Posted by Ben Kniffen in Uncategorized
We’ve all spent time searching for the one or two big contacts or key decision makers within LinkedIn that will help us with our next big sale or project. Sometimes we connect with those big contacts and sometimes we don’t.
Along the way, we always manage to pick up a large amount of “lower level” LinkedIn connections because they are easy to add to our network. When we say “lower level” we’re referring to their rank within their firm.
Some might figure these contacts to be inconsequential and simply brush them under the rug. Big mistake.
If someone is truly worth adding to your network, because they share similar interests, work within your industry, or maybe even work with the big contact you are targeting, then they are worth engaging. No matter how far down the totem pole they are, they are worth paying attention to and here’s why.
Small LinkedIn Connections Become Big LinkedIn Connections
Everybody has to start out somewhere and the big boys/girls are no different. Every big contact you are targeting once held a lower level position within a company.
Remember, you’re not using LinkedIn as a short-term marketing activity. You’re in it for the long haul.
If you can spend some time networking with some smaller contacts, one day you’ll have yourself a whole new batch of big-time contacts as they move up the ladder.
Your “Smaller” LinkedIn Connections Are Still Connected To Big Whales
We are all prone to striking out when trying to connect with a big contact or key decision maker on LinkedIn. When this happens, connecting with a lower level contact may still net you a success down the line. You don’t always have to connect directly with your target contacts to get on their radar.
The highest ranking officers in major corporations have secretaries and assistants that influence their decision making, and your big contacts likely will too. Targeting those smaller contacts may eventually get you in with the key decision makers.
That’s what makes LinkedIn so great. You not only see who your top contacts are, but you can also see the various people they are connected to as well.
Your smaller LinkedIn contacts may even end up connecting you with other beneficial contacts that you never planned for. This is networking at its finest but none of this can happen unless you give some of these contacts a certain amount of your attention and even some help when needed.
A well placed LinkedIn recommendation can pay dividends down the line. Also consider working these contacts into your LinkedIn marketing campaign. Ignoring them could hurt you down the road.
Exchange messages, keep up to date on their projects, stay on their radar. As part of your overall LinkedIn marketing strategy, you should be focused on both short and long term benefit. For many it takes a lifetime to go from the bottom of their profession to the top. For some though, it might only take a couple of months.
Regardless, the opportunity is there for you to be on their radar when they make the jump.
There has always been a catch22 situation with large and small clients – take on the big project and lose focus on the smaller “bread&butter” business or follow your day-to-day business and lose out on potentially huge profits from one or two jobs? In today’s economy with the likes of LinkedIn, it is easier and simpler to accommodate both sets of clients without detriment to either and with a relatively minimal increase in costs.
Absolutely true Steve.
Conclusion is, we don’t know which connection will help, we need to maintain a great relationship with all the connections.
So true!
I concur. It’s a big thing to be the personal assistant’s contact. It makes it easier for the main target to go ahead and connect, although I’ve seldom been afraid to go for the main target first including CEOs of large corporations.
That said, we’re only allowed 3000 invitations. I have already used up 2900 of them and garnered a ton of contacts. Do you know whom to speak with at LinkedIn to get that limit bumped up?
If you contact them via their help email address, you can request additional invitations. I’ve heard that they usually grant anywhere from 100 to 500 additional. Hope this helps!
There are no small connections as we share a high degree of common purpose which can only be achieved over the long haul. It’s how we choose as a network to discover invent and create a reorganize self… The new self representing the whole of our network its components organized into teams comprised of individual independent talents… A new form of cooperation that evolves to replace the traditional economic structures… Such is evolution in nature so shall be the evolution of social economics… How can we be better at cooperation and organization within our networks, from the strong connections through to our weaker links?
Well said!