As the new Director of Competitive Intelligence for Access/Information, I have 1,367 LinkedIn connections and counting. When I posed the question “What’s your number of LinkedIn connections and how do you feel about it?” to social media, I received an interesting set of answers:
- 379
- 2181
- 2198
- 2726
- 387
- 765
- 1271
And a sampling of comments:
- I expect more than just the default generic invite to connect message.
- I try to keep mine to people I have met or are listed as involved with an organization I am familiar with and have some affinity.
- I have been purposely growing my LinkedIn network for years – 1 connection at a time.
Whether you have 140 or 2900 connections, it’s important to thoughtfully consider how you are using LinkedIn and if that is meeting your professional goals, particularly if you’re running a business. One tool to do so is to export your connection list. This archive will provide connection name, title, email address, company, position, and the date you connected.
You can use this list to identify longer-term relationships, customers or clients you should direct toward your company page, and people who could connect you to potential clients. It’s a way to ensure you’re cultivating the network you’ve grown and assess if your LinkedIn strategy is working for your needs.
After evaluating your network and directing people to your company page, keep them interested with content! “According to the Content Marketing Institute’s latest B2B benchmark report for North America, 92% of B2B marketers use social media for content distribution, a rate just below email usage (93%). And LinkedIn commands a massive 97% of B2B marketers who take social media action, almost double the number reported in 2010.”
What’s your number? Have you reviewed your connections list? How is LinkedIn working for you? Follow us and join the conversation.