The LinkedIn Authority System I’m Building — And What’s Actually Working

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Building authority on LinkedIn doesn’t start with your headline.
It doesn’t begin with your content.
It starts with C-L-A-R-I-T-Y.

That’s exactly what I’ve been working on. I’ve been refining my offer, rewriting my sales page, rebuilding my About section, and testing a more intentional way to show up and engage with the right people.

This post is a breakdown of everything I’ve done so far:

• The exact prompts I used

• The process I followed

• What’s actually moving the needle

If you're trying to build trust, visibility, or thought leadership on LinkedIn — especially for yourself or a founder you write for — this should give you a repeatable path to start from.

Note: I broke down how I developed my headline in a previous post. If you want to see how I explored different tone options and landed on one that felt right, you can read it here.

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A Quick Personal Rewind

I had set a publishing deadline for last week and missed it. I was in the middle of setting up a new home and just couldn’t pull it together in time.

But the real reason I stepped back was because I wanted to document this phase properly. For the first time in a while, I’m not just creating. I’m building something that feels aligned.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I once had a content curation business I was betting on. It looked good on paper. But after 608 days, I had one sale — a single subscription that didn’t even renew.

That experience forced a shift. I rethought my audience, redefined my offer, and started testing what it really takes to build authority positioning on LinkedIn instead of just chasing content volume.

Now I’m sharing the entire system.

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1. How I Wrote My Sales Page Using ChatGPT (And Got Out of My Own Head)

Writing a sales page sounds simple until you sit down to actually do it.

What do you say?
How much is too much?
Do you sound like yourself or like you’re pitching a timeshare?

I didn’t want fluff, fake urgency, or corporate-sounding jargon. I just wanted to explain what I do in a way that would make the right founders say, “Let’s talk.” So I decided to build the whole thing through ChatGPT. Not just with it, through it.

Here’s what I did, what changed, what clicked, and how I knew it was done.

Step 1: I dumped the offer, raw
I started with this rough idea:

I want to help AI SaaS founders build thought leadership on LinkedIn. I’ll interview them monthly, then turn it into 1–2 posts. It’s meant to help with credibility and lead generation.

It sounded okay, but it was too generic. The first version ChatGPT gave me was too soft. It didn’t sound like something a busy founder would pause to read.

That’s when it hit me. This can’t just be about content.
It has to be about authority positioning.

Step 2: I clarified who it was for (and who it’s not)
At first, I was going after VC-backed AI SaaS founders. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized my energy was with bootstrapped founders — the ones building real businesses without outside funding.

I asked ChatGPT:

“Can you edit the copy to focus specifically on bootstrapped AI SaaS founders who are selling to enterprise clients?”

That one shift changed the entire voice of the page.

“Let’s get you in front of buyers, now — without burning hours figuring it out yourself.”

Step 3: I tested full-page versions, not just headlines
I asked ChatGPT to write three full versions of the page in different tones: one structured and corporate, one punchy and benefit-led, and one founder-story driven.

I chose version two. It struck the right balance between clarity, confidence, and relatability.

Step 4: I added my story, but not just any story
I once co-founded a legal SaaS startup. We struggled with sales for years until we started creating content that educated our market. That changed everything.

I gave ChatGPT that story and asked it to weave it in — not to glorify the past, but to show why I care about authority-building now.

Step 5: I got specific about edits
Once I picked my version, I gave specific instructions:

• Add “bootstrapped” to section intros

• Cut references to VCs

• Sharpen the guarantee

Before: “Get enterprise buyers, investors, and partners to reach out to you.”
After: “Get enterprise buyers and industry partners to reach out — without chasing investors.”

That one edit made it click for me. This is who I’m talking to.

Step 6: I kept asking — does this sound like me?
If it sounded too stiff, I softened it.
If it felt too vague, I sharpened it.
If it didn’t sound like something I’d say out loud, I rewrote it.

This whole process took three days. A few hours each day, layering clarity one step at a time.

What I learned
You don’t need a perfect first draft. You need a clear offer, a real audience, and a willingness to build in rounds. Once your copy is clear, aligned, and real, it’s good enough to ship.

You can read the full sales page here.

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2. How I Rewrote My LinkedIn About Section (So It Finally Felt Like Me)

I used to treat the About section like a professional summary.
It sounded nice, but the right people weren’t reaching out.

So I rebuilt it using this simple rule:
Say only what’s useful, honest, and clear enough to make the right people feel seen.

Step 1: Start with the shift
I shared the story of launching a content marketing service that looked great on paper — but flopped. The work wasn’t bad. The audience was wrong.

That taught me something I carry into every offer now.
Good offers don’t sell if the positioning is off.

Step 2: Name who it’s for
I work with bootstrapped AI SaaS founders — especially those selling to enterprise. I’ve been in that seat. I know what it’s like to grow without VC money, to rely on credibility instead of connections, and to need your presence to do some of the selling for you.

Step 3: Show how I think
Most people ask, “What should I post?”
I ask, “What are you already known for — and how do we make that impossible to ignore?”

Step 4: What I actually help with

• Positioning and strategy

• Content that builds trust and leads

• Visibility that opens doors

• Expansion beyond LinkedIn

Step 5: Results I’ve achieved so far
I’m still early in the process and don’t have client results yet, but I’m seeing signs that my positioning is working.

• Profile views and impressions are up

• More connection requests from the right founders

• More engagement from people I want to connect with

Step 6: Clear invitation
If you’re building without funding and want LinkedIn to work for your growth, let’s talk.

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3. My Keyword-Led Research Approach

I don’t scroll endlessly or engage randomly.
I use specific keywords to find the right conversations.

Some of my go-to search terms:

• “bootstrapped SaaS”

• “enterprise AI sales”

• “scaling without VC”

• “still haven’t raised”

I use the “Posts” tab and filter by past week or month. I’m looking for thoughtful posts, open questions, and signs that a founder is in decision mode.

These signals help me join conversations that actually matter.

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4. How I Engage Systematically (Without Sounding Robotic)

When I find the right post, I don’t just leave a “Great point.”

Instead, I:

• Reflect on the post

• Add a short, real take from my experience

• Show I’m thinking with them, not reacting to them

What I’ve noticed

• Specific comments get replies

• Thoughtful follow-up questions build trust

• Consistency compounds

Small win, big shift
Last week, I was stuck at two comments. This week, I hit eight.
Each one was intentional. That’s progress.

What I say in the comments matters just as much as how often I show up.

Here’s one real example of how I try to engage with context, not just compliments.

The post was about AI adoption and how many people and businesses still haven’t started using it. The founder shared survey insights and reflections on how small businesses are often willing but struggling to implement AI.

This was my comment:

As someone using AI to grow my business, I get the hesitation, especially for small businesses. I attempted to build a content AI agent, took me the whole day and I still didn’t get it right. So I know it’s not just about having the tools, but knowing how to use them right. AI continues to be a huge help, but the real challenge is adopting it at a pace I can manage without overextending myself. Support and education are definitely needed to make it work, which is one reason why I share my journey on how I’m building my business using AI.

She replied immediately with a thoughtful response, acknowledging my story, expanding on the small business advantage, and encouraging more experimentation.

I followed up with a connection request and a short note — and she accepted with a kind reply. Nothing forced. No cold pitch. Just a real interaction. Visibility starts with relevance. When you show up with a real take, you make room for real conversations.

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5. My Consistency System (And Why I’m Betting on It)

For the next 30 days, here’s my plan:

• 10 comments every weekday

• 3 original posts per week

That’s how I’m testing visibility, engagement, and connection.

Want to see how it plays out?
👉 Follow me on LinkedIn

And yes, calling me out is allowed.
If I ghost on posting, feel free to check in.
If I stop commenting... that one’s harder to track. So I’m holding myself accountable.

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6. What Comes Next — And Where This Article Lives

This article is now featured on my LinkedIn profile.
It’s the first piece I’m showcasing in the Featured section.

Why this one?

Because it’s the most complete snapshot of what I’m building.
And soon, I’ll turn this into a lightweight, intuitive workbook.
One you can follow without needing a strategy call or a content calendar.

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One Layer at a Time

I didn’t set out to build a system. I just wanted clarity — on who I serve, how I show up, and what I’m offering.

But clarity has a way of building momentum.

Now I’m layering the rest. Visibility, positioning, connection. One honest piece at a time.

If you’re in the middle of your own shift or helping someone else with theirs, I hope this gave you something useful to build from.

Not a polished framework. Just a practical one.

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✳️ Follow my LinkedIn journey here:
👉 www.linkedin.com/in/saraholofin

If you found this valuable, forward it to someone else who’s building on LinkedIn too.