Have you had an increase in spam on LinkedIn?
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I have seen a huge increase in spam DMs on LinkedIn. I am getting 5-10 a day.
Mostly they are pitching websites, SEO, and VAs and it’s driving me crazy.
The main reason is the total lack of relevance and personalization.
They have obviously not even looked at what I do.
They are doing a cut-and-paste blanket approach.
They lack any sort of personalization at all.
They are all from overseas and whoever is telling them this approach works is sadly mistaken (unless the goal is to get blocked immediately).
Now I’m totally okay with genuine outreach. In fact, I’m open to connecting and talking where it’s relevant and they use my name instead of Ma’am (a term I absolutely hate).
So, here are 10 tips if you want to use LinkedIn to sell (the right way)
- Do not connect then pitch to me straight away. This is the fastest way to get blocked ever!
- Do some research about the company you are approaching. If they don’t have staff, then HR services are clearly not relevant.
- Personalize your approach. I have a name, use it!
- Get to know me and what I do before you pitch to me. And maybe don’t pitch my own services to me. #getaclue
- A cut-and-copy message does not work. It is so obvious and shows little care for the person you expect to buy from you.
- Be different and stand out. Get creative in your approach – try audio or video or do something to grab my attention.
- Don’t send a massive long message – I’m never going to read it!
- Treat me like a person, not a cash register.
- Be genuine – connect, follow, interact, comment, get to know me.
- Bots and automation are not the best approach to sales. Quality beats quantity any day.
Having tools and automation are great if and when used in the right way. If you’re using a DM strategy then remember it’s all in the approach and getting to know your targets first. Spam does not equal sales.
If you want to develop a strategic approach that does not involve spamming everyone in your network, then email me, and let’s come up with a more creative and human way to do it.
