LinkedIn Street Cred

I noticed a month ago or so that my LinkedIn connection total was a paltry double digit number, so I started inviting more people to Link-In.  Then, LinkedIn encouraged others who had direct or indirect contacts with me to invite me, so my user total grew from 80 something to 222.  But, the organic growth stalled.  And, 500 is the cutoff where the pros leave the amateurs behind.  Below 500, one's connection total is listed next to his name.  Above 500, you get branded "500+."  So, I sent invites to each of my Outlook contacts who were not already "connected" with me via LinkedIn, but who were LinkedIn members.  I figure that non-members would bristle at the spam, but most members would not.

And, over the last 30 minutes, my connection count has grown from 222 to 444 (a double).  And, only 2 people thus far have emailed me asking who the heck I am.  Probably another 10-12 had that thought, but didn't bother e-mail.  All in all, a pretty good hit rate.  Hopefully the momentum will carry me over 500 relatively soon.

Now, let's see if my 200 new links provide any value to my firm...

Comments

[Sean P. Fenlon]

Hi Charles,

With all due respect to you, your firm, and this blog (that I found via a link on your LinkedIn profile), 500+ LinkedIn connections (your total now as of this comment) is the complete OPPOSITE of LinkedIn Street Cred, IMHO.

I have seen the 500+ connections before, but usually on recruiters and headhunters. 500+ feels like an emphasis of quality over quantity. Malcom Gladwell suggests somehwere his book that our ability to interpret our social network breaks down significantly after 150.

Plus, to be honest, I feel a bit duped by the invite.

I usually get excited by a LinkedIn invite by the thought...

"Wow, so-and-so must've just noticed I was on LinkedIn and sent me this invite!"

To now know I was a mere piece of a 400+ LinkedIn invite-blast hurts my virtual LinkedIn feelings.

Oh well.

Glad to be in your network either way.

SPF

[Sean P. Fenlon]

Check that...

Change "emphasis of quality over quantity" to the reverse...

"emphasis of QUANTITY over QUALITYT"

Rookie mistake. ;-)

SPF

[charlescurran]

Sean, sorry for the slow reply. I have to say... I think you are right. I was hasty to spam my Outlook contacts to boost my totals. I appreciate that you and others said yes, boosting my totals past 500+ to a shade under 1,000. But, per your Gladwell comment, I don't really know 996 people well and 996 people don't know me well. I overshot and paid some price for it.

The e-mail blast did restart some old business relationships that had grown stale... but I also snared a number of people who didn't remember meeting me or vice-vera. A big whoopsie.

And, to add insult to injury, Plaxo Plus has been doing to me almost daily what I did to others via LinkedIn. I get 5-10 e-mails a week from Plaxo saying "XYZ" asked me to link-in on Plaxo Plus. I emailed back the first 5, sorry, I do LinkedIn and Facebook, not Plaxo. All 5 said they had not asked Plaxo to spam me. Shame on Plaxo.

LinkedIn encouraged me to spam, but I at least pulled the trigger.

Thanks for the feedback.