Have you ever gotten one of these super helpful LinkedIn inmails that wasn’t super helpful?
Dear New LinkedIn Connection named Jeff,
Thanks for accepting my invitation to connect on LinkedIn.
I want to see if you are available to speak to me right now so that I can tell you about my company, our services, and why I think your business needs our help. I looked at your website and knew that my firm could improve your response rate by 50% in a few days. I am also confident that we can grow your sales and get more customers who want to buy from you almost immediately.
We work with all the big companies in America. I guarantee we can successfully solve all your problems too.
Our new E-suite/Metaverse/Web3.0/SEO solutions solve every marketing problem with the click of a button.
We have a special offer with 30% off our list price if you talk to me today and I have a few more discounts I may be able to give you.
Are you free now?
Signed,
Your New Not Super Helpful LinkedIn Connection
Slow down and Be Super Helpful
I probably get about 2 of these uninvited pitches every week. I connect with many marketing professionals who reach out to me through LinkedIn. I’m always interested in making new virtual friends online if I think they have an interesting background or profile.
But somehow, they assume that they can immediately begin to sell to me. I don’t remember ever giving them an invitation to pitch me or a signal that says, hey, new friend, sell me something.
Connection is the first step.
The outreach also tends to be hyperbolic with promises that signal – don’t trust me.
I am amazed at how off-putting most of these outreaches are, but I didn’t invite them to sell to me. I asked them to connect with me.
Imagine being at a dinner party, and someone comes up to you and says hello. Do they immediately start trying to sell you tickets to the high school fundraiser, the danceathon, or to ask if you have life insurance? Of course not.
Why is the online world any different?
How About This Instead?
I was hoping you could demonstrate that you have read about me, my background, blog, book, or experience in your note.
Tell me about an exciting book or article you recently read relevant to my interests.
Comment on one of my articles or blog posts.
Ask me if I have attended a conference you think is of value.
Build a relationship by being helpful and valuable to me.
I was hoping you could send me a whitepaper on a topic I have written about that shows relevance to my interests in marketing strategy.
Find some common connection points between us – (Grew up in NJ, went to school in Philly, worked in the Food Industry, etc.)
I was hoping you could wait for me to invite a further conversation with you or to ask to connect in the real world.
If you are pushy, I will ignore you. If you are extra pushy, I will block you. If you are super helpful, I will pay attention.
Sales and business development leaders must approach the world differently. This isn’t 1962. I’m not buying my father’s Chevrolet. Make me interested in connecting with you in some more meaningful way.
I have made some incredible connections through LinkedIn to Twitter and Instagram through social media sites. When I have initiated those connections, I have spent months investing in giving to them before asking for anything. We gain a history. We have some shared experiences that are shared. I’m not cold calling them to get them to place an order for something.
Relationship
It is called building a relationship. I’m investing in the building part for a long time before I try and ask for something. If you try to sell me right away, you are banished from my consideration set with a quick click.
Why not try and be helpful and relevant to me instead? Invest in the connection first and wait to be invited to go to the next level.
LinkedIn. Not out.
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Watch a short video about working with me.
Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash
