The mosquitos of LinkedIn connection notes

?Every couple of days, I get these LinkedIn connection notes from strangers.? It reminds me of networking events where I experienced similar communication exchanges.?

Imagine sitting at a conference lunch when someone you have never met asks for a business card while giving their business card.?

I find most typically work for financial services, sell real estate, or work in multi-level marketing. There isn’t a connection here.? I own a home.? I have no interest in selling soap, vitamins or travel services.?

Like traditional conference marketers, LinkedIn has provided some of the opportunities to have these online networking encounters.? Patricia recently wrote me this LinkedIn connection note to ask to join my network.?

Like all connection requests, I review every person’s profile. Patricia didn’t have a published profile photo and she had eight connections.?

I declined her request.?

Many of my students tell me these connection requests annoy them.?

With over a billion people using LinkedIn, it’s the cost of doing business.?

I liken Patricia's requests to fishing on a summer Minnesota lake. People like her act like bothersome mosquitoes, trying to annoy you. However, when you land those walleyes and take them home for dinner at your summer cabin, you will quickly forget those pests.?

Once someone accepts the notion that you will land some quality connections, despite those annoying notes, it's easy to focus on finding people who can provide value to you on LinkedIn.