LinkedIn Automation or Relationship Building - what is the best route to leads and sales?

I have just had a message drop into my LinkedIn Inbox about using automation - recommending sending thousands of messages a month and automating multiple other tasks on LinkedIn. This is so depressing. AI is just going to exacerbate the amount, and levels, of poor communication on LinkedIn and on other channels.

Once I read the message I did stop and think, "Is it me?"-? is the world and his dog using automation and I am the one missing a trick! The thought only lasted a short while because my whole philosophy in business has been around building and nurturing relationships, both in my own business and those of my clients. It is part of my DNA.

Is automation the best marketing decision?

For very small businesses - 1-10 people - relationship building is perceived as the longer route to success. Automation seems so much quicker. It generally isn't.

Corporates are not expected to send personalised emails and nurture relationships, so automated emails are much more acceptable.

For most medium size businesses, building and nurturing relationships is the way, not only to get leads and sales, but also to guarantee repeat business, recommendations and referrals.

And this also leads to a more robust business as well as a more gratifying workplace for all members of the team which then rubs off onto your clients/partners.

The one thing you should do before you do any marketing

Before you can start to build and nurture relationships, there needs to be a deep understanding of your audiences, your markets, your goals, the value that you bring to the table, the value that will be highly appreciated by your audiences, what makes you and your business different.

These are CRUCIAL to the success of the next steps you will take to build effective partnerships and relationships.

These initial steps need to be understood, valued and acted upon, and not viewed as a waste of time and money.

Some people think that there are no ‘deliverables’ at the end of these initial steps that have taken valuable time and budget.? However, done right, they will bring deliverables in spades once you move purposefully on through the process.

The quickest route to getting results in the shortest possible time

There are so many quotes about speed in business being the thing to aim for, such as…..

“Speed is the foundation of all achievement.”? Napoleon Hill

Many businesses are wanting results quickly. Understandably.? No one wants to take the long route.? But we need to take the best route.

When you are building a strong business foundation, speed can be dangerous.? There is no point speeding along in your car along the wrong road to your desired destination.? It may feel as though you are making progress but you are never going to get there, or at best, it will take you longer.

Speed in business has its place, no doubt. For example, first to market has benefits.? Think of Hoover.

‘Done is better than perfect’ is often a great mantra as you get started and learn along the way. But all businesses need to take their time to create what I call an Unshakeable Business Foundation if they want success over the long term.

Doomed to failure?

Without finding out, in depth, about the people you are partnering with, your clients, or other key audiences you are making your best guess. You don't know what is going through their minds, how they are thinking about external change going on, how they are as people, what their challenges and goals are.? Everything then becomes guesswork and you are gambling on your future success.

If you think about a marriage, it stands much less chance of being a long term success if you don't take the time to know your wife/husband inside out.? Guessing what they like and don't like means that you might be taking the bins/trash out thinking you are doing a fabulous job but they would prefer that you cooked a meal once a week!

Just for the record…..

Any automation tool used on LinkedIn contravenes the LinkedIn member rules and you could get your account shut down!? So beware. The people selling you automation services will not be affected if your account is shut down but a network that you have built over years or even decades could disappear