You don't need to make blunders that other people make. You need to realize that LinkedIn is for professionals. And these are serious people with serious careers and business ventures. If you are to be perceived as serious you need to look like a person who can be trusted; follows the rules and looks courteous. Let me guide through some basic LinkedIn etiquette issues.
1. Do not contact people before your profile is 100% complete
This seriously shows you as a careless person and one who cannot be trusted in doing business with. Your profile is the only thing that will sell you. It will be bad to start to look for connections if the profile only has your name and basic information.
You see, people want to be connected to like-minded people. As a mobile marketer you want to be connected with business owners, company executives and other mobile marketing professionals. I guess you would rather have a fortune 500 executive than geologist who spends half his time in the Kivu area of Democratic Republic of Congo.
In addition, to having a complete profile, make it as enticing as possible. There is no need of mentioning in your profile that you worked as janitor 20 years ago; it is surely irreverent. Make your profile in such a way that a decision maker will want to hire. Let your expertise in the relevant area; experience and resourcefulness be clearly prominent.
2. Do not ask for recommendation from strangers
Much as you may be desperate and want recommendations, it is bad to ask it from people who do not know you. This is bad enough and you will be surprised how this happens often.
3. Do not use LinkedIn like Twitter
LinkedIn and Twitter though both are social networking mediums are different. Unless you have just landed on planet earth in the last 24 hours, I not need to go into details explaining the differences.
In addition, desist from using LinkedIn like Facebook. They different and expectations of the two are also far apart.
4. Avoid looking desperate
You do need to look desperate. For instance, you put your email address under your name in your profile; it shows that you are ready to connect with anyone.
In addition, even if you are jobless and are looking for a job, do not make it look like you will die the next day if you do not get it.
5. Remind people how you know them
If you are trying to connect with someone you met in a seminar, conference or airport transit lounge, then just tell them that. You see, people see different faces in the course of a week or even a day. It is not possible for them to remember everybody. That's why it is courteous to just remind them. You can a send a short a simple message that reads like: 'It was nice meeting you at the Mary Wilhite mobile marketing seminar in Atlanta Georgia'. That straight away rings a bell.
6. Know who you are connecting with
Some people because of the numerous requests they receive in a day may be reluctant to connect with you immediately. It is even harder when you are a no-name person. You see if you are the editor of Time magazine, it is difficult for someone to turn you down. But is you are not, not many care. That's why you should approach people you want to connect with from their perspective and view of their world.
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