6 Very Common LinkedIn Mistakes You Should Avoid
Today I’d like to talk about some very simple and common mistakes that LinkedIners make all the time that you should avoid. The errors I’m going to discuss are little things that won’t necessarily kill you but in the long run could make a big difference if you avoid them.
Mistake #1: Using the LinkedIn Standard Invitation
This is always a mistake even if you are approaching someone you know or an open-networker that is likely to accept anyway. The reason is that it doesn’t further the relationship in any way – it’s cold.
You should always invite people to connect with a person message. I would bet that most of the people that get slapped with an “I don’t know” (IDK) sent a standard LinkedIn form message.
Mistake #2: Not scanning or reading the profile of the person you’re inviting.
This of course goes along with the first mistake I discussed. You should always read or at least scan the profile of anyone you are going to invite to connect.
I get so many invitations from people that clearly didn’t even look at my profile. I recently got a formal LinkedIn invitation that had be passed through two other connections when had the person read my profile the could have invited me directly.
Mistake #3: Don’t “BEG” when inviting someone, give a reason.
When you write in your invitation “If you don’t wish to connect please don’t IDK me…” you are basically stating that you have no valid reason for contacting that person in the first place. If you don’t have at least some reason you shouldn’t invite them.
If you want to give that person an out say; “Please feel free to archive this invitation if you wish.” However, if you just make a good case for the connection you need not do any of these and you will likely never get IDKed.
Mistake #4: Making service or product offers publicly.
This goes for answering questions where the person who posted the question has asked for a service or a product. Why? The answer is a bit subtle. LinkedIn is a networking site and any outward display of trying to get business is something that should be avoided.
I realize that it is simply perception, but if people see you offering your wares on a regular basis they will change their perception of you from a valued resource to a prospector. This is quite subtle but it is very valuable to remember.
Always make offers privately and keep up your image as an invaluable resource and not a prospector.
Mistake #5: Answer the question first.
It is amazing how many people in the Question and Answer forum never actually answer the poster’s question. This is a huge mistake as it serves to undo or reduce your credibility and expertise. No matter what you are going to say about the question you should try to answer it first.
Sometimes people ask the wrong question or one that really cannot be answered. In these cases you have to explain why you are not answering directly before changing the subject.
There’s actually a lot more science to participating in the Question and Answer forum than most people are aware of.
Mistake #6: Don’t ask prospecting questions.
Sometimes you can phrase a question badly and have it come across as “I’m looking for business” so you have to be careful. It is fine to talk about your area of expertise and ask questions about relevant topics. But when the questions ask for the reader’s specific needs it will look like an attempt to get business. You want to avoid this at all costs.
The first problem with these questions is that most LinkedIners avoid them anyway so you won’t get to engage very many people. The second is that you start to get the perception of someone who only participates for a profit. This reputation will kill your ability to monetize your networking efforts.
I hope you found this useful. There two other mistakes that are commonly made but far more serious. I have already discussed them in earlier posts so I won’t include them here. You can get to them using these links: Using signatures and mass mailing.
From Flyn…
If you haven’t seen my letter to readers please check it out:
http://onlinebusinessnetworker.net/blog//2009/07/a-short-letter-to-my-readers/
Thanks..
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