How to Get Clients to Stop Scrolling on LinkedIn And Start Buying

How to Get Clients to Stop Scrolling on LinkedIn And Start Buying.jpg

Photo by Aakash Malik Hire on Unsplash

If you're creating content on LinkedIn, there's one skill that can make or break your traction & visibility:
The very 1st line of your post aka = The Hook

A great hook grabs attention, sparks curiosity, and convinces someone to click "See more." {which favorably prompts the algorithm}

But most business owners posting on LinkedIn bury the good stuff. They lead with disclaimers, context, or long intros that cost them precious seconds of attention.

In this blog, I’m going to teach you:

  • Why hooks matter so much on LinkedIn

  • The 12 most effective types of hooks (with examples)

  • Hook strategies that work with the algorithm

  • Mistakes to avoid

  • Before-and-after rewrites to learn from

Let’s get into it.

Why Hooks Matter on LinkedIn

Your hook is your first impression. In a sea of professional content, your post only gets 1-3 lines of preview in the feed. If that opening doesn't stop someone from scrolling, everything else you wrote gets ignored. And if they’re not reading your posts, they can’t take action i.e. buy from you.

In order for them to be impacted by your perspectives and expertise they have to read your content.

Great hooks:

  • Make the reader feel seen

  • Create curiosity

  • Set the tone for your story, insight, or offer

In short: a luke warm hook, no impact.

12 Types of LinkedIn Hooks (with Examples)

1. Relatable & Understanding

Make readers feel like you’re reading their mind.
"The thought of being in the exact same spot next year terrifies me."

2. Value & Knowledge

Lead with something they want to learn.
"How to write email subject lines that qualified leads pay attention to:"

3. Surprising Information

Share something counterintuitive or unknown.
"You may want to pay more tax than you need to."

4. New Perspectives

Challenge how people usually think.
"I planned my wedding as if I was building a startup."

5. Contrary Opinions

Create tension with a hot take.
"You don’t need templates to succeed on LinkedIn."

6. Spicy Ideas 🌶️

Say the thing no one else is saying.
"The layoffs are increasing, and even more are coming."

7. Celebration

Share a win with emotion.
"4 years ago I started my business and never looked back!"

8. Failures

Reveal a mistake others can learn from.
"My biggest mistake in business:"

9. Aspirational

Paint the dream life.
"I finish work everyday at 3pm to pick up my kids."

10. Cliffhanger

Leave them needing to know what happens next.
"If you think working 80-hour weeks is the dream..."

11. Expertise

Flex your credentials and insights.
"I’ve helped 50+ women find their forever partner."

12. Photos

Use a high-quality, relevant image to attract attention (especially of faces).

Strategy 1: The 2-Line Curiosity Builder

  • Line 1: Short, bold, under 10 words. Should intrigue, provoke, or challenge.

  • Line 2: Even shorter, in parentheses. It should add to or contradict line 1.

Example:
Line 1: Burnout is killing your top leadership.
Line 2: (But it’s not in the way that you think.)

Strategy 2: The Strong Statement

Use a 1-2 line declaration that hints at transformation, conflict, or a strong belief.

Example:
This psychological phenomenon explains why LinkedIn LOVES posts about vulnerability.

Hook Mistakes to Avoid

  • Throat-clearing: Get to the point. No one needs a long intro.

  • Lack of clarity: Choose ONE idea to lead with.

  • Being generic: Vague = forgettable.

  • Clichés: No one stops scrolling for "Rome wasn’t built in a day."

  • Too much info: Keep it tight. Save the details for the body.

  • AI-sounding copy: Avoid overused phrases, emojis, and formulaic hype.

  • Clickbait: Don’t make big promises you can’t back up.

  • Jargon: Speak like a human, not a tech manual.

  • "So what?" fails: If your hook doesn’t pass the "So what?" test, cut it.

3 Core Hook Formats

Personal Story Hooks

Vulnerability + transformation = trust
Make sure it ties back to your audience's experience

Educational / Thought Leadership Hooks

Challenge assumptions
Offer fresh insight

Client Result Hooks

Lead with tangible outcomes
Include the "before" state and transformation

In Real Life: Before & After Hook Rewrites

-> Original:
"Should you write a thank-you note after an interview? Definitely."

—> Rewrite:
"Don’t forget to do this after an interview:" (It’s my #1 tip to stand out)

Final Thoughts: The Boldest Thing You Can Say Should Come First

One of the biggest shifts I help my LinkedIn Intensive clients make is this:
Lead with your boldest insight.
Don’t bury the value under disclaimers or context. Don’t soften it so much that it disappears.

The edgiest, riskiest thing you want to say? That’s your hook.

Pattern disrupters capture attention. And in a sea of content, attention is what earns you trust, leads, and business.

P.S. Want personalized feedback on your hooks, content strategy, and how to turn posts into paying clients? I coach founders, consultants, and creatives inside my LinkedIn Intensives.
Let’s connect and craft your content to convert.

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