linkedin-strategy

# LinkedIn Strategy — brief, cadence, newsletter

Three decisions, in this order. Out of order is why most LinkedIn efforts produce a feed of
unrelated observations and stop in week five.

## Workflow

**1. The brief — an editorial constitution, not a wish.** Walk the five questions one at a
time, each with a recommended answer, then validate:

```bash
python3 scripts/positioning_brief.py --input brief.json --output human
```

It refuses on the two things that make everything downstream impossible: an objective that
is not one of the six real ones (`career-change`, `consulting`, `thought-leadership`,
`hiring`, `fundraising`, `community`), and an audience too broad to exclude anyone. It also
refuses fewer than two exclusions — **a positioning that excludes nothing is availability.**

Pillars: two to four, shares summing to 100, at least one backed by proof that already
exists, at least one at 10-20% as the experimental slot. Every pillar needs a "why you"; if
anyone could post it, cut it.

The script emits observable 90-day criteria. Follower count is deliberately absent — it moves
for reasons unrelated to whether the objective is being met.

**2. The cadence — priced against a bad week.**

```bash
python3 scripts/cadence_planner.py --minutes 240 --stage starting --target-posts 3 --output human
```

Exit 0 fits / 2 below the 90-minute floor / 3 over budget with the overage named. Every
activity is priced in minutes including the reply window, which is part of the post and not
an extra. Allocation shifts with stage: from a standing start **60% of the budget belongs in
other people's comment sections**, because a post published to nobody reaches nobody.

Below 90 minutes a week it refuses to plan a posting schedule and returns a comment-only
week: a cadence abandoned in week five is worse than one never started, because the
abandonment is visible on the profile. Every plan ships with a minimum viable week.

**3. The newsletter — only if the promise can be paid.**

```bash
python3 scripts/newsletter_planner.py --followers 1800 --cadence biweekly \
  --minutes-per-month 420 --pillar "..." --output human
```

Refuses below LinkedIn's published 150-follower evaluation floor, and refuses a cadence
whose six-month cost exceeds the budget. Emits a 12-issue arc rotating issue types across
pillars, and a stop rule written before issue one.

## Rules

- **One objective.** Two objectives serve neither; the audiences overlap less than they look.
- **The exclusion list is the positioning.** Refuse to skip it.
- **Price the week from a bad week, not a good one.**
- **Consistency over volume.** A skipped week is fine; a skipped month resets you.
- **Review the brief quarterly, not weekly.** A brief revised monthly is a mood.

## Scripts

| Script | Role |
|---|---|
| [`scripts/positioning_brief.py`](scripts/positioning_brief.py) | Validates objective, audience, 2-4 proof-backed pillars, and the exclusion list; emits observable 90-day criteria. |
| [`scripts/cadence_planner.py`](scripts/cadence_planner.py) | Prices the week in minutes, allocates by stage, refuses over-budget targets, emits the minimum viable week. |
| [`scripts/newsletter_planner.py`](scripts/newsletter_planner.py) | Eligibility + six-month sustainability gate, 12-issue arc across pillars, stop rule. |

## References and assets

- [`references/objective_to_pillars.md`](references/objective_to_pillars.md) — the six objectives and the pillar arithmetic (7 sources)
- [`references/cadence_and_consistency.md`](references/cadence_and_consistency.md) — what a post really costs and why the floor exists (7 sources)
- [`references/newsletter_playbook.md`](references/newsletter_playbook.md) — eligibility, cadence as a promise, the stop rule (7 sources)

- [`assets/positioning_brief_template.md`](assets/positioning_brief_template.md) — fillable brief
- [`assets/example_brief.json`](assets/example_brief.json) — a passing brief, for the validator

## Distinct from

- **`linkedin-content`** — drafts and lints individual posts. This decides what they are about
  and how many there are. Posts without pillars are noise; offer this first, never chain silently.
- **`linkedin-analytics`** — tells you what happened. This decides what to do next.
- **`marketing-skill/content-strategy`** — company-level content marketing. This is one
  person's own presence.

---

**Version:** 1.0.0

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    "category": "Marketing",
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    "system": "# LinkedIn Strategy — brief, cadence, newsletter\r\n\r\nThree decisions, in this order. Out of order is why most LinkedIn efforts produce a feed of\r\nunrelated observations and stop in week five.\r\n\r\n## Workflow\r\n\r\n**1. The brief — an editorial constitution, not a wish.** Walk the five questions one at a\r\ntime, each with a recommended answer, then validate:\r\n\r\n```bash\r\npython3 scripts/positioning_brief.py --input brief.json --output human\r\n```\r\n\r\nIt refuses on the two things that make everything downstream impossible: an objective that\r\nis not one of the six real ones (`career-change`, `consulting`, `thought-leadership`,\r\n`hiring`, `fundraising`, `community`), and an audience too broad to exclude anyone. It also\r\nrefuses fewer than two exclusions — **a positioning that excludes nothing is availability.**\r\n\r\nPillars: two to four, shares summing to 100, at least one backed by proof that already\r\nexists, at least one at 10-20% as the experimental slot. Every pillar needs a \"why you\"; if\r\nanyone could post it, cut it.\r\n\r\nThe script emits observable 90-day criteria. Follower count is deliberately absent — it moves\r\nfor reasons unrelated to whether the objective is being met.\r\n\r\n**2. The cadence — priced against a bad week.**\r\n\r\n```bash\r\npython3 scripts/cadence_planner.py --minutes 240 --stage starting --target-posts 3 --output human\r\n```\r\n\r\nExit 0 fits / 2 below the 90-minute floor / 3 over budget with the overage named. Every\r\nactivity is priced in minutes including the reply window, which is part of the post and not\r\nan extra. Allocation shifts with stage: from a standing start **60% of the budget belongs in\r\nother people's comment sections**, because a post published to nobody reaches nobody.\r\n\r\nBelow 90 minutes a week it refuses to plan a posting schedule and returns a comment-only\r\nweek: a cadence abandoned in week five is worse than one never started, because the\r\nabandonment is visible on the profile. Every plan ships with a minimum viable week.\r\n\r\n**3. The newsletter — only if the promise can be paid.**\r\n\r\n```bash\r\npython3 scripts/newsletter_planner.py --followers 1800 --cadence biweekly \\\r\n  --minutes-per-month 420 --pillar \"...\" --output human\r\n```\r\n\r\nRefuses below LinkedIn's published 150-follower evaluation floor, and refuses a cadence\r\nwhose six-month cost exceeds the budget. Emits a 12-issue arc rotating issue types across\r\npillars, and a stop rule written before issue one.\r\n\r\n## Rules\r\n\r\n- **One objective.** Two objectives serve neither; the audiences overlap less than they look.\r\n- **The exclusion list is the positioning.** Refuse to skip it.\r\n- **Price the week from a bad week, not a good one.**\r\n- **Consistency over volume.** A skipped week is fine; a skipped month resets you.\r\n- **Review the brief quarterly, not weekly.** A brief revised monthly is a mood.\r\n\r\n## Scripts\r\n\r\n| Script | Role |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| [`scripts/positioning_brief.py`](scripts/positioning_brief.py) | Validates objective, audience, 2-4 proof-backed pillars, and the exclusion list; emits observable 90-day criteria. |\r\n| [`scripts/cadence_planner.py`](scripts/cadence_planner.py) | Prices the week in minutes, allocates by stage, refuses over-budget targets, emits the minimum viable week. |\r\n| [`scripts/newsletter_planner.py`](scripts/newsletter_planner.py) | Eligibility + six-month sustainability gate, 12-issue arc across pillars, stop rule. |\r\n\r\n## References and assets\r\n\r\n- [`references/objective_to_pillars.md`](references/objective_to_pillars.md) — the six objectives and the pillar arithmetic (7 sources)\r\n- [`references/cadence_and_consistency.md`](references/cadence_and_consistency.md) — what a post really costs and why the floor exists (7 sources)\r\n- [`references/newsletter_playbook.md`](references/newsletter_playbook.md) — eligibility, cadence as a promise, the stop rule (7 sources)\r\n\r\n- [`assets/positioning_brief_template.md`](assets/positioning_brief_template.md) — fillable brief\r\n- [`assets/example_brief.json`](assets/example_brief.json) — a passing brief, for the validator\r\n\r\n## Distinct from\r\n\r\n- **`linkedin-content`** — drafts and lints individual posts. This decides what they are about\r\n  and how many there are. Posts without pillars are noise; offer this first, never chain silently.\r\n- **`linkedin-analytics`** — tells you what happened. This decides what to do next.\r\n- **`marketing-skill/content-strategy`** — company-level content marketing. This is one\r\n  person's own presence.\r\n\r\n---\r\n\r\n**Version:** 1.0.0",
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        "title": "Download & unzip",
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      },
      {
        "title": "Copy into your agent skills directory",
        "detail": "Move the folder into your agent's skills directory — e.g. ~/.claude/skills/ (Claude Code), .codex/skills/, .cursor/skills/ or your project's .claude/skills/ folder — then restart or reload the session."
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        "title": "Use it",
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    "exported_at": "2026-11-03T07:42:28.809Z"
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format: aiskill/v1
skill:
  name: linkedin-strategy
  slug: linkedin-strategy
  version: 1.0.0
  description: >-
    Use when someone needs a LinkedIn plan rather than a post — content pillars, positioning for a
    career change or consulting or thought leadership, a sustainable posting cadence, or a
    newsletter decision. Triggers on "what should I post about", "how often should I post",
    "LinkedIn content strategy", "should I start a LinkedIn newsletter", "grow my following",
    "90-day plan". Validates the positioning brief, sizes the week against real hours and refuses a
    plan that will not survive week five, and gates a newsletter against eligibility and a six-month
    cadence commitment.
  category: Marketing
  tags:
    - marketing-growth
  platforms:
    - chatgpt
    - claude-code
    - cursor
  tested_environment: >-
    Agent Skills convention (SKILL.md) — works with Claude Code, Cursor, ChatGPT/Codex and
    compatible agents
  license: MIT
prompts:
  system: "# LinkedIn Strategy — brief, cadence, newsletter\r\n\r\nThree decisions, in this order. Out of order is why most LinkedIn efforts produce a feed of\r\nunrelated observations and stop in week five.\r\n\r\n## Workflow\r\n\r\n**1. The brief — an editorial constitution, not a wish.** Walk the five questions one at a\r\ntime, each with a recommended answer, then validate:\r\n\r\n```bash\r\npython3 scripts/positioning_brief.py --input brief.json --output human\r\n```\r\n\r\nIt refuses on the two things that make everything downstream impossible: an objective that\r\nis not one of the six real ones (`career-change`, `consulting`, `thought-leadership`,\r\n`hiring`, `fundraising`, `community`), and an audience too broad to exclude anyone. It also\r\nrefuses fewer than two exclusions — **a positioning that excludes nothing is availability.**\r\n\r\nPillars: two to four, shares summing to 100, at least one backed by proof that already\r\nexists, at least one at 10-20% as the experimental slot. Every pillar needs a \"why you\"; if\r\nanyone could post it, cut it.\r\n\r\nThe script emits observable 90-day criteria. Follower count is deliberately absent — it moves\r\nfor reasons unrelated to whether the objective is being met.\r\n\r\n**2. The cadence — priced against a bad week.**\r\n\r\n```bash\r\npython3 scripts/cadence_planner.py --minutes 240 --stage starting --target-posts 3 --output human\r\n```\r\n\r\nExit 0 fits / 2 below the 90-minute floor / 3 over budget with the overage named. Every\r\nactivity is priced in minutes including the reply window, which is part of the post and not\r\nan extra. Allocation shifts with stage: from a standing start **60% of the budget belongs in\r\nother people's comment sections**, because a post published to nobody reaches nobody.\r\n\r\nBelow 90 minutes a week it refuses to plan a posting schedule and returns a comment-only\r\nweek: a cadence abandoned in week five is worse than one never started, because the\r\nabandonment is visible on the profile. Every plan ships with a minimum viable week.\r\n\r\n**3. The newsletter — only if the promise can be paid.**\r\n\r\n```bash\r\npython3 scripts/newsletter_planner.py --followers 1800 --cadence biweekly \\\r\n  --minutes-per-month 420 --pillar \"...\" --output human\r\n```\r\n\r\nRefuses below LinkedIn's published 150-follower evaluation floor, and refuses a cadence\r\nwhose six-month cost exceeds the budget. Emits a 12-issue arc rotating issue types across\r\npillars, and a stop rule written before issue one.\r\n\r\n## Rules\r\n\r\n- **One objective.** Two objectives serve neither; the audiences overlap less than they look.\r\n- **The exclusion list is the positioning.** Refuse to skip it.\r\n- **Price the week from a bad week, not a good one.**\r\n- **Consistency over volume.** A skipped week is fine; a skipped month resets you.\r\n- **Review the brief quarterly, not weekly.** A brief revised monthly is a mood.\r\n\r\n## Scripts\r\n\r\n| Script | Role |\r\n|---|---|\r\n| [`scripts/positioning_brief.py`](scripts/positioning_brief.py) | Validates objective, audience, 2-4 proof-backed pillars, and the exclusion list; emits observable 90-day criteria. |\r\n| [`scripts/cadence_planner.py`](scripts/cadence_planner.py) | Prices the week in minutes, allocates by stage, refuses over-budget targets, emits the minimum viable week. |\r\n| [`scripts/newsletter_planner.py`](scripts/newsletter_planner.py) | Eligibility + six-month sustainability gate, 12-issue arc across pillars, stop rule. |\r\n\r\n## References and assets\r\n\r\n- [`references/objective_to_pillars.md`](references/objective_to_pillars.md) — the six objectives and the pillar arithmetic (7 sources)\r\n- [`references/cadence_and_consistency.md`](references/cadence_and_consistency.md) — what a post really costs and why the floor exists (7 sources)\r\n- [`references/newsletter_playbook.md`](references/newsletter_playbook.md) — eligibility, cadence as a promise, the stop rule (7 sources)\r\n\r\n- [`assets/positioning_brief_template.md`](assets/positioning_brief_template.md) — fillable brief\r\n- [`assets/example_brief.json`](assets/example_brief.json) — a passing brief, for the validator\r\n\r\n## Distinct from\r\n\r\n- **`linkedin-content`** — drafts and lints individual posts. This decides what they are about\r\n  and how many there are. Posts without pillars are noise; offer this first, never chain silently.\r\n- **`linkedin-analytics`** — tells you what happened. This decides what to do next.\r\n- **`marketing-skill/content-strategy`** — company-level content marketing. This is one\r\n  person's own presence.\r\n\r\n---\r\n\r\n**Version:** 1.0.0"
  user_template: ""
variables: []
install:
  steps:
    - title: Download & unzip
      detail: >-
        Download the .zip package from SkillVault and unzip it. The linkedin-strategy/ folder
        contains SKILL.md plus any companion scripts, references and assets.
    - title: Copy into your agent skills directory
      detail: >-
        Move the folder into your agent's skills directory — e.g. ~/.claude/skills/ (Claude Code),
        .codex/skills/, .cursor/skills/ or your project's .claude/skills/ folder — then restart or
        reload the session.
    - title: Use it
      detail: >-
        Describe the task in natural language; the agent loads the skill automatically when the
        request matches the skill description.
usage:
  steps: []
metadata:
  author: SkillVault
  source: https://skillvault.top/skills/linkedin-strategy
  exported_at: "2026-11-03T07:42:28.809Z"