I sent out an email a little while ago to those I’m connected with on LinkedIn letting them know that I would be sharing my LinkedIn connections so that if someone asks for a connection/intro to someone, I’ll make it. The Valley attitude to doing business is taking root in my mentality. Paul Walsh (mynewbestestfriendevur) 😉 had a little to do with it too as he’s been very generous with sharing his address book without asking. Same goes for Fergus Burns who’ll be mentioned in yet another Paddy’s Valley blog post in the next while. Over there introducing people is good for you and good for them. I have about 300ish people connected to me on LinkedIn, most of the people are business people of some sort and are always looking to do business with new people and make connections.
If you want to connect with people on LinkedIn via me, then email me or Facebook me or contact me in any format and ask. You should be on LinkedIn so the person at least knows something about your business background and experience before they say hello back once the intro is made. This is my LinkedIn profile and am happy to do intros for the most part on Facebook too. My Facebook profile.
The exception being recruitment companies or people I don’t know myself. If you’re a stranger to me I’m not going to do intros. Also, quick tip, add your email to your profile name or blurb so it can be found easily by people and they can connect to you that way. Then you don’t need others to do intros, people can come to you.
How we use LinkedIn
I got about 90ish replies to my email to those I connect to on LinkedIn and I also asked them a few questions about whether they use it for networking, had they gotten any business with it, was it more useful than Bebo and Facebook. What I found most interesting was that very few actually used the search function to actively search for connections and find knowledge champions/thought leaders/experts, they instead stuck to just connecting to people they had already interacted with in other circles. A few people suggested a way to improve LinkedIn would be to have groups like Facebook groups so people can chat/discuss issues in their business segment and then meet people in the same area and connect that way. Another suggestion was that organisations should be able to pool/group all their connections together so everyone in the same group can see all their colleagues connections too. Not sure are most businesses that open yet.
Do you find LinkedIn useful or is it just another place to store the CV and your connections?
I’ve been using linkedin for way longer than facebook and I find it a cold environment. I find it quite easy to connect to people on facebook and you get a better sense of them as people and it is still quite respectable looking. In saying that if your purpose is purely sales and marketing or recruitment, perhaps Linkedin is better. I’m still trying to figure out how to use it better.
I think your attitude and that of Vinnie Lauria (of the SV Newtech Meetups) both of whom have said “if you see a connection please ask and I’ll introduce” will make it more useful. I think part of the problem is I don’t (didn’t) like to ask people in my network for an intro. So perhaps it’s my own lack of networking skill that’s at fault. (Similarly if anyone wants an intro to Vinny just ask he knows a lot of people in the SF/SV area or indeed to anyone else I’m connected to.)
It’s about identifying who’d benefit from what connections based on your knowledge of them and their needs. That’s before they even realise that they’d benefit from specific introductions.
yournewbestestfriendevur 🙂
I’m curious – yournewbestestfriendevur 🙂 what is this? a new conspiracy? a secret code? a sectarian movement?
Yeah Damien, do explain what some silly people (in my opinion) asked you regarding your decision to talk to me after a specific disagreement we had about a particular topic which hadn’t been discussed properly.
Confused even more Jan? 🙂
* secret handshake*
What’s that? 🙂
“Ruved Neirf Tset Sebwen Ruoy” –
That’s the secret code spelled backwards. Sounds like a German old saying… ah… I got it .. it makes so much sense now.
LinkedIn are working on a “groups” concept etc. after the success of FB etc.
Antoin – all u gotta lose (4 asking 4 an intro etc.) is a “NO” – nothing ventured, nothing gained. Also most people (especially Yanks) are open 2 an initial dialogue (who r u, what u do, oh really – u’re where etc…)
Lal
Wow Brendan, that’s so forward thinking of LinkedIn – I’m going to start using it again, not 😉
It’s not about ‘asking’ for introductions. Real connectors should be able to identify who should be connected before even those being connected realise the benefits. Sound like a tongue twister?
We (www.cremesoftware.com) have found Linkedin useful for business development and have used the search function regularly to find people in the right places.
We hired a business development manager based in the UK through linkedin and it is working out well. All done without advertising – I just asked a Linkedin question. Linkedin groups would be useful.
Facebook – I currently use that more for keeping in touch with friends and less for business.
Cronan