To reply or not to reply… that is the LinkedIn conundrum
Jemima Bird
Senior Board Director & Founder of Hello Finch | Transforming Brands Through Strategic Innovation
I've had an interesting 72 hours.??
On average I get c. 50-100 LinkedIn connection requests in any given week.? In of the main, most of these connections are the equivalent of cold call sales emails.? As a result, if I accept the connections, it’s likely I will then receive 50-100 inbox messages trying to sell me said service.
I’ll be honest. It’s a bore.
Either I need to read every invitation request to ascertain whether it's a sales email - this takes time - or accept them all, hoping to then find the rare gem of a request who is looking for just that, a connection.
From the start of my near 16-year LinkedIn journey - I’m an early adopter, joining the platform on October 22nd, 2007 - I’ve always adopted the approach of accepting all requests to connect.? And then going back to everyone with a personalised message.?
But I have to say, this is getting increasingly impossible to do.
In the halcyon days of LinkedIn, the connection requests generally fell into the mutually beneficial, supportive, and engaging type.? Roll forward 16 years and I’d now say 99% of all invitations are a cold call sales attempt - I’m not sure how many SEO/UX/Cloud/Websites/*insert any other tech field* providers I need, but I sure as hell can’t service them all!??
In one interaction I had with someone this week, they messaged to say:
I replied to say I was struggling to understand why they had sent me this message…?
From my perspective, it really doesn’t take much of a look at my profile to see that my agency, Hello Finch is a cost-effective, full-service creative agency specialising in branding, creative and digital solutions, tailored to enhance awareness…
The follow on conversation went like this:
领英推荐
The reply from Person X was one of indignation. And yet why?? Clearly, they’d decided to connect to sell something to me, which I obviously (a) don’t need (b) already offer myself and (c) haven't asked for.
And I had done them the courtesy of a reply, which I’m not obliged to do.?
I followed up with a longer explanation and a key observation:
I’ve yet to receive a reply.
I genuinely appreciate that everyone is trying to make a living and selling their “unique” proposition is part of their growth strategy. But often it’s simply not unique. It’s just more noise.
My advice - if you want to connect with me (and others) apply a few rules:
LinkedIn is a terrific resource; I’ve met and engaged with some fabulous people on this platform. I’ve met young entrepreneurs and invested in their businesses because of their well thought through, well intentioned engagements with me.? I’ve connected with peers in the non-executive space and many wonderful people who’ve provided advice and guidance on the roles I’ve undertook.
I don’t want to fall out of love with LinkedIn.
I want to keep accepting requests to connect.?
But in a world where everyone is shouting, perhaps a considered gentle whisper into my in-box will make a far bigger noise.?
Strategic Account Manager ?? 17+ Years Driving Revenue Growth | Market Expansion Expert | Client Success in Software, Analytics & Global Furniture Industries.
1 年Well I am flattered that you accepted my request Jemima and that we exchanged messaging.............even if you thought that I shouldn't think my marathon running days are behind me. Personally I think there is a technology overload at the moment, especially when you are employed in a business development or sales role. In the good old days you simply called potential customers and more often or not they politely informed you that they were not interested in your product or service. At this point you made a note not to contact them again - at least I did. Since the pandemic (and before) people are less keen to accept sales calls. I can appreciate that as I have been on both sides of the sales process. So today people are bombarded with emails offering products and services and as these don't work they shift to LinkedIn. But are sales people reading the emails they receive. I responded on Wednesday to a company that boasted they could revolutionise the number of leads we receive. I answered with a "thanks but no thanks" email only to receive a further email from them yesterday "wanting to get to the top of my inbox". Would I trust this company to promote our services to potential customers? No.
Chief Product Officer @ navar.ai
1 年I always wonder, when you click on the ‘I don’t know this person’ button, does LinkedIn follow up in any way? Three strikes and you’re out? Or is it just for show…
Strategy | Security | Sustainability | Leadership | Charity
1 年I get a significant volume of connection requests, some want to sell me their product or service and a growing number just want to mine my contacts, after all it's far more credible to connect to someone new when you already have at least one mutual connection. Over time you realise that one or two of your contacts just accept anyone as they are the ones that pop up all the time as the "1 mutual connection". So my personal rules are: 1. Only add people I know/have worked with and have met in person. 2. Do not add recruiters unless they have placed me at least once, or are about to place me (but then remove them if they don't place me). 3. I" don’t care to belong to any club that will have me as a member." - if an interested party is trying to offer "lil' ol' me" something seemingly super exclusive and I don't have to do anything other than accept, I walk. 4. No mutual connections...walk. 5. Connection request having just started following me...walk. 6. I could go on but fundamentally we're at a point in our lives where more people can benefit from us than we can benefit from and that is why we mentor specific candidates but we're not here to divulge our curated networks gratis to a "have a go hero" yet to learn the merit of graft
So much this. I had tried to be polite and respond to those who send connection requests, but when they got to the point where I had to say "I don't know what any of those words mean" I gave that up too.
Founder @ Studio Blackburn | Branding & Identity
1 年I have a similar issue with designers sending their pdf portfolios of work to me, or asking for work directly without any context. A few weeks ago I got an old-fashioned resumé sent through the post with a tea-bag enclosed and request to have a chat over a cuppa. It was such a relief I accepted the offer and invited the person in.