A ramble about the connect n pitch on LinkedIn
The connect n pitch on LinkedIn
I see zero problems with the LinkedIn connect n pitch. I don't think anyone has an issue with the connect n pitch itself... I think the issue stems from the fact that it's so blatantly obvious to see the laziness that goes into it.
If you're blasting out connection requests every day (without going over the 100 per day limit!) and blindly hurling "welcome messages" to those who accept... ??
That kind of connect n pitch is no bueno.
This person working for a company that you targeted based purely on firmographics isn't a compelling enough reason to reach out to them. But if you were to check out their profile, you might find something you have in common with them. THAT is a compelling reason to reach out.
For example, I'm a bit ridiculous when it comes to college basketball. I'm way too emotionally obsessed with Michigan State basketball. So, if I ever see someone who went to Michigan State and they happen to be someone I might be able to help out, I'll send them a connection message and then start a conversation. I thoroughly enjoy talking about college basketball... even if we never ended up chatting about business. Just that quick chat dishing about Michigan State helped set the foundation for a business relationship to grow.
You've likely seen posts with screenshots of "bad" LinkedIn DMs or emails. You've seen people put others on blast without having the decency to block out personally identifiable information. I cannot stand this. It's childish and unprofessional. If I ever see you do it, I'll be in the comments letting you know.
You've also probably have seen folks post "ugh, engage with my content BEFORE messaging me!". I find this to be a bit embarrassing. The person saying this is of the "give value first!" mentality... don't get me wrong, I do agree with this... but they're saying this because you engaging with their LinkedIn content will help further spread their post. It'll help their post's organic reach. I would agree that it IS valuable, but it's just... It's just a bit weird to say "?? Get my LinkedIn post seen by more people before you dare message me!".
I could argue the other side too, though. If someone is your prospect, you should do what they want on their terms to start a conversation or book a meeting. But if they're demanding that you engage with their content before messaging, it's because they want that organic reach. (Nothing wrong with it, but I have a problem with those who cloak that with the "add value" bit.)
Our first reaction is to put our guard up when we see a cold DM/email come through anyway. But if the message is good and the offer is relevant, we love it. I truly believe outbounders and prospectors are helping VPs/execs stay "in the know" with the latest and greatest technological advancements in the industry.
The last time I counted there were about a billion different ways to do this connect n pitch the wrong way. It doesn't mean you won't book a few demos doing it the wrong way... it's just not going to be as fruitful for you. And you're probably going to piss a lot of people off. You're going to have to give your prospects a compelling reason to reply to any message you send them. Skim their profile and look for ways to do that.
You're not going to reply to any message on any online platform without being compelled in some way to do so. And the same goes for your prospects — if you're using LinkedIn for prospecting, put a little effort into getting to know who your prospect is. You don't have to spend a year drooling over their LinkedIn posts, but you could skim their profile and find genuine commonalities that can open the conversation.
Just skim their profile before reaching out. Maybe do a little Google search... find any podcasts they might have been on or any blogs they might've guest-written. The Internet gives us SO much information at our fingertips. Use it. ??
This all comes from my firsthand experience. I've used LinkedIn automation... I loved it a few years ago (when I was a child and, quite honestly, a bit more immature). Now? It makes my stomach hurt. I don't like it. If you want to use automation to Follow your target audience, I see no problem with that. If you're following industry leaders, you're going to end up learning something just by them showing up in your news feed for the rest of eternity (unless you unfollow them ??).
Connect with me:
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We're building something called SiteVisitor, and it will make any marketer's mouth water... instantly. (Think of harnessing Google's data for a seriously tiny fraction of the cost). If you want to know more, check out my profile or shoot me a message. ??