Seven Rules for Maximizing Linked In
Posted by Frank Belzer on Mon, Aug 01, 2011 @ 06:55 PM
I received a request to connect on Linked-In today and it really confused me.
My only exchange with the person had not been too good. They actually said some things about me that indicated that not only did they not like me but that they didn't really view me as a business adviser, so why connect?
This post is not about "rules" from a social marketing perspective - in that world more is always more.
Linked-In represents a change in Business Networking but the principles of "networking" shouldn't change. Don't the following rules make sense:
- You Should at least know the person
- They should feel comfortable introducing you (maybe even want to)
- You should feel great about recommending them
- They probably shouldn't be a LION - maybe under 200 contacts
- You should have spoken or met at least once!
- You should understand their business and they yours
- Are they a reference for you and you for them
As I was considering these rules I realized that I needed to thin out my contacts like a gardener thins out the weeds - that way the real plants, the ones you want, can start to produce at full yield.
More can sometimes be less as far as Linked In goes. Take a minute and look at every contact, think about it then cut loose where necessary. What would happen if every one on Linked In did that? What if the maximum number of contacts was changed to 200 and enforced?
