LinkedIn

[SwindonSteve]

LinkedIn connections.

Recently, I've been subjected to a huge number of LinkedIn connection requests, the majority have been from the sub-continent and which can be ignored.

However, a fair few have been received from companies that I've had some kind of interaction with within the last 12 months.

The problem is, they've all been a generic 'I would like to add you to my network on LinkedIn' type message, which I ignore.

Am I missing something? Should I agree to connect? Say yes to anyone?

I think the answer is no, no and NO!

First of all, sending me a generic connection request is ****ing rude (guilty, sorry, won't do it again).

Second, it's polite to introduce yourself first. Who are you, what do you do?

Third, you could follow that up with a reason why you want to connect with me.

Finally, what you hope to achieve by connecting gives me a reason why I might, or might not accept your connection.

Have some manners will you?

 

[beasty]

100% I could have written exactly what you posted.

I hate it when people try to connect without even letting me know who they are.

My policy is if we do not do business you are not a connection that simple
(Couple of exceptions, close friends and some influencers)

One thing that bugs me about Linkedin is that Anonymous people can view my profile, if someone views my profile I want to know who they are, is there anyway to block this?

Overall I am a big fan and actually was offered a Job on Monday where the initial contact was made via Linked in (Palm Springs too)

 

[tombuckland]

Linkedin seems to be blowing up at the moment and I think I know why, quite a few businesses think that it is going to be the next FB/Twitter. Facebook was and still is good but is personal and not geared to businesses, the ads are okay but its getting filled with ads now so less effective for real businesses to try and stand out.
Twitter's time is here but coming to an end in my opinion, the 140 character giant is still a favourite for most businesses, but with the amount of follow 4 follow and generic following and hastags floating round I don't believe this is to viable for businesses as its already flooded.

So that leaves Linkedin, which is designed for businesses or business individuals and hence cuts out the majority of "I ate a sandwich" statues and spammy tweets and leaves the bones but in a more effective way.

Or it may just be because your a cool guy.

Thanks
Tom.

P.S. Whats you linkedin - Tom Buckland wants to connect with you

 

[SwindonSteve]

I seem to use those platforms differently in as much as my company has an identity which is public and separate to my personal which is locked down to circle of friends.

LinkedIn is different though as that's my public and professional profile. I'm all for networking but there has to be some value in the connection and just because I commented on a blog or something doesn't mean you can add me!

 

[beasty]

Steve again agree. It is my online filofax of business contacts, I had a guy buy golf clubs from me as a retail customer i guess 3 weeks agao, this morning i found a Linkedin request. I thanked him but advised that Linkedin is for business to business contacts and fb and twitter is there for retail customers who wish to follow new products and so forth.

His profile was blank, he worked in the building trade.....

Anyhow, my policy is my policy, Skype works the same too, if we are not doing business I delete you, saves people popping up all day with me trying to remember who they are!

 

[SwindonSteve]

Steve again agree. It is my online filofax of business contacts, I had a guy buy golf clubs from me as a retail customer i guess 3 weeks agao, this morning i found a Linkedin request. I thanked him but advised that Linkedin is for business to business contacts and fb and twitter is there for retail customers who wish to follow new products and so forth.

His profile was blank, he worked in the building trade.....

Anyhow, my policy is my policy, Skype works the same too, if we are not doing business I delete you, saves people popping up all day with me trying to remember who they are!

Recruitment consultants are the worst for this. If they bothered to read my profile and do some other research, they'd realise I've had my own business for 6 years and it's not even located in the UK.

Because they've got me on a database from about 15 years ago, they just send the invitation anyway!

 

[NickGrogan]

Another LinkedIn Tread.

I seem to be the only person that accepts just about everyone - some are really obvious spam - man's name, woman's picture or the same picture for several names, but otherwise the more the merrier.

I haven't invited more than 5 or 6 people to connect with me in the past 12 months and they've been mainly people who have viewed my profile and who look interesting.

I connect with everyone because I believe that business changes and someone who might look irrelevant now, may be very useful in the future. This is worked well for me several times, most recently with contacts at Deutsche Bank.

 

[beasty]

I have only 200 contacts, but still I am getting 25 requests a month to connect, had i opened the door to all of these no doubt even more would follow. I guess you can go two ways, accept everyone and show people you have 10,000 linkedin connections none of whom make you any money or keep it tight and use keep them like contacts you would enter into your phone.

 

[NickGrogan]

I have only 200 contacts, but still I am getting 25 requests a month to connect, had i opened the door to all of these no doubt even more would follow. I guess you can go two ways, accept everyone and show people you have 10,000 linkedin connections none of whom make you any money or keep it tight and use keep them like contacts you would enter into your phone.

For comparison, I get about 20 requests per day...

I prefer the third way, accept everyone, not publicise how many connections you have, make nothing from most of them and a lot from a few. About 30% of my revenue next year will come directly from LinkedIn connections.

 

[beasty]

I suppose it is down to what you are looking to do.. i want a specific group of people it helps me greatly when speaking to new people that i should be working with if we have common connections we have both done business with, also for me I make it plain to everyone that we are not connecting if we are not in business so new people know that i already deal with the group on my profile.. works for me

 

[SwindonSteve]

Another LinkedIn Tread.

I seem to be the only person that accepts just about everyone - some are really obvious spam - man's name, woman's picture or the same picture for several names, but otherwise the more the merrier.

I haven't invited more than 5 or 6 people to connect with me in the past 12 months and they've been mainly people who have viewed my profile and who look interesting.

I connect with everyone because I believe that business changes and someone who might look irrelevant now, may be very useful in the future. This is worked well for me several times, most recently with contacts at Deutsche Bank.

He who casts his net widest will catch the most fish.

If it works for you then fair enough, I just get fed up having my email cluttered up and stuff that's of no relevance to me popping up all the time.

I'm firmly in the keep it tight camp.

 

[businessfunding]

Personally - If I'm remotely interested I will connect

If you turn out to be a pain/spammer I will disconnect

Never really had a problem with it...

 

[Psl]

There is also another side to Linkedin and that is to actively promote your business. By promoting your business you will get connection requests, but if you only accept them if you know or have already done business with them, then there is no point in promoting your business.

If you don't promote your business on LinkedIn then what's the point of being a member?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Excel Expert]

Dont forget that LinkedIn have been sending requests to connect on behalf of people without them knowing.

If LinkedIn spots a possible link it will email you an invite to connect from them (I'm presuming they will send one to them on your behalf as well). I'm guessing this because there is one person I would not deal with in a million years, yet I had a connection request from them. The only thing to connect us was that we were once members of the same networking group.

I would be happy to accept all connections if there was to group them up in some way - a bit like Google Circles.

 

[Psl]

You can group your connections on LinkedIn into specific industry sectors or whatever you choose to the group.


@fuelpovertyuk @energy__saver

 

[Excel Expert]

Hi PSL, Would you know where that feature is? I can filter by generic stuff like location etc but what I want to set up is groups specific to my needs

BTW - Not a big regular user of LinkedIn, so forgive me if its a dumb question

 

[Psl]

Hi, I will post the details later for you.


@fuelpovertyuk @energy__saver

 

[Psl]

Excel Expert, Go to Linkedin and select Connections. Then select the TAG option. A drop down menu with pre-filled tagging options should appear. Scroll down and at the bottom of this drop down menu an option named 'Add new tags' is highlighted. Click this and create the new tag, job done. You can then categorise all your contacts and dependant on how many you have, it could take you some time!

 

[SwindonSteve]

Excel Expert, Go to Linkedin and select Connections. Then select the TAG option. A drop down menu with pre-filled tagging options should appear. Scroll down and at the bottom of this drop down menu an option named 'Add new tags' is highlighted. Click this and create the new tag, job done. You can then categorise all your contacts and dependant on how many you have, it could take you some time!

@Psl - Great tip, that might come in useful if I decide to accept some of the vaguely interesting chancers in the future!

 

[Psl]

Glad to be of assistance.


@fuelpovertyuk @energy__saver

 

[Excel Expert]

Thanks @Psl - That has now been added to my list things to do. I think tat is going to turn out to be really helpful

Thanks

 

[Psl]

Thanks @Psl - That has now been added to my list things to do. I think tat is going to turn out to be really helpful

Thanks

Once the connections are tagged how you want them then promotion of your company and/or services becomes so much easier as you can choose specific groups, customise your contact mail/message and track it if you send case studies hosted on slideshare. It's not perfect but it works for me.

 

[wearewattle]

There have been a few blog posts doing the rounds recently about the benefits of adding massive numbers of connections, which is why this is happening. The more connections the more valuable the publishing feature is and the more prominent your profile is in search results - LinkedIn had a model of it being a very closed network of connections that you know in business, but a few changes over the past year has seen a shift away from this, is it a good thing? I am on the fence!

 

[Excel Expert]

I think that has been a problem for a lot of people recently. There is a lot of articles about the old LinkedIn and how to use and now there are new articles about the new direction LinkedIn is going.

Do I as individual stick with the old ways as there seems to still be mileage with that approach, or do I abandon that and go with the new ways and broadcast more. It is a bit like getting stuck between a white hat and a black hat in a SEO debate