LinkedIn Hooks

Generate a personalised library of LinkedIn post hooks using Nick Broekema's 42 hook templates (14 categories), enriched with ICP data, offer context, and real buyer language from sales calls.

Doctrine inherited (Step 7 — 0626 rollout, locked 2026-06-04)

Output complies with output-tenets.md, output-simplicity.md, ai-speak-anti-patterns.md (no X-not-Y hooks, no false-contrast structures per [[feedback_no_x_not_y_hooks]]). Step 6 calibration: see [[feedback_execution_doctrine_refinements_step6]].

Refinements applied: R1 (hook library is internal-reference), R3 (operator-direct framing in hooks), R9 (verb-led category names). Hook generation explicitly bans X-not-Y false-contrast structures.

What this produces:

1. Category relevance scoring — which of the 14 hook categories fit this ICP + offer
2. 20-36 personalised hooks — across 8-12 relevant categories
3. Top 5 strongest hooks — ranked by specificity and curiosity gap
4. Usage guide — how to feed hooks into post-writing skills

How it differs from the post-writing skills: linkedin-expert-posts / linkedin-personal-posts / linkedin-sales-posts write full posts and generate 2-3 hooks as part of the process. This skill is a dedicated hook factory — it produces a reusable library of hooks in bulk, designed to be picked from over weeks of content creation.

Source: Nick Broekema (Content Design) — "42 Post Hook Templates" framework.

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Claude Code Triggers

Invoke this skill when user says:

• "Generate LinkedIn hooks for [client/person]"
• "Create a hook library for [client]"
• "LinkedIn hook ideas for [topic/ICP]"
• "Batch hooks from my content guide"
• "Hook factory for [client]"
• "Generate hooks from sales calls"

Do NOT invoke when:

• User wants to write a full LinkedIn post → Use linkedin-expert-posts / linkedin-personal-posts / linkedin-sales-posts
• User wants to build an ICP + offer → Use linkedin-content-guide
• User wants to optimize their LinkedIn profile → Use linkedin-profile
• User wants a single hook for a specific post → Pick one from existing library

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Inputs

Required

Input	Description	Source
ICP context	Who the content is targeting (pains, goals, language)	linkedin-content-guide output, user provides, or client CLAUDE.md
Offer	What the author does for their ICP	linkedin-content-guide output or user provides
Author profile	Who is posting (name, role, company)	User provides or from client context

Optional (significantly improve quality)

Input	How It Helps
LinkedIn content guide output	Full 14-question ICP + pains→goals table + SCART elements — richest possible input
Granola sales call transcripts	Real buyer language, objections, questions, vocabulary
Transcript-analysis output	Pre-extracted insights, verbatim quotes, pain themes
Competitor names	Enables "debunking" and "misconception" hooks that reference alternatives
Voice profile / TOV guidelines	Ensures hooks match the author's voice
Content pillars	Focus hook generation on specific pillar priorities

If inputs are missing: Ask for minimum context — ICP description, core offer, and top 3-5 pains. Strongly recommend running /linkedin-content-guide first for best results.

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Process

4-phase flow: Context Gathering → Template Matching (14 categories scored HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW) → Hook Generation (2-3 per selected category) → Quality + Organisation (top 5 ranked). Full step-by-step in the premium reference.

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Hook Writing Principles

Five fundamentals to apply on every hook — regardless of template. These are voice-locked rules; they stay in body.

1. Use specific numbers. "Many people" → "7 out of 10 B2B SaaS VPs". Numbers create credibility and stop the scroll.
2. Keep the hook line short. 5–10 words max for the opening sentence. Long first lines lose people before the curiosity gap lands.
3. Trigger one emotion. Pick: curiosity, fear, desire, or surprise. Don't try to do all four — pick the sharpest one for this ICP.
4. Lead with bold or contrarian. Safe openers get scrolled past. A statement that challenges the status quo creates tension.
5. Ask the question they're already asking. Mirror the internal monologue of your ICP. "How do I generate pipeline without a big budget?" lands if they're already thinking it.
6. Use ≥3 PLACE ingredients per hook. Person, Location, Action, Cost, Era. Templates control hook shape; PLACE controls specificity. Below 3 ingredients, hooks slide into the generic-trap. See the premium reference.

Inspiration accounts

Study these profiles for strong hook execution patterns:

• Nick Broekema — clarity, curiosity gaps, clean structure
• Justin Welsh — personal authority, contrarian takes, simplicity
• Alex Hormozi — specificity, numbers, bold claims
• Lara Acosta — TOFU growth posts, relatable stories, B2B personal brand

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Anti-Hallucination Guardrails

1. Never invent metrics, quotes, or outcomes. Only use proof points from the content guide, transcripts, or user-provided data. If none available, write hooks that don't require specific numbers.
2. Don't fabricate client stories. If using storytelling hooks, base them on real experiences from transcripts or user input. Mark as [NEEDS REAL STORY] if none available.
3. Mark missing data. If a hook template needs a specific metric or timeframe and none exists, adapt the template to work without it rather than inventing data.
4. Use real buyer language. When transcripts are available, use verbatim vocabulary. When not, use language from the ICP research — never generic industry terms.

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MCP Data Integration

Level: 2 — Execution (conditional pulls for enrichment)

Pulls fresh

Source	What to pull	Tool	When
Granola	Sales/discovery call transcripts	query_granola_meetings, get_meeting_transcript	When user wants to enrich hooks with real buyer language

Fallback (no MCP)

• LinkedIn content guide output (pains→goals table)
• User-provided ICP description and pain points
• Client CLAUDE.md voice and messaging context

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Quality

Pre-delivery checklist covers hook quality (under 25 words, no emojis, curiosity gap), specificity quality (no placeholders, real ICP language), and voice quality (sounds like author, no buzzwords, passes 100 Posts Test). Worked example + anti-examples in the premium reference.

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Final ship gate

Run /premortem --output before ship. See /premortem skill for the 5 execution domains (will-it-resonate / will-it-convert / will-it-stay-on-brand / will-stakeholder-push-back / will-it-degrade-over-time) and output template.

Trivial-case escape: ## Premortem\nNo failure modes — trivial change satisfies the contract for genuinely trivial outputs.

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Persuasion & stickiness pass

Output complies with persuasion-and-stickiness.md — Cialdini's 7 persuasion levers + Heath's SUCCESs. Deploy the 1-2 Cialdini levers that fit the reader's barrier (never all seven; every lever must be TRUE), run the SUCCESs diagnostic (Simple / Unexpected / Concrete / Credible / Emotional / Stories) over the near-final draft, then the rule's pre-ship gate.

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