Please Stop Doing This on Linkedin
Dear Jeff,
Thanks for accepting my invitation to connect. I want to see if you are available to speak to me 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 I know that my firm can make your response rate better by 50% in a few days. I also am confident that we can grow your sales and get your more customers who want to buy from you almost immediately. We work with all the big companies in America and are always successful at solving their problems. Our new E-suite solves every problem with the click of a button.
We have a special offer with 30% off of our list price if you talk to me today.
What’s a good time to talk?
Signed,
Your New LinkedIn Connection
I probably get about 2 of these uninvited pitches every day. I connect with lots of marketing professional 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 a first step.
Slow down
The outreach also tends to be a bit hyperbolic with promises that signal – don’t trust me. I am amazed at how off-putting most of these outreaches are but more importantly, I didn’t invite them to sell to me. I invited 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 dance-athon or to ask if you have life insurance? Of course not. Why is the online world any different?
Here is what I would prefer:
- Demonstrate that you have read about me, my background, my blog, my book or my experience in your note.
- Tell me about an interesting book or article you recently read that is 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 useful to me.
- Send me a whitepaper on a topic I have written about that shows relevance to my interest.
- Find some common connection point between us – (Grew up in NJ, went to school in Philly, worked in food Industry, etc.)
- 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 helpful, I will pay attention.
Sales and business development leaders have to 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 social media sites from LinkedIn to Twitter and Instagram. 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 common experiences that are shared. I’m not cold calling them to get them to place an order for something. It is called building a relationship. I’m investing in the building part for a long time before I try and ask for something.
With a click of a button, you are gone from my consideration set. 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.
Confused about how to use LinkedIn or social media for your business. Need help sorting through? Invite me to speak to you to listen and to see if I can help.
