# Trajectory-Based Strategy Adjustments

Single source of truth for adapting LinkedIn strategy based on growth trajectory. Consumed by strategy-advisor agent, `/linkedin:strategy`, `/linkedin:audit`, and session-start hook.

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## Trajectory Status Definitions

| Status | Criteria | Interpretation |
|--------|----------|----------------|
| **SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND** | Actual rate < 50% of needed rate | Current approach fundamentally insufficient |
| **BEHIND** | Actual rate 50-80% of needed rate | Adjustments needed to close gap |
| **ON TRACK** | Actual rate 80-120% of needed rate | Maintain and optimize |
| **AHEAD** | Actual rate > 120% of needed rate | Opportunity to raise ambitions |
| **ACHIEVED** | `follower_count >= follower_target` | Transition to new goals |

Trajectory status is derived at read time from state file fields: `follower_count`, `follower_target`, `target_date`, `monthly_growth`, `growth_rate_needed`.

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## SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND (< 50% of needed rate)

### Diagnosis Checklist

Before adjusting tactics, identify root causes:

1. **Consistency gap:** Actual posts/week < weekly goal for 3+ consecutive weeks
2. **Topic scatter:** Posts span 6+ topics with no clear pillar dominance
3. **Profile-content mismatch:** 360Brew misalignment between headline/about and post topics
4. **Engagement vacuum:** Average comments < 5 per post, no regular commenters
5. **Format stagnation:** 90%+ text-only posts, no carousels/documents
6. **Network isolation:** No collaborations in last 60 days, commenting on < 5 creators/day

### Adjustments by Dimension

| Dimension | Current (implied) | Adjustment | Rationale |
|-----------|-------------------|------------|-----------|
| **Posting frequency** | Below goal | Increase by 2x (e.g., 2/wk to 4/wk) | Volume is the #1 lever for algorithmic discovery |
| **Engagement intensity** | Passive or minimal | 5x5x5 at full intensity + 10 extra comments/day on larger creators | External engagement generates 30-40% of new follower growth |
| **Format mix** | Text-heavy | Add 2 carousels/week + 1 document post/month | Carousels get 2-3x saves; saves are the strongest growth signal |
| **Collaboration pace** | Rare or none | 2 collaborations/month minimum | Cross-pollination is the fastest way to break out of a plateau |
| **Content emphasis** | General expertise | Shift to 80% save-worthy (frameworks, templates, checklists) | Save-worthy content compounds; engagement-only content doesn't |
| **Goal management** | Unchanged | Evaluate: extend target date by 3-6 months OR accept higher effort | Unrealistic targets cause burnout; recalibration preserves motivation |

### Quick Wins (First 14 Days)

1. Audit and fix profile-content alignment (1 hour, permanent benefit)
2. Create 3 carousel posts from past popular text posts (high save potential)
3. Identify 10 creators in your niche and start daily commenting
4. Post a "what I've learned" or "hot take" post for immediate engagement

### Warning Signs to Escalate

- Declining engagement for 3+ consecutive months (audience fatigue, not just slow growth)
- Follower count stagnating or decreasing (possible content quality issue)
- Zero inbound messages or connection requests (invisible to target audience)

### Related Commands

- `/linkedin:audit` -- full strategy review with trajectory overlay
- `/linkedin:strategy` -- recalibrate growth plan
- `/linkedin:pipeline` -- activate full content pipeline for volume increase
- `/linkedin:profile` -- 360Brew profile optimization

---

## BEHIND (50-80% of needed rate)

### Diagnosis Checklist

1. **Slight consistency gap:** Missing 1-2 posts/week from goal
2. **Uneven pillar coverage:** 1-2 pillars underrepresented
3. **Engagement routine lapse:** 5x5x5 done inconsistently
4. **Format experimentation stalled:** Tried new formats but didn't persist
5. **Collaboration gap:** Fewer than 1 collaboration/month

### Adjustments by Dimension

| Dimension | Current (implied) | Adjustment | Rationale |
|-----------|-------------------|------------|-----------|
| **Posting frequency** | Near goal but inconsistent | Add 1 post/week above current cadence | Consistency matters more than volume |
| **Engagement intensity** | Some but irregular | 5x5x5 daily without exception + focus on niche-relevant creators | Regularity of engagement signals reliability to algorithm |
| **Format mix** | Mostly text | Add 1 carousel/week minimum | Single format change with highest ROI |
| **Collaboration pace** | Occasional | Target 1 collaboration/month (tag, co-post, or comment thread) | Even small collaborations expand reach significantly |
| **Content emphasis** | Balanced | Increase save-worthy ratio to 60% (from ~40%) | Saves drive follower growth 3x more effectively than likes |
| **Goal management** | Keep current target | Review in 60 days; extend by 2 months if rate doesn't improve | Give adjustments time to compound |

### Quick Wins (First 14 Days)

1. Batch-create 2 weeks of posts (/linkedin:batch) to eliminate consistency gaps
2. Set a daily 5x5x5 alarm/reminder
3. Convert your highest-performing post into a carousel
4. Reach out to 3 creators for potential collaboration

### Warning Signs to Escalate to SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND

- Rate drops below 50% of needed for 2 consecutive months
- Weekly posting goal missed 3+ weeks in a row
- Engagement rate trending downward

### Related Commands

- `/linkedin:batch` -- ensure weekly consistency
- `/linkedin:strategy` -- adjust growth tactics
- `/linkedin:analyze` -- identify what's underperforming

---

## ON TRACK (80-120% of needed rate)

### Diagnosis Checklist

Not a diagnosis per se -- confirm these positive signals:

1. **Consistent posting:** Hitting weekly goal 80%+ of weeks
2. **Balanced pillars:** All 5 expertise areas represented in last 30 days
3. **Active engagement:** 5x5x5 routine running, regular commenters growing
4. **Format variety:** At least 2 different formats used per month
5. **Growing network:** New connection requests and DMs increasing

### Adjustments by Dimension

| Dimension | Current | Adjustment | Rationale |
|-----------|---------|------------|-----------|
| **Posting frequency** | At goal | Maintain; only increase if time allows without quality drop | Quality > quantity at this stage |
| **Engagement intensity** | Consistent 5x5x5 | Shift 20% of engagement time to deeper relationship building (DMs, replies) | Depth of network > breadth when on track |
| **Format mix** | Varied | Experiment with one new format per month (video, polls, documents) | On-track is the best time to experiment |
| **Collaboration pace** | Regular | Maintain or slightly increase; aim for quality partnerships | Collaborations compound when you have momentum |
| **Content emphasis** | Balanced | Start developing 1-2 signature pieces (frameworks, series) | Signature content is what separates on-track from breakthrough |
| **Goal management** | Appropriate | Keep current targets; consider raising if 3+ months ahead | Stability enables ambition |

### Optimization Focus

Instead of adding volume, optimize what's working:
- Identify top 3 performing topics and create derivative content
- A/B test hook styles on your best topics
- Start building an email list or newsletter foundation
- Document your content patterns for future batch creation

### Related Commands

- `/linkedin:ab-test` -- optimize what's working
- `/linkedin:authority` -- build signature content
- `/linkedin:report` -- track continued progress

---

## AHEAD (> 120% of needed rate)

### Diagnosis Checklist

Confirm growth is sustainable, not a spike:

1. **Consistent growth:** 3+ months at above-target rate (not a single viral post)
2. **Engagement quality:** Comments from target audience, not just vanity metrics
3. **Content quality maintained:** Not sacrificing depth for volume
4. **No burnout signs:** Creator still enjoys the process

### Adjustments by Dimension

| Dimension | Current | Adjustment | Rationale |
|-----------|---------|------------|-----------|
| **Posting frequency** | At or above goal | Maintain current if sustainable; OK to reduce by 1/week if quality improves | Protect against burnout while momentum is strong |
| **Engagement intensity** | Active | Shift toward strategic relationship building with larger creators | Punch above your weight while momentum carries you |
| **Format mix** | Working well | Invest in higher-production formats (video, long-form articles) | Higher-effort formats convert better when you have audience |
| **Collaboration pace** | Opportunities appearing | Be selective; prioritize collaborations that unlock new audiences | Quality partnerships > quantity when ahead |
| **Content emphasis** | Shift to thought leadership | Develop signature frameworks, original research, contrarian takes | Build authority, not just audience |
| **Goal management** | Raise target or accelerate timeline | Consider: raise target to 15K, pull deadline forward, or add monetization goal | Capitalize on momentum |

### Strategic Opportunities

When ahead of schedule, invest in:
1. **Monetization infrastructure** -- Start before you "need" to (lead magnets, funnel setup)
2. **Cross-platform presence** -- Repurpose LinkedIn success to other platforms
3. **Community building** -- Convert followers to community members
4. **Speaking pipeline** -- Leverage growth for off-platform visibility
5. **Content assets** -- Create evergreen content that compounds (articles, guides)

### Related Commands

- `/linkedin:monetize` -- start monetization planning
- `/linkedin:authority` -- build signature frameworks
- `/linkedin:speaking` -- speaking opportunity pipeline
- `/linkedin:multiplatform` -- expand to other platforms

---

## ACHIEVED (follower_count >= follower_target)

### What Changes

Growth target is met. Strategy shifts from "grow" to "leverage."

### Adjustments by Dimension

| Dimension | Adjustment | Rationale |
|-----------|------------|-----------|
| **Posting frequency** | Optimize for quality; 3x/week minimum to maintain | Audience expects consistency but values depth |
| **Engagement intensity** | Strategic only; prioritize high-value connections | Time is better spent on monetization and opportunities |
| **Format mix** | Invest in premium formats (video, newsletters, articles) | Premium formats convert audience to revenue |
| **Collaboration pace** | Highly selective; co-create with peers at your level | Collaborations should open doors, not just grow numbers |
| **Content emphasis** | 100% thought leadership and signature content | You've earned the audience; now lead them |
| **Goal management** | Set new goal: revenue, influence, or impact metric | Follower count is a vanity metric past this point |

### New Metrics to Track

| Metric | Why |
|--------|-----|
| Revenue per follower | Monetization efficiency |
| Inbound opportunities/month | Authority measurement |
| Content repurpose rate | Leverage measurement |
| Newsletter subscriber rate | Owned audience growth |

### Related Commands

- `/linkedin:monetize` -- revenue strategy
- `/linkedin:authority` -- thought leadership deepening
- `/linkedin:competitive` -- maintain positioning

---

## Phase-Specific Trajectory Modifiers

Different phases have different primary levers. The table below shows the **single most impactful adjustment** for each Phase x Status combination.

| Phase | SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND | BEHIND | ON TRACK | AHEAD |
|-------|---------------------|--------|----------|-------|
| **Foundation (0-1K)** | Fix profile + post daily | Increase to 4x/week | Maintain + experiment | Start Validation tactics early |
| **Validation (1K-3K)** | 5x5x5 at double intensity | Add 1 collab/month | Develop signature topics | Target Acceleration formats |
| **Acceleration (3K-6K)** | 2 collabs/month + carousels | Newsletter launch prep | A/B test systematically | Launch newsletter early |
| **Authority (6K-10K)** | Cross-platform + speaking | Premium content formats | Build monetization infra | Pull forward monetization |
| **Scale (10K+)** | Audience re-engagement | Selective partnerships | Revenue optimization | New platform expansion |

---

## Monthly Review Template

Use this template during `/linkedin:audit` trajectory review:

```markdown
## Trajectory Review — [Month YYYY]

**Schedule Status:** [SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND / BEHIND / ON TRACK / AHEAD / ACHIEVED]
**Growth Rate:** [X] followers/month actual vs [Y] needed ([Z]% of target rate)
**Phase:** [Phase name]

### Dimension Assessment

| Dimension | Current State | Trajectory Recommendation | Gap |
|-----------|--------------|--------------------------|-----|
| Posting frequency | [X]/week | [Y]/week | [description] |
| Engagement intensity | [description] | [recommendation] | [description] |
| Format mix | [breakdown] | [recommendation] | [description] |
| Collaboration pace | [X]/month | [Y]/month | [description] |
| Content emphasis | [breakdown] | [recommendation] | [description] |
| Goal management | [current target] | [recommendation] | [description] |

### Top 3 Changes This Month

1. [Most impactful change]
2. [Second most impactful]
3. [Third most impactful]

### Review Date: [Next month]
```
