Linkedin Invitation Etiquette

I raised a question on Twitter earlier regarding random Linkedin invitation requests from people that you don't really know.  (click here to see responses) It's annoying when I click on the email notification of a new request, only to find a person I don't know, with the generic message:

Julia,
I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.
- xxx (first name of person I don't know)

Don't get me wrong... I like connecting with people I hardly know through the soc. nets.! What better way to start a real relationship, by starting with a virtual one.

But tell me how I know you! Same thing goes with Facebook. If we have no friends in common, tell me how you found me. Even a simple "I was searching and found your blog and clicked through to your fb profile, let's be friends!" Oh, and I can't wait until Twitter builds in a "people you follow that this person also follows" feature, so that I can better understand where my new followers are coming from too.

Go ahead, connect with me, but give me some context so I can know you better!

Comments

[McLarty]

Same should apply to twitter followers. If I remember correctly, I think I sent you a 'personal touch' e-mail when I first 'followed' you. I've gotten a few random people - who I have ZERO clue how they know me or why they want to 'follow' me. I have no idea who they are, especially because these people think the internet is still a place for anonymous souls to wander about.

I say "Down with anonymity"

...I think a personal e-mail/message, goes leaps and bounds for making new friends.

All the best Julia,
Jeff McLarty

[Thomas Yager-Madden]

Rands once described Twitter as "all the social with very little network." (http://www.randsinrepose.com/archives/2007/07/17/yard_sale.html)

As soon as I read that, my very first thought was to contrast LinkedIn as "all the network with very little social". Even people I know personally who've connected with me via LinkedIn have never really used it to send me anything other than a network invitation request. All the account and messaging rigamorole around the site feels pretty heavyweight, but I've never known anyone to use to actually, you know, *talk* at all.

[Craig Mische]

You are spot on in this post and I am ashamed to admit that early on with Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, etc., I was guilty of doing exactly what you described.

[Heath]

Good points, and I know twitter's a slightly different beast, but it cuts both ways. You randomly began following me early this year. Although I now also read your blog and follow you back on twitter, I still have no idea how you found me or why you started following me.

[Daniel Holter]

re: your desire for a "people you follow that this person also follows" Twitter feature, I just came across Twubble tonight.

http://www.crazybob.org/twubble/

Granted, not a part of Twitter-proper yet, but it looks interesting!

[WebGeek]

Hey Julia,
I just found you on Twitter through some friends in the SEO community. I totally agree about LinkedIn etiquette. I get a fair amount of requests from people and only about 1 out of 4 sends a note to explain how they found me or why they want to connect. If I think they sound interesting I'll ask, and much of the time I end up accepting them after they've given a little info. I'm thinking it almost should be a mandatory part of the invite process to include a note on how you found them or why you want to connect. That would be cool if they included the ability to do that in Twitter as well, as you say. Good post!

@Daniel Holter: Just checked out Twubble...very cool.

[Don Lafferty]

If someone I obviously don't know sends me a LinkedIn request I always ask them how they found me and what interest they have in connecting.

If I'm reaching out to anybody I haven't met personally or professionally, I ALWAYS explain who I am and why I'm asking to connect.

I'll usually send them a follow up AFTER we connect too, just to try to break through the storm of communication we all get every day.

Incidentally, LinkedIn will disable someone's ability to send invitations if they get too many "I don't know this muther f'er.".

[Davie Brightbill]

Most of my LinkedIn link requests have been from old coworkers/friends but I did get one from a local deputy sheriff who was trying to interest me in a right wing Neanderthal presidential candidate. That was creepy.

[minijonb]

i think i'd be more likely to find you through your Pandora profile than any of the other usual sources. however, that is not how i found you, so i'm wrong.