#3 Networking during a pandemic
The pandemic has brought a lot of hardship to a lot of people, and that is especially true in entrepreneurship. There is a need for startups to build their businesses and make new sales, or for those entrepreneurs to find a new job while the economy recovers.
This is a tough time for everyone — and I believe we have yet to see the full economic impact from the global shutdowns — even my own business is in the midst of a pivot as we are all struggling to survive. However, I still believe that LinkedIn cold sales are not the way to achieve business growth or sales.
Insincere networking requests
Unfortunately, the pandemic has brought us more insincere networking requests as people scramble to survive, and for me, many are coming primarily through the LinkedIn platform. I am pretty tired of receiving them, aren’t you?
In my humble opinion, the sales generation tool on LinkedIn is the worst thing they ever implemented. It undermines the sincerity of connection and it always leads to a message folder full of spammy nonsense.
I have received a daily barrage of connection requests from people, as well as an uptake and inevitable bombardment of sales messages.
I believe cold sales on a platform like LinkedIn discourages genuine connection — connections that might actually lead to a sale — as opposed to increasing sales. However, at least it is honest and I can see clearly what it is and what they want.
The current state of LinkedIn requests
Connection requests that are actually cold sales in disguise are the new norm on LinkedIn. Here are the three types of sales contacts I see and how I react to them:
1. Send no message — I’m afraid if you cannot take 30 seconds to remind me how I know you, or to propose why we should connect then that is an automatic decline for me anyway.
2. Send a message that states we have people and interests in common — I want to believe these messages and I want to pursue relationships with people who have common interests. However, while this might be true, I am truly put off by contact requests that use the pretense of genuine interest when it is remarkably clear that it is a plot to send a second request pushing a product or service.
3. Mentions “contacts in common” — Okay this is a good way to get in the door, because if I respect the contact that is mentioned and they are connected to them then I will assume they are a legitimate connection looking to expand their network in the city. However, if the very next message they send me is a sales message, I will remove them again immediately
People who are pushing sales openly, promise a 400% increase in sales, and massive lead generation promises. They are super easy to spot and then I have a clear choice if I want to engage with them or not.
But the “I saw that we have common interests” or “I’d like to expand my network” is a wolf in disguise — sorry folks! — and the very next message will often be a pushy sales tactic trying to get me on the phone. This actually puts me off wanting to do business with them now or in the future, because it destroys trust and integrity from the offset.
Add value on the first contact
Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely understand that people need to make sales, and are seeking to increase their business prospects. However….
Networking is — and always should be — personal.
Successful salespeople would say the same thing. A network is personal, it requires us to genuinely care about, and/or be interested in, the other individual.
- If you aren’t interested in real connection or the person’s role or business, then don’t connect virtually either
- If you are genuinely interested then at least get to know the person or business and add value: support them online, create a relationship virtually, engage with them online, before you get to the meat of the sales
It takes time, but that’s exactly the point, put in the work and it will get you a lot further faster.
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