Ryan T. Sauers: Are You Lazy Man LinkedIn?

By Ryan T. Sauers

What is Lazy Man LinkedIn? I am glad you asked. It's when you don't really know a person, yet you ask you to connect with them via LinkedIn—kind of like trying to "friend" someone, who you really don't know or were never really friends with IRL, on Facebook.

You see, like all social networks, LinkedIn was created to help people connect with others they wanted to know better. In the original setup, which is not used as much these days, a professional contact would "introduce me" via LinkedIn to someone in his/her professional network. So, just as business professionals have always introduced or connected people, LinkedIn simply became a tool that among, other functions, helped expedite this process. But what is going on now? You guessed right—Lazy Man LinkedIn.

By the way, I am aware mobile phones have settings that make it easy to connect with a person "you may know" when you click on their name. But, what does the typical LinkedIn connection look like? Here goes: "I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn." Yes, that is right—this is the LinkedIn default (or something close). Wow, that is truly personal, huh? Why don't we take time to customize this message? Why don't we tell the other person:

How we know them
Why we want to connect
Who we both know in common
Where we have met before (if applicable)
Anything else that is not LAZY.

My consulting business uses traditional and social media tools to help companies grow in both their sales and marketing efforts. However, no real growth ever occurs through shortcuts or tricks. If your first point of contact to another professional is Lazy Man LinkedIn, I recommend that you reconsider your approach. LinkedIn is a great tool if used correctly. With that said, I see more and more people these days trying to connect with anyone and everyone. They also are not taking time to know the person they are trying to connect with and instead, using this as a "more connections, the better" shortcut sales and networking tool. No good.

Let me leave you with this thought, which is covered in greater detail in my recently released book "Would You Buy from You? Your Brand Makes the Difference." When someone sends me a Lazy Man LinkedIn request and it requires more than a few seconds of my time to remember who they are, how I might know them, or if I have ever met them etc., it is likely that I will not connect with that person. In contrast, if someone reminds me where we met, who we know in common, the reason they desire to connect (along with the personal touch), I will most likely accept the invitation.
We all desire to connect with others. Thus, the choice is yours in regard to how you go about doing this. LinkedIn is a super tool to use in building your professional network when it is used correctly. We all have many things pulling at us and vying for our attention each day. So, make your communications memorable, and for goodness' sake do not be Lazy Man LinkedIn.

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Ryan T. Sauers Author's page

Ryan T. Sauers has spent nearly 30 years running, leading or consulting with printing, graphics, promotional and visual communications-related organizations. Sauers is CEO of two companies, Sauers Consulting Strategies LLC and End Resultz Inc. that among other things, owns magazines and is a media firm. Key areas of focus of the firms include sales training, marketing strategy, personal branding, leadership development and organizational change.

Sauers is a frequent national speaker and columnist. He has been recognized as one of the top 80 CMOs globally and achieved the top designation of Certified Marketing Executive through Sales and Marketing Executives International.

Sauers is an adjunct university professor teaching leadership and communication courses to current and aspiring leaders. He is a Certified Myers Briggs, DiSC and Emotional Intelligence Practitioner (one of few in the U.S. to achieve all three rigorous certifications related to human communications, personality and behavior).

Sauers has completed his doctoral-level coursework in Organizational Leadership and is now (ABD - All But Dissertation) working on his dissertation on why some entrepreneurs and small businesses achieve initial and long-term success, whereas countless others do not.

Sauers is the host of the Marketing Matters radio show in Atlanta that later becomes a global podcast. He also is the host of the Community Connections TV show that comes out in video and podcast form. Sauers is the author of the best-selling books, Everyone is in Sales, and Would You Buy from You? More info at RyanSauers.com or call (678) 825-2049 or email Ryan@RyanSauers.com