"The Coffee, Meal or Beer Rule" of Social Media

There are many opinions about how to best utilize social media tools in your personal and professional lives. I maintain that you have to explore and learn, but in the end do what works for you. 

You will find plenty of "experts" who are sure that their way is the only way.... but there are many paths to building your online reputation and cultivating friendships.

My personal policy for whom I link with on LinkedIn and Facebook is "The Coffee, Meal or Beer Rule".  I have spoken about this for years, but decided to re-post the concept after a recent conversation at a business marketing conference.  

Simply stated, I do not link to people on LinkedIn and Facebook whom I have not interacted with personally.  On Twitter, Google+ and other sites I have different policies, but too many strangers in my LinkedIn and Facebook stream can cloud the value I receive from being engaged in the first place.  

Having read someone's blog, heard about their reputation or briefly meting them at a conference may or many not mean there is a foundation for a relationship.  Thus I established the benchmark of sitting with them for "coffee, meal or beer".  A conversation that lasts 45 minutes establishes a baseline for a minimum level of contact before the online link is made.  I also have "digital equivalent" options such as phone calls, Skype conversations  or Google+ Hang Outs.... as in today's online world our relationships can certainly grow via virtual meetings.

Not every one of my contacts originally met this criteria, but a majority of those in my LinkedIn and Facebook lists are those with whom I have had a substantial initial conversation.  A few got in before I established the policy, and I often make exceptions for meeting professionals and recruiters whose industries practices are to utilize LinkedIn as a way to reach out to people they may wish to do business with in the future.

There are those who disagree with my policy and believe one gains more from linking to everyone, but this has served me well. When I get a request, I will often ask for a personal meeting or a call.  If the person reaching out cannot make the time for a chat, I am not sure why they want the connection at all.

My advice to others is to have a policy (even if it is different from mine), and then to be respectful of others who use these tools in different ways! (Lack of respect for those with differing opinions is an epidemic online, and we must get beyond that!).

Have A Great Day

thom singer

LinkedIn: Everyday... Sometimes Twice

I am often asked if "LinkedIn really matters?"  In our social media crazy world many people pile into what ever communities they hear are the place to be seen, but often are lost in finding real value.

My opinion is that LinkedIn does matter.  When I talk to recruiters they assure me they use it when seeking candidates, and if you ever hope to have future job opportunities, I recommend having a robust LinkedIn profile so that you can be found.  Waiting until you are laid-off to jump into LinkedIn is like waiting until you are thirsty to dig a well (hat tip to Harvey Mackay who wrote a book called "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty" - although the book was written long before LinkedIn was founded).

More importantly it is being used by people every day before they show up to have a meeting.  This is true for sales people, those being sold to, and anyone having a chat.  LinkedIn, when used properly, can be an outstanding way to discover basic information about others.  In our time sensitive society there is rarely enough time to build rapport and discover connections.  But jumping to the purpose of a meeting can bypass the human-to-human connections that are necessary for a mutual understanding.

Without getting to the personal side, many meetings are quickly forgotten, and thus useless.

A brief visit to LinkedIn can tell you where a person went to college, previous employers, and whom you know in common.  There is no guarantee that this information will lead to a deeper conversation, but sometimes it is a goldmine.  One little thing in common is enough to explode a discussion and set the foundation for a more powerful connection.

You should never attend an appointment with someone you are meeting for the first time without visiting LinkedIn. If they have completed a rich profile, then you may see something that will lead you to a more meaningful conversation.

Additionally, you should complete your profile so that others can do the same thing.  It is not stalking, it is good business.  When someone takes the time to browse your profile it shows they valued meeting with you.  To sit down and say "tell me about yourself" is a clear sign that little forethought was invested.  Better is to say "I see on your LinkedIn profile you worked at Brobeck, Phleger and Harrison LLP, tell me about your experience working there".

For a small fee per month you can also get access to see who is accessing your profile.  I am not sure this is necessary for everyone, but it does show you what type of people view your information.  I have seen an increase in meeting professionals and association executives coming to view my profile, which confirms that some of my marketing efforts as a speaker are working.  It also gives me a head-up when one of them calls me, as I can familiarize myself with their organization in advance.

Are you ignoring LinkedIn?  Have you thought about ways to use it to expand your understanding of the people with whom you do business?  Is it something you imagined could have value, but have simply not invested the time?  What are you waiting for?  Most people would benefit from visiting LinkedIn each day to do a little research.  Heck, maybe twice a day!

I invite you to visit my LinkedIn profile. Maybe it will spur a thought that will lead to a conversation, and extend our relationship.

Have A Great Day

thom singer

LinkedIn and The New Hire

My friend Leslie recently started a great job as Marketing Director at a cool Silicon Valley start-up.  On her first day the CEO sent out the typical email to the entire company announcing her arrival and welcoming her to the team.

Then it began.  Within minutes she started getting LinkedIn requests from the other employees.  Some came by or emailed first, but others just tossed the link requests over the wall.

I have mixed feelings about this.  I have written in detail about my belief that LinkedIn is not a way to connect to anyone with a pulse, and profess the "Coffee, Meal, or Beer Rule" (which basically means I want to know you before we connect on LinkedIn or Facebook).

In this case she works for a small company.  Since it is an intimate group and she will be working closely with everyone, the relationships are guaranteed to follow.  However, if she was working for a big company the amount of LinkedIn requests could have little meaning.  I used to work for Wells Fargo Bank and I still get requests from random bank employees from around the country who say "I see you once worked for Wells Fargo, I think we should connect".  Huh?....  that is just not enough of a reason.  They might as well say, "I see that you breath air, I think we should connect".

Leslie's company has ten sales people and several of them immediately combed her LinkedIn connections to see if she had contacts at any of their prospective client companies.  This was smart.  She has worked inside many technology companies as a marketing employee or consultant and has developed a wonderful reputation throughout the tech community.   Using LinkedIn to discover who are the first degree contacts of the "new hire" is a great idea.  It is a win for the company and a chance for the new person to add value right from the start.

This is another reason to be judicious in your linking policy.  If your new employer comes to you on week one and says "WOW, I see you are connected to Ryan Terrell, can you make an introduction", and your answer is "WHO?", it does add value!

I do believe that Linking with co-workers (with whom you know) is an important way to utilize LinkedIn.  It not only helps those inside the company find contacts that can lead to new sales opportunities, but someday when you move on you want to make sure that those who worked closely with you know how to find you!

What do you think?

Have A Great Day.

thom singer