Face to Face Networking

I belong to several LinkedIn Groups and this question was put up for discussion recently: Why can’t you take the time to add a personal note when connecting? Really? It takes what, a second? Encouraging all those connecting….take the time…it’s worth it.” The general consensus was that adding a personal note is VASTLY better than using the default message of “I’d like to add you to my professional network”. Yet overall, a large percentage of Linkedin users do not talke the time to read the profiles they want to connect with or bother to send a personal note. Why is that??? Read this quote from my book and the corresponding article that looks at the topic in depth.

Would you walk up to a total stranger at a networking event and….with no prior introduction whatsoever…say to them, “I would like to add you to my professional network”?
Of course, not. Yet people do that online every day. Is that the best way to start a relationship? Why would they want to accept?

Social Media makes it easy to quickly connect with a high volume of people around the world. Racking up huge numbers of Connections, “Friends” and Followers is a point of pride for many people. But guess what; Networking is not a competitive sport.

Build your online network as strategically and thoughtfully as you do your local network. Use the same “let’s help each other develop business” approach outlined here. At the very least, write a personal note indicating that you read their profile and why you were intrigued enough to reach out.

Quality Trumps Quantity

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The above is an excerpt from my new book Face-to-Face Networking Skills in a Social Media World. In the book I didn’t say what I REALLY wanted to on this subject; Which is a bit of a rant. You have been warned. Here’s My Two Cents:

Last year, in response to the high volume of impersonal default invitations I was receiving, I put this note as the first line of my LinkedIn Profile:

“***Note:*** I welcome your invitation but *Please* read “Contact Settings” at the bottom before extending an invitation…Thank you!’

If they take the time to follow through they will find this:

“I welcome new contacts & new invitations BUT if we do not currently have a working relationship, I will not respond to the generic “I want to add you to my network” default invitation. Please tell me why you believe a connection would serve us both. Can we be of mutual support and “help each other develop some business”? That philosophy is at the *core* of my trainings. No relationship begins by getting…it begins by giving. I will start…tell me how I can assist you in your networking endeavors and I will help in whatever way I can.”

Call me old fashioned, but is it too much to expect people to… at least, read my profile before inviting me to connect?

10/02/10 – Authors note: It has been 10 months since I put that notice on my LinkedIn Profile. I have received over 50 default invitations from people who didn’t bother to read the first line of my profile, or chose to ignore it who sent me the invitation “I’d like to add you to my professional network”. I do not reply.