The Teckki Says

Sales and marketing is always posed as a matter of numbers, and most of us would agree with this. But as social media now permeates the way we network and collect those numbers, are we looking to game our networks by inviting all of our friends, friends of friends, and friends of our friends' friends to become our connections? I have to question the numbers when I see friend "X" has "2,689" friends or connections just how well do they really know them, or is it just how good they are at building lists? Rebecca Palumbo is different, for really knows all of her connections.

Although Palumbo has had a LinkedIn account for about three years, she began to really become active on it last summer. Palumbo, Creative Director at Rollins-Palumbo Creative, an advertising and marketing firm, has used LinkedIn to strengthen relationships she has already established, using the social networking site to introduce new products and services to contacts she is well acquainted with.

Palumbo’s approach to LinkedIn is like that of an intimate contact list – her contacts are not people who are there just because they met at an event and exchanged business cards. She reaches out to her contacts by spending personal time with them at a lunch or meeting to seek out mutual interests.

She believes heavily in this strategy, because she feels that LinkedIn has two main purposes – to be able to have a contact be able to introduce others to those in an industry, and to be able to make credible recommendations for either jobs or business leads. "...your connections are a direct reflection upon you and your reputation. Make sure that the connections you make are solid, reliable and ethical," says Palumbo.

In evaluating a group of her contacts, Palumbo devised a test using ten contacts in the marketing and financial industries. Of her sample, two did not respond. Four did not know the people well enough to make the proper introductions. Two responded with a no need for services, and two resulted in meetings, but those connections were not aggressive in furthering introductions within their connections. Her conclusion is that she felt she was reaching her connections fairly well, but she needed to tweak her message to pinpoint her target better. Her test, however, demonstrates a sort of "quality control" that keeps her lists relevant and reliable in promoting her business.

Many business people using LinkedIn and other social media use the site as a way to meet new people, but there is a temptation to collect a list of people, many whom we’ve had only incidental contact with, and begin to follow up with an advertising or cause message. Palumbo notes the urgency of connecting with new contacts, but is resolute in her LinkedIn connections:

"I am trying to link in more aggressively with those I already know, and will add my stack of business cards after meeting people each week, but I stand by my (and LinkedIn’s) recommendation that you only connect with those you know, like and trust."

Palumbo has a three step approach in gathering contacts for her LinkedIn list. The first step is to evaluate the people she meets. She looks for connections who are not selling "today’s fashion", the popular trend of the day, but really believe in what they do and what they sell can improve the life of their clientele. She looks for other traits in her connections, such as enthusiasm, a positive disposition and a "can do" attitude, qualities all relevant in business. Her next step is to get to know them, forming bonds of likability and trust. She will begin this process with some form of a meeting or other personal interaction. The last step comes as the person is active in his or her arena; this will begin to appear on Palumbo's radar (if it had not been already). Palumbo will then extend the invitation.

Palumbo’s approach is more than a mere collection of names – directories are full of them. Her approach of more intimate contacts goes beyond knowing them and a couple of details, but to stay visible to an active audience, enhancing her opportunities to promote her company, and theirs. This is something to consider the next time we get a request to join someone's network, not really being sure we know them.