Linkedin Shows Us What NOT To Do

Big business is always teaching us what works and what does not work. Linkedin shows us both. We all understand the value of the service, at least those of us who have used it successfully do. However, I am more concerned today with how they teach us what not to do and the lessons are valuable.

First of all, for me, the question of credibility is huge. Frankly, I do not believe that the site has any credibility whatsoever and thus, while I am tempted to use the platform for the promotion of my business, my first inclination is to by pass it as they have destroyed their credibility for me.

How did this happen? Simple:

1. The alleged number of contacts appears to be based on fiction as far as I can tell. As I add first degree contacts, the number of third degree contacts goes up and down over a million contacts. How can that be?

I have been adding hundreds of contacts over the past few months and overall the numbers of total third degree contacts are relatively flat, yet on occasion they trend upwards by over one million and then back down. It makes no sense unless they simply make it all up and if so, they could do a better job as clearly if the number of first degree contacts is steadily increasing wouldn’t one expect the total number of third degree contacts to also increase? I would. And really, how could the number have been over a million higher over one hundred first degree contacts ago, and then steadily dropping as I add first degree contacts? It makes no sense at all. It destroys their credibility and drives me away. I’m not willing to advertise on their site.

2. I have written to them three times on their feedback box. I have explained my observations and dilemma and asked for some response so I could better understand how this opposite reaction to my steady growth and huge vacillation of numbers occur. After three attempts over the course of a few months I have heard nothing back, no response at all. This also destroys credibility and my desire to use them to communicate with the marketplace has been destroyed.

The bigger of the two issues is their lack of response to me. If you have no intention of communicating then do not offer a feedback option for customers. They were fortunate enough to actually get my feedback and had they responded and answered me intelligently and satisfied me with their answer, I would have been a loyal follower. If they were willing to acknowledge my issue and deal with it no matter what the answer, they would be nurturing the relationship that the Internet allows us to have with our customer base. Choosing to ignore the issue – and me – did just the opposite, destroying credibility and loosing me as a valuable, paying, advertising customer and prompting this negative review that may be read by hundreds – or even thousands – of my readers.

Small business can learn from this. Any opportunity to interact with your market place is a gift to be valued and used to create a deeper and more powerful relationship. Receiving constructive criticism is a valuable opportunity to turn things around and develop a deeper level of trust in a business relationship. Missing this opportunity results in a loss of great magnitude.

Take heed – if you are going to expose yourself to your market, pay attention and always communicate back. It is a golden opportunity to succeed.