Is not the most productive question…
A more productive question:
What are the best ways to engage in a business conversation on LinkedIn?
Here are 5 common methods – they all have pros and cons:
ONE: Connect & Pitch
PRO – easy, fast, scalable
CON – universally despised by receiving party
TWO: Connect & Nurture
PRO – safe & friendly
CON – takes awhile, and the bridge to a business conversation can be awkward
THREE: Pitch Connect
PRO – You’ve got 300 characters to get someone’s interest
CON – You’ve got 300 characters to get someone’s interest
FOUR: Demand Connect – (e.g., Justin Welsh’s approach) – pure value drives business conversations
PRO – people come to you
CON – takes time, commitment, focus, and consistency
FIVE: Cadence Connect (using Linked as one of many touch points in a sales & marketing cadence)
PRO – a more diversified approach to reach your audience
CON – can still feel intrusive
One last thing to consider:
There are two major schools of thought about LinkedIn that I see:
- LinkedIn is a Social Platform
- LinkedIn is a Business Platform
If you’re in school one, probably any/all sales approaches will be off-putting
If you’re in school two, you’ll likely be more open to business conversations
Finally…
If you say you’re connecting to be friendly, or because you like my stuff and then pitch – that crosses ethical lines – you’ve lied. No one likes that – no matter which school of thought.
If you tell me you want to connect with me to learn more about me and to see if there is a chance of doing some business, I’m cool with that because I’m in school two.
I hope this helps.