My Recent Problem with LinkedIn Connection Requests

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I really like LinkedIn, but I struggle with one aspect.  Recently, this has been happening to me more than usual.  So this might qualify as a rant, but I hope I am making a valid AND valuable point.  (If not, I guess I'll just feel better. :)

I use LinkedIn more often than most people, because I think it offers a lot of great ways to meet people professionally.  I've met some people on there who became friends, but that is NOT my objective when I use LinkedIn.

See Also: Using LinkedIn Productively - Not Wastefully
 Within LinkedIn, I visit and often contribute within different LinkedIn Groups.  Certainly, I use it to market my material, but I also try to contribute to the community by responding to things happening inside it.

See Also: Marketing Question: Is Posting in Multiple LinkedIn Groups SPAM?





However, I have been struggling with something lately within LinkedIn.  Because many people enjoy my writing, they read my blog posts or what I write within several of these LinkedIn Groups, and they appear to like what they see.

That's a good thing.  Where is my struggle with LinkedIn Connections?

I read something important in the LinkedIn Book How to REALLY Use LinkedIn by Jan Vermeiren & Bert Verdonck.  One of the points they mentioned really stuck with me.

The 90/9/1 Rule:  In a nutshell, this is similar to the 80/20 Rule, but here is the (roughly approximate) breakdown of the people using LinkedIn Groups.

1% - Initiators: They begin discussions, either with their material or sharing
9% - Responders: They won't begin discussions, but they contribute by making comments
90% - Readers: They visit groups and read without leaving any evidence they were there

What is my recent struggle with LinkedIn Connections?

I've been getting a lot of people who only read what I write and want to be my LinkedIn Connection.

This is very nice, and I want people to appreciate what I write, but there is something missing...a CONNECTION!  I've never SEEN you (outside of maybe a comment - often not even that much).

I receive LinkedIn requests that might read something like this,

"I'm in the same LinkedIn Group as you, and I like what you write.  I would like you to join my LinkedIn Connections."

The problem is that I never met you.  Often, you've read MY material, but I've never seen YOU in my life.

Some people feel that because we exchanged a comment or two, we now should be LinkedIn Connections.  I admit that there are sometimes where there is a bit of a connection there, but most of the time, it is simply the equivalent to being in a large room with each of us saying something about the topic from different parts of the room.

So what are my "rules" to agreeing or not agreeing to becoming a LinkedIn Connection?

My next posts will address each when I will and when I will not automatically become your LinkedIn Connection.

• 2 Reasons I Will NOT Become Your LinkedIn Connection
• 3 Reasons I Will Become Your LinkedIn Connection

There seems to be a big push, encouraging people to reach over 500 LinkedIn Connections so that their LinkedIn Profile reads "500+ Connections."  In an earlier post, I responded with my view to that push.

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