere—polished, poised, and perfectly positioned personal brands. Yet, their engagement is flat. Their audience? Passive. This is the"Perfect Persona" Effect—where people curate an online brand so flawlessly that it becomes unrelatable. And science backs this up. 📌 A study from Harvard Business Review found that leaders who share their struggles increase trust by 66% compared to those who only share polished success. 📌 Social psychologist Dr. Elliot Aronson’s "Pratfall Effect" proves that people perceive those who show vulnerability as more likable than those who appear perfect. The brands that win aren’t the ones that look flawless. They’re the ones that feel real. This is how we work this out with SackBerry clients: 1. Show the process, not just the results. ❌ “We grew our business 10x in a year!” ✅ “We struggled for months with zero sales—here’s what finally worked.” People relate to struggles, lessons, and real journeys. Share the how, not just the highlight. 2. Write like you talk. The easiest way to sound human? Read your post out loud. If you wouldn’t say it in a conversation, rewrite it. 3. Share your unpopular opinions. The fastest way to stand out isn’t to blend in. Take a stance. Challenge industry clichés. Say what others won’t. 4. Use the “3-Post Rule” to create trust. Your content should rotate between these formats: A personal story (human connection) An actionable insight (expert credibility) A polarizing take (sparks discussion) 5. Don’t fear the “mess.” -Not every post needs to be perfect. - Test new ideas. - Share drafts. - Build in public. People love watching something unfold in real time. So, tell me—what’s one thing you wish more people shared online? #PersonalBranding #Authenticity #BuildingInPublic #ContentMarketing

Each post we share is a conversation inviting others to speak. Much like real-life conversations, if we want to be understood - we need to follow certain principles. Have you ever wondered why some conversations (posts) leave you feeling understood while others simply don't? The answer lies in how we communicate. The Cooperative Principle, developed by British philosopher Paul Grice, provides a framework for effective communication: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙡𝙚 → Goal: To communicate effectively so that the speaker is understood and the listener understands. → Basic Rule: Make your contributions appropriate to the context of the conversation. 𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙪𝙨: 1. Maxim of Quantity: Provide enough information for others to understand, but not too much to cause confusion. 2. Maxim of Quality: Speak truthfully. Avoid misleading information. 3. Maxim of Relevance: Keep your content relevant to the topic. 4. Maxim of Manner: Be clear. Avoid unnecessary complexity and be logical. If each post is a conversation, it must embody these maxims. 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 Much like in a real-life conversation, we need to provide space for others to "speak." This means making it easy and inviting for people to share their thoughts: → Ask Questions: End your posts with questions that encourage responses. → Invite Feedback: Encourage others to share their opinions and experiences. → Engage: Respond to comments and create a dialogue. Show that you value others' input. By treating each post as a meaningful exchange, we not only communicate more effectively but also build stronger connections with our audience. To be understood, speak truthfully and relevantly, be clear and concise and be open for an exchange. Which of these maxims do you find most challenging to apply in your content or real life conversations?