It drives me bananas when I see huge brands and individuals marketing on LinkedIn like it’s 1984 instead of (almost) 2014.
I mean, seriously, if you think I’m still running around pulling up my tube socks and cheering on Mary Lou Retton in the Summer Olympics … well, to quote John McEnroe (from a famous 1980s outburst, no less!) YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!
The single biggest mistake brands, businesses and individuals are making right now on LinkedIn is bringing a bullhorn to a cocktail party.
As you’ll see in this video above, American Express basically walked into my (virtual) office, looked around, pulled up a bullhorn to its lips and started yelling, “Hey, who wants a credit card? I bet you want a credit card, right? Hey, check it out! Credit card! Who doesn’t love unsolicited credit card offers, right? Right!?”
No context. No connection. No conversation.
LinkedIn is NOT about spamming the masses and interrupting people by shouting your sales pitch to anyone and everyone within earshot. Rather, it’s about leveraging a treasure trove of personal and professional data to practice 1-on-1, personalized marketing.
Why is that so hard to understand?
YOUR TURN: Have you seen similar “old school” marketing efforts crash and burn here on LinkedIn? Why do you think brands and businesses still try them?
