How to Write a LinkedIn Impact Story

Struggling to write LinkedIn posts that actually connect with people? You’re not alone. Every week, I meet brilliant professionals with powerful journeys, but their LinkedIn presence tells none of it. No impact. No visibility. No connection. That’s where storytelling changes everything. Over the last few years, I’ve helped hundreds of professionals turn bland updates into stories that spark engagement, build thought leadership, and unlock career opportunities. Here’s the exact storytelling framework I use with them: 🔹 1. Start with a hook that creates tension Don’t say: “I got promoted.” Say: “I almost quit my job last week. Then something unexpected happened…” 🔹 2. Follow the 3-Act Structure Beginning: Set the scene Middle: Share the challenge/conflict End: Deliver the outcome/lesson 🔹 3. Use vivid details Not: “I had a tough meeting.” Say: “My hands were shaking as I opened that PowerPoint at 9:03 AM…” 🔹 4. Add real dialogue Dialogue draws readers in. “Are you sure you can lead this team?” “Watch me,” I said. 🔹 5. Show vulnerability Own your missteps. Talk about your doubts. That’s what makes you relatable and trustworthy. 🔹 6. Keep paragraphs short No walls of text. White space improves readability and retention. 🔹 7. Always end with value Wrap with a takeaway: “What did YOU learn?” “What can OTHERS apply?” It builds a human connection, which is what LinkedIn is truly about. Not just B2B or B2C. But H2H — Human to Human. I offer LinkedIn Profile Optimization for professionals who are ready to attract better opportunities. 👉 DM me if you’d like a profile audit or want help revamping your profile from checkbox to client magnet. #LinkedInTips #PersonalBranding #Storytelling #ContentStrategy #CareerGrowth #ProfileOptimisation

I’ve spent nearly 20 years working with CFOs. …and there’s one consistent blind spot: 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 STORY 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. From ASX-listed giants to SMEs and fast-scaling startups… Either: a) They’ll talk about what they did BAU but leave out the exceptional gains they added…and how they did it. Not the numbers. The STORY. Or b) They’ll be all fluff and no substance. 🧨 And if you can’t clearly communicate your impact, you risk being underestimated or overlooked…especially in interviews, board meetings, or succession planning conversations. So here’s a practical habit I encourage CFOs to build: 🔥The “Impact Log” 🟰your secret weapon for career storytelling. No fluff. Just a regular, disciplined process to: • Track your results • Capture business impact • Turn raw wins into boardroom-ready stories Here’s how I recommend doing it: ⭐️ 1. Friday Flashbacks Every Friday, take 15 minutes to jot down key achievements: • What did you influence, improve, or drive this week? • Any decisions that saved money, unlocked growth, or solved a major issue? Keep it brief…but consistent. ⭐️ 2. Monthly Milestones Once a month, pick 1 or 2 standout wins and write them up using this structure: • What was the challenge? • What did you do? • What changed as a result? This gives you a steady flow of stories for: • Interview prep • Performance reviews • Board updates • Your resume or LinkedIn ⭐️3. Quarterly Storyboarding Each quarter, choose your top 2 or 3 wins and build them out into full leadership narratives. Frame them around: • Context • Action • Outcome • Commercial impact Optional: Use AI to refine the story, tighten the language, or tailor it for a specific audience or job. Example: • Raw win: Renegotiated funding terms with bank • Milestone format: Secured revised $10M facility with reduced interest margin, improving cash flow by $320K annually. • Story version: In Q1, with tightening liquidity, I led negotiations with our lender to secure more favourable funding terms. By repositioning our risk profile and backing it with strong forecasting, we secured a $10M facility with lower interest, improving our annual cash position by $320K. Finance leaders: your story matters just as much as your spreadsheet. Don’t wait until you need a new job or a board seat to start crafting it. Keen to hear: How do you keep track of your wins?

I walked into my favourite cafe when I spotted a familiar face. I went over to say hi and he asks, “Anna, where do you find all your content ideas for LinkedIn?” “I use the same technique from storytelling. I bank my stories. It’s like saving money in the bank. Instead of money, I use stories or ideas of stories.” Finding Content for LinkedIn: The Art of Storytelling Ever feel stuck on what to write about on LinkedIn? You’re not alone. But here’s a tip – finding content is a lot like finding a story to tell. Here’s how you can make it happen: 1. Dig into Your Day-to-Day Your everyday experiences are goldmines. Think about the small wins, the challenges, and those aha moments. There’s so much content hiding in your daily grind, just waiting to be shared. 2. Find the Lesson Every story has a takeaway. What did you learn from that tough project or that difficult conversation? Share the lessons you’ve picked up along the way. 3. Know Your Audience Just like a good story, your LinkedIn posts should resonate with your audience. What are their pain points? What interests them? Craft your content around these insights to make a real connection. 4. Show, Don’t Just Tell Instead of saying you’re a passionate leader, share a moment when you had to lead under pressure. For example, I once had to rally my team for a crucial deadline with just hours to spare. I described the chaos, the strategy, and the eventual triumph. Paint a picture with your words – describe the scene, the feelings, and the outcome. This makes your content more engaging and relatable. 5. Be Authentic People connect with authenticity. Share your real successes and failures. Be honest about your journey. Authentic stories are the ones that stick. 6. Engage with Your Audience Storytelling is a conversation. Encourage your readers to share their thoughts, experiences, and stories. Ask questions and engage with the comments. This not only enriches your content but also builds a sense of community. Finding content for LinkedIn doesn’t have to be hard. Treat it like storytelling – start with your experiences, find the lesson, and share it in a way that speaks to your audience. You’ll find that not only will you have more content ideas, but you’ll also create deeper connections with your readers. Hi, I’m Anna Ong! I'm the host and creator of What's Your Story Slam, an event where people from all walks of life come together to share their stories. It's like standup but with stories. It's a platform to connect and inspire each other through storytelling. Keen to learn more? DM me, and let's chat! P.S. What’s one personal experience you think would make a great LinkedIn post? I’d love to hear it!

No one will listen if you can't tell a story on LinkedIn. 🚫 👂 Most LinkedIn posts? They read like a corporate press release—stiff, forgettable, and uninspiring. Or even AI-generated. Ugh. But the posts that get attention spark conversations and build trust? They tell a story and back it up with stats. Here's my story. We were stuck in a rut when I was hired to run SAP's North American social media. On our 20+ social media channels, there was low engagement and no real connection with our audience. So, I launched 100 Days of Digital, a campaign featuring short, engaging stories paired with powerful data points. It was the perfect combination of graphics, stats, and storytelling. 💡 One post highlighted how 73% of B2B buyers prefer digital self-service over talking to sales reps. We paired that stat with a real-life scenario of a hesitant buyer navigating an online purchase. It resonated—and drove 5x the engagement of our previous content. Do you know why this worked? 1️⃣ STORIES MAKE DATA MEMORABLE A raw statistic is forgettable. A stat wrapped in a relatable story sticks. 2️⃣ PEOPLE CONNECT WITH PEOPLE Corporate jargon gets ignored, but human-driven narratives spark interest. 3️⃣ TRUST IS BUILT WITH INSIGHTS When you combine storytelling with real insights, your audience sees you as a credible expert. How can you start doing this today? ✅ START WITH A STRONG HOOK. Instead of "Our new report shows…" try, "Most buyers don't want to talk to sales reps. Here's why." ✅ ADD A RELATABLE SCENARIO. Think of a real-world moment that brings your point to life. Like the one I used for my 100 Days of Digital campaign at SAP. ✅ DROP A STAT THAT SUPPORTS YOUR STORY. Numbers validate your message and build authority. ✅ END WITH A QUESTION. Drive engagement by inviting others to share their thoughts. So, always write a compelling call-to-action line. Your LinkedIn content isn't just a post—it's an opportunity to build your brand, gain visibility, and influence decisions. The right story + the right stat = content that gets noticed. What's one data-backed insight you could share today? Drop it below! ⬇️⬇️⬇️ #marketingthink #personalbranding #leadership #socialselling #sales #contentmarketing

Think you're too ordinary for LinkedIn? Think again. Your story is your secret weapon. Here's why: I was just another MBA aspirant. Until I wasn't. Quitting prep to dive into freelancing felt crazy. No safety net. No plan B. But that decision? It became my most powerful content. Here's how you can turn your journey into LinkedIn gold: 1. Find your pivot moment   What changed everything for you? 2. Embrace the struggles   The messy middle is where the magic happens. 3. Extract the lessons   What did you learn that others can use? 4. Show your transformation   Where are you now because of that journey? 5. Keep it real   Perfection is boring. Your flaws make you relatable. Your story doesn't need to be extraordinary. It just needs to be yours. My freelancing leap resonated because many were in my shoes. Scared. Unsure. But hopeful. By sharing, I didn't just build an audience. I found my tribe. You can too. Your background isn't boring. It's the foundation of your unique voice. Start sharing. Watch your authority grow. Remember: Every expert was once a beginner with a story. What's the turning point in your journey? Share a snippet in the comments. Let's start storytelling! #linkedinstorytelling #personalbranding

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.

I cringed when he started telling his story. Here's how he began: "Well, when Julian asked me to open our meeting today, and I thought to myself 'how can I capture the importance of our transformation work'? I was nervous about it. Anyway, I thought I would start with a story. This is a story about how important it is to have the Board's engagement. And here's what happened. You might remember the Board met last week, right? Well anyway..." I was sinking in my seat. 😣 Here's a pro tip that will level-up everyone's story capability: Push the challenge (or the conflict or the tension) to the very front of the story. You'll be amazed how much of the "preamble" you don't need. (I have one colleague who calls it the "pre-ramble." 👏🏼) Make it the first sentence if you can! My client tried his story a second time, and he started like this: "The Board almost kicked me out of the room yesterday. It was agonizing! So, I was there to present the update on our transformation work, when..." Much better. NOW we're hooked. This is especially important if you are telling stories on LinkedIn or social media, where you need to hook the attention immediately. Notice how I started THIS post with the story tension. Put the conflict in the first sentence. Happy storytelling! #storytelling #engagement #humanizedleadership

I’ve shared thousands of words over the years on LinkedIn. Yet, some words carry more weight. Especially when those words are wrapped in the weight of story. In my story. Here’s the thing: Very few words carry the weight of impact as those we write from a place of impact. Especially when we tell our stories in a way that our work intersects our words. And our words intersect each others’ worlds… Because choosing to share our unique stories carry within it a power that can’t be held within the confines of social media. A power that transcends this place called LinkedIn. Because our lives and our powerful stories firmly exist in a weighty world — off LinkedIn. In fact, here are 5 impactful story angles to consider, When crafting + sharing your story on LinkedIn — and off — today. 1. Purpose What inspires your work — and why? What drives you internally and externally — and why? → Tie it back to a story that drives this point home. → Share your MOTIVATIONS. 2. Personality What’s your natural differentiator? How does who you are impact what you do — and how you do it? → Bring your flair into your storyline. → Share your TRAITS. 3. Passion What subjects/topics can you talk about without prep? Why do they strike a chord with you? → Incorporate emotional language in your narrative. → Share your FIRE. 4. Perspective What have you experienced that gives you a unique view of the world, of work, of your career and of life? → Paint a picture from your unique vantage point. → Share your POINT OF VIEW. 5. People What lives have intersected your journey along the way? Who has shaped your life in meaningful ways? → Humanize your writing with relationships. → Share your CONNECTION. No one has your experiences. No one has your view. No one has your life. No one has yours words. Simply put: No one has your story. So, if you are stuck on what to say or share this week. Lean into the weight of your story. As you lean into the weight of your words that tell a story. As you lean into the weight of your words that tell… *Your* story. → So, how can you share your story on LinkedIn?

99% of stories don't generate attention on LinkedIn. Here’s how to join the 1%: I've seen thousands of posts crash and burn. ↳ Irrelevant fancy graphics ↳ Wasted viral hacks ↳ Trashed AI points What actually works: It's not about being louder. It's about being real. Personal stories are LinkedIn pots of gold. Here’s a 4 step process that works for me (and my clients): 𝟏/ 𝐏𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫 ↳ Address your audience’s biggest pain point.  ↳ Find their raw nerve and pinch it. ↳ Be bold, be provocative. Make them stop scrolling and start nodding. 𝟐/ 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 ↳ Spark conversations that matter. ↳ Bring in a relevant industry voice. ↳ Leverage their audience and credibility. Connect your story to a known figure or company. 𝟑/ 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 ↳ Choose one word (or phrase) that defines you. ↳ Weave it through every story you tell. ↳ YOUR word is your BRAND. Find your word. Own it. Live it. Breathe it. 𝟒/ 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐓𝐀 ↳ Tell your story, then... stop. ↳ Share one key lesson learned. ↳ Leave them curious, wanting more. Great stories create their own momentum and breed engagement naturally. So: Don't push. Pull. LinkedIn is a social network. Use it as one. Remember: ↳ Emotion grabs attention ↳ Network amplifies reach ↳ Your word builds recognition ↳ Curiosity drives engagement Now, go tell your story. Make it personal. Make it powerful. Make it uniquely YOU.