Who Knows You?
We’ve all heard it: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Bullshit.
A college professor once asked me, “Do you know who Tiger Woods is?” Everyone nodded. “Cool,” he said. “But does he know you?”
That moment flipped how I think about branding forever. Knowing people isn’t enough. Being known is what changes your career, sales pipeline, and opportunities.
Today, you can “know” anyone with a follow or connection request. But if they don’t know you, why would they buy from you, hire you, or even remember you exist?
Why Being Known Matters
Trust drives sales. Branding builds trust. If your prospects don’t know you, they won’t care about your pitch. Branding ensures that when they think “I need a solution,” your name pops up first.
Brand awareness isn’t optional anymore. It’s what turns cold outreach into warm conversations. It’s what separates SDRs getting ghosted from SDRs booking meetings on autopilot.
How to Get Noticed
Want to stop being another ignored name in the inbox? Here’s how:
Show up regularly
Post on LinkedIn. Share what you’re learning. Don’t wait until you feel like an expert – just start. The goal is conversations, not perfection.
Offer insights, not pitches
Teach something in every DM, comment, or post. Challenge assumptions. Share lessons from mistakes. Help people think differently.
Engage broadly
Don’t rely on one contact in an org. Connect with end users, champions, and decision-makers. Multi-threaded visibility builds influence.
Use AI to accelerate
Have AI draft posts for you. Edit them in your voice. Publish consistently. You’ll improve with volume and reflection.
Sales Math: Visibility = More Deals
Here’s why branding matters in pure numbers.
Without brand recognition:
- Open rate: 18%
- Response rate: 1%
- Booking rate: 0.5% 5 meetings per 1,000 people
With brand recognition:
- Open rate: 45%
- Response rate: 4%
- Booking rate: 1.5% 15 meetings per 1,000 people
That’s a 3x difference just by being known. Brand breaks down barriers and builds trust before you say a word.
Gabe’s Gauntlet
Want to be known? Do this every week:
Post on LinkedIn 3x
A lesson learned
A mistake and what it taught you
Tactical sales advice
Comment on 5 prospect posts daily
Be insightful, not generic.
DM 10 new people weekly
Introduce yourself. Offer value. Build relationships.
Join or host 1 live event monthly
Webinar, panel, or live Q&A. Visibility scales trust.
Don’t overthink it. Just do it. You don’t need everyone to know you.
You just need the right people to know you.
