I actually posted a version of this blog almost 6 years ago. And, I feel the need to repost (and revise it to reflect 6 more years of being on social media), particularly after what has happened on my various social media channels in the past two weeks.
Have we met?
Have we connected in any way on LinkedIn?
Am I following you on Instagram? Are you following me?
Are we friends on Facebook? Do you follow my business page? Do I follow yours?
Do I even know who you are?
Do you even know who I am other than looking at my profiles on these sites?
If not, please do not send me a solicitation email about your services through my social media accounts – particularly in my direct and private messages!
Sure we may have a group or two in common, sure we may have many connections in common, but if you have not taken the time to “introduce” yourself to me, what makes you think I want to do business with you? There is an oft used phrase: “People do business with people they know, like and trust.”
I don’t know you. So what makes you think I trust or even like you?
Over the past two weeks, I have received more than 23 LinkedIn messages from people trying to sell me their services – some of them trying to do this even prior to connecting with me. Today, I even received an email to connect WITH a solicitation for my business. And that is only on LinkedIn.
On Instagram, the sleazy direct messages (DMs) I receive from people make me wonder if they think we are on a dating app of some sort.
And yesterday, a woman with whom I happen to share a common group with on Facebook sent me a private message that began: “I know this seems really random, since we don’t know each other . . . “ and she then proceeded to pitch me a program “ . . . to make a flexible income from home, very part-time, using social media.”
What makes you think that works?
Social media can be an amazing place to meet people and create relationships online with them. I have been using social media since 2004. I have virtually met many people who have become good friends, and I have met many people with whom I have done business.
However, what is happening more and more lately is the equivalent of going to an in-person networking event being handed a business card, being immediately pitched services that you don’t even want or need and then that person walking away before you even get a chance to say anything.
Or worse – it’s like getting robocalls.
Social Media Networking – and the keyword here is NETWORKING – is about creating relationships. Social media was originally created so that you could reconnect with old friends and colleagues, and it morphed into being able to connect with others and begin to form new relationships.
Form a relationship with me, find out about my needs, and then ask me if I need your services.
- If you are a mid-level associate who would like to become a partner or a partner looking to become a Rainmaker and are interested in individual coaching but would like to take it for a test drive, schedule your FREE Rainmaking Coaching Session
- If you are a law firm leader and would like to discuss bringing a training program or a Rainmaking Seminar (with Ethics CLEs) in-house please email me.
Speak Your Mind