Meet my good friend Keith Lampe. He’s a smart guy and a savvy business developer working for a background screening company in Columbus Ohio. Keith started using LinkedIn just a few months ago and is already seeing returns from the prospecting he’s doing on the network.
I’ll let him tell you his own story:
So why has Keith been successful?
1. He’s genuinely enjoys meeting people and is interested in learning about them. This is also why he’s a successful sales executive. Keith focuses on building relationships, not pushing his products or services. He waits for what I like to call the Golden Question. “So Keith, what do you do?”.
2. He uses LinkedIn as a tool to find MORE opportunities to to meet people offline. He knows that simply starting a LinkedIn profile and walking away is a waste of time. My friend Perry Maughmer has written some interesting thoughts on that subject.
3. He pays attention to what happens on his page, and more importantly, what happens in his streams. (remember the customer that came from flipping a PPC advertisement?). Kieth participates, watches and listens to what people in his network are doing. He uses groups and questions and answers to tap into the community. When he sees an opportunity that might be a good fit, he takes the appropriate action. He doesn’t push, but rather, Keith engages the relationship using the principles behind social penetration. It works for him.
Another Story
There’s a story I remember from Church camp when I was young. A group of people are stranded on a roof during a massive flood and are praying for God to help them to safety. Some people in a row boat come along and offer to let them on board and take them to shore. The faithful roof dwellers decline the offer replying “We have faith that God will provide for us”. Two more boats come and pass, and eventually, the people on the roof drown. When they get to the pearly gates, one of them happens to ask God why He didn’t come down and spare their lives. God smiles and replies: “I sent you guys three boats you boats. What more do you want from me?”
In using social media, are you missing the boat?
The key is that you have to use these social media sites as tools. Tools on to themselves provide no value until you use them and put them to work doing what they were intended to do. A hammer is not going to drive a nail until you pick it up and use it…no different for LinkedIn or other social media tools.
Comment by Michael Bowers — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:41:21 +0000 @ 12:41 pm
The key is that you have to use these social media sites as tools. Tools on to themselves provide no value until you use them and put them to work doing what they were intended to do. A hammer is not going to drive a nail until you pick it up and use it…no different for LinkedIn or other social media tools.
Comment by Michael Bowers — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:41:21 +0000 @ 12:41 pm