We strongly rely on LinkedIn for business networking.
Two weeks ago we shared how to listen on LinkedIn, today we’d like to show you three heavy mistakes that professionals make on this platform, causing a negative impact on their reputation.
1. Do not grow your network as a stranger
Before LinkedIn existed, were you on a race to get more business contacts in your diary? You added only a few relevant professionals and more likely after meeting with them. If you use LinkedIn to connect and stay in touch with people that you met personally, chances are that it will be easier for them to remember your face and what you do. It doesn’t matter if that comes down to 100 connections. The number is not important, the quality is.
There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. You may connect with someone that you consider very valuable, that might be in a different country/continent (Book writer, industry authority, etc). However, when you do this, please explain why you want to connect with them. Bottom line is, either case, you always need a custom message to connect on LinkedIn including the person’s first name. Example:
2. Do not ask for a recommendation if people don’t know you
Would you vouch for people if you don’t know who they are, what they do and more importantly, haven’t done business with? Of course not. Then, please avoid messages like the one below. Ensure to have a complete LinkedIn profile. Not having a picture makes it even worse. Remember: customise the message. Avoid the robotic templates like the one below:
3. Do not use your valuable business network as an email marketing list
First of all, your LinkedIn connections haven’t opted into any email newsletter from you when they accepted your invitation. If you are going to send a private message to one or more LinkedIn connections there has to be a good reason behind it. Example: asking a specific question to people in a specific industry, seeking for specific collaboration, etc. The keyword is “specific“. If you start using LinedkIn to send random messages to your contacts, you will lose credibility and damage your personal and business reputation. If you’re going to send a private message, ensure to always address contacts by their first name. Here’s how not-to-do-it, below:
What other mistakes have you experienced that negatively impacted the reputation of a LinkedIn connection?