Debunking LinkedIn ‘Get Rich Quick’ Claims: Richard van der Blom Shares Real-World Sales Data

In a recent LinkedIn post, Richard van der Blom challenges the prevalent narrative of instant success on the platform, aiming to expose the fiction behind claims of “I made 7 figures in 30 days on LinkedIn.” Instead, van der Blom shares a detailed, eight-month case study of his own campaign to demonstrate a more realistic and sustainable approach to generating revenue through LinkedIn interactions.

Van der Blom outlines his personal campaign targeting 800 CMOs and decision-makers across eight industries in the Benelux, UK, and Nordics. The core offer was an infographic on algorithm changes for Company Pages, strategically used as a follow-up rather than an initial pitch. He breaks down his process using the acronym TRUST: Target, Reach, Unite, Strengthen, and Transition.

“Every ‘I made 7 figures in 30 days on LinkedIn’ post you’ve seen is fiction. And I’m so done with it. Allow me to share a real campaign, real numbers, real 8 months.”

Deconstructing the TRUST Framework for Real Results

Richard van der Blom emphasizes that building genuine relationships and providing value over an extended period is key to closing deals on LinkedIn. His TRUST framework, detailed in the post, highlights a deliberate sequence of actions:

• Target: Utilizing LinkedIn Free search (or Sales Navigator) to identify the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).
• Reach: Employing smart engagement tactics to increase visibility among the target audience.
• Unite: Connecting with prospects, often using the default invitation without a personalized message initially.
• Strengthen: This crucial step, which van der Blom notes is often skipped, involves nurturing the relationship post-connection.
• Transition: Strategically converting the strengthened relationship into a first meeting.

Van der Blom shares specific metrics from his campaign. Within the first 30 days, 350 out of 800 outreach targets accepted his connection requests (43.8%). By day 30, 148 people (42.3% of those who accepted) expressed interest in the resource. This led to 26 booked meetings by day 45 (17.6%), resulting in 9 proposals and 4 closed clients by day 60, generating €46,000 in revenue.

The Long Tail of Success: Beyond the Initial Close

The true value of van der Blom’s analysis lies in what happened eight months after the initial campaign. He reveals that an additional 15 CMOs from the original list returned unsolicited, requesting proposals and leading to another €60,000 in revenue. This occurred without any further direct outreach from his side.

“None of them clicked a tracked link to ‘come back.’ They remembered me. A Slack mention, a forwarded screenshot via email, someone’s boss saying ‘reach out to that person on LinkedIn.’ You won’t see any of that in a dashboard. It’s called dark social, and it’s exactly how I’ve watched LinkedIn actually close deals, over and over.”

As Richard van der Blom points out, these delayed conversions are often attributed to “dark social” – word-of-mouth, internal recommendations, and recalled interactions that are not trackable through standard analytics. This highlights the importance of building lasting relationships and brand recall.

Building for Long-Term Conversion

Van der Blom argues against the notion of immediate closes, stating, “Nobody signs after message one. Most people don’t sign after month one.” He advocates for a long-term perspective, encouraging professionals to “Build for month eight.” This philosophy underscores that sustained engagement and value delivery are more reliable drivers of significant revenue than short-term, high-pressure tactics.

“Build for month eight.”

He concludes by offering his “Revenue Engine Playbook” as a resource for those interested in learning the exact framework he used for targeting, follow-up sequencing, and extending the sales cycle. This detailed playbook, he notes, is already being utilized by over 250 individuals, with his guidance included.

Richard van der Blom’s post serves as a crucial reality check for anyone navigating business development on LinkedIn, emphasizing that genuine, persistent relationship-building, rather than fleeting viral success, is the true path to sustainable revenue generation.