I’ve just seen an article written by a LinkedIn expert and while the person is trying to help, in fact they are spreading more confusion. So what are the LinkedIn deadly sins? Anybody that talks about the following seven subject areas:-
- The LinkedIn algorithm
- Be relevant
- Promote
- Engage
- Be Personal
- Timing
- Add Value
- Why shouldn’t you talk about these subject areas? Because nobody knows what they mean.Let’s take “Value”. If I say the word “value” to you, we both picture in our heads what value means. The picture we have in our minds will be based on our world view, based on our experiences. My experiences and world view, will be different from yours.Value to you, could mean a plastic bag, value to you, could mean a Rolls Royce car.If I say “add value” to you, I can guarantee, we don’t mean (and think) the same thing.I’ve had sales people pitching to me that “value” meant them manipulating me into buying their product. It might be a warped view, but it exists.We Believe That Complex is the NormDave Trott https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Trott author of “Predatory Thinking: A Masterclass in Out-Thinking the Competition” talks about how our perceptions change.The first time you meet a client, is the only time you are free from any knowledge about the client. The more you know, the more you are accepting of the clients position. The more you know a client, the more likely you will be accepting, when a client says “we do it that way, because we always have.”. We’ve all seen people on projects in clients move from supplier to take the clients view. Like a business Stockholm syndrome. If you didn’t know, Stockholm syndrome, is where a kidnappers, captive, takes the side of the kidnapper.Because we are “experts” at LinkedIn, we start using terminology that makes us look like experts.I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been asked “what does, be relevant mean?” or “How do you engage, on social?”If you want to be truly helpful to first time users of social media, such as LinkedIn, you have to put yourself back to the first day when you set your LinkedIn account up.