To Show Connections on LinkedIn or Not - 2 Ways to Grow Business - Score More Sales

photo courtesy of Socialkickstarter

How do you use LinkedIn to grow business? There are many reasons to have a robust LinkedIn profile and connect to others for business professionals. Yet even among business builders, there are multiple strategies on business building with the 175 million + social connection site. Here are two very different strategies.

SHARE who you are connected with to all of your connections

VS.

DO NOT SHARE who you are connected with to all of your connections

I was an early adopter of LinkedIn (October, 2003) – connecting with people I knew in real life, and it is still the strategy I use today. I am a “master connector” – I LOVE connecting people to each other once I feel they could benefit from the connection. This “feeling” I get has produced business relationships among people who may not have ever known each other, it has produced a lot of revenue for others, and even friendships. But I clearly work one way: If I meet you at a conference or event and we exchange business cards, you can bet I will be going on LinkedIn and inviting you to connect with me. With over 1500 connections to people I really know, I am careful to not over-connect. I invite those who are similar in that they work with B2B companies – often in my niche – mid-market technology or distribution companies.

There are a lot of professional conferences and events I attend over the course of a year so there is no shortage of who I might want to connect to.

What I DO once we are connected is look at where you worked in the past, what groups you are a part of, content you have connected to your profile, and items like what schools you went to. I also look at our mutual connections – it is great to know that we both have several mutual business acquaintances or even friends.

What I DON’T do is go to see who you all your connections are – I’m more interested in who you and I know in common.

That brings me to a SECOND strategy – connecting with someone and looking to see who all they are connected to. To do this, you have to SHOW on LinkedIn who all your connections are. I find it odd that someone would want to connect to you and then immediately want to see who all YOU are connected to, in hopes that they might find someone you could introduce them to. In using LinkedIn since 2003, I have *NEVER* done that – most likely because I am in sales and can pick up the phone and call anyone I want to connect with. Yes, I do use the phone (and train & coach others to do the same).

To choose whether to show all your connections to your connections, you go to the LinkedIn “settings” to -

Who Can See Your Connections?

Select who can see your connections. Note: People will always be able to see shared connections.

Ever since I was aware of this feature, I set mine to “only me” instead of “all connections”. It is a privacy feature. I started doing this because, as mentioned, I don’t network by seeing other people’s connections, and assumed that others were like me. It wasn’t a big deal. Later on, I started working on bigger, complex deals where in the process (months) – someone at a new company I’m proposing to work with reaches out to connect with me on LinkedIn. Sometimes multiple people do, because I also guide people on ways to better build business on LinkedIn.

I don’t know about you, but I learned a long time ago that I’d rather discuss who I am interested in working with on my own terms than to have people in my network contacting me to see if I’m working with “Company X”. That is on top of the fact that I don’t naturally look to see who else you are connected to. Having been on LinkedIn more than 9 years it is safe to say that my use of LinkedIn works – but it is more to do with the content, connections, and groups I’m in than in me reviewing others’ connections.

You could say it’s a mistake on my part not to show my connections to all my connections, and in fact, I’m re-evaluating my philosophy on that. In doing research with my own industry counterparts, I found 65% of other B2B sales consultants in my space are OPEN with their connections, and 35% do not share them just as I don’t.

There are other privacy features in LinkedIn that I’ll be talking about later. You should be sure and see what all you have control over so that you are good with the way your profile is set up. Go to your account, then to Settings.

Privacy Controls

Turn on/off your activity broadcasts

Select who can see your activity feed

Select what others see when they view your profile

Select who can see your connections

Change your photo profile and visibility

Show/hide “viewers of this profile also viewed” box

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So what do YOU think about the two strategies? We’d love a discussion on this.

What are YOUR thoughts about how you use LinkedIn to connect to others?

Lori Richardson is recognized as one of the “Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012″ and one of “20 Women to Watch in Sales Lead Management”. Lori speaks, writes, trains, and consults with inside and outbound sellers in technology and services companies. Subscribe to the award-winning blog and the “Sales Ideas In A Minute” newsletter for sales strategies, tactics, and tips in selling.

Kevin Gaither

I show them. The tool is designed to help an not all will use the tool the way you would use it. Just because people see your connections doesn’t mean you HAVE to facilitate a connection when asked. Which brings me to a point in feel so strongly about. Really think about the connections you’re making. If that person asked you to connect them with one of your connections, would you? If not, why are you connecting with them in the first place? That’s why I don’t understand LIONs. Linked In Open Networkers. “Collecting” connections is, IMHO, a useless activity unless you can think of a way you can help that person.
http://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker Rick Roberge

I show mine and I don’t connect to anyone that doesn’t show their connections, but it’s not because I want to farm their connections (I don’t.) It’s a test of transparency. LIONS have ruined LinkedIn. Connect with anybody that asks. I want my connection to know and trust their connections and if someone doesn’t trust me, there is no reason to be connected. If any of my connections ever told me that someone had contacted them and inferred a referral, I’d disconnect immediately.

So, put me down on the side of crystal clear transparency and the death penalty for anyone that abuses it.
http://twitter.com/CoachLee Leanne HoaglandSmith

I recently changed my settings to “only you” just to see if this makes a difference. Good article and there exists validity on both sides of this issue.
http://69.195.124.93/~scoremo1 Lori Richardson

Kevin, thanks so much for your comments. Isn’t there some gray area in between complete transparency and being a LION? Meaning, don’t connections have different relationships with you – some better than others? Some closer than others? I take it you see no downside to showing connections?
http://69.195.124.93/~scoremo1 Lori Richardson

Rick, I appreciate you stopping by with your comments. I wonder, as I posed to Kevin, if this might not be a pure black and white issue Like you, I agree that LIONS are missing the point when it comes to building a network of people you trust and know. I just find there are varying levels of knowing and trusting, based on my own past experiences with people who I have “un-connected” with. I’m more open to changing than ever, though, thanks to your candid comments to me here and offline. Thanks for making an impact.
http://69.195.124.93/~scoremo1 Lori Richardson

Thanks, Leanne – great to get your comments and let me know what difference you notice.
http://twitter.com/minetmarketing Carole Mahoney

Down with the LIONS! As both Kevin and Rick put it- it is about quality over quantity. I show my connections simply because it never occurred to me not to. I don’t farm others connections, I don’t need to. I do want to know who we have in common, and how. Not because I want an intro, but as my Nana would say “You can learn a lot about a person by the company they keep.”
Robert Terson

Lori, the first thing I did after reading this post was to find out what a LION is. One thing is for sure: every time I read one of your articles I learn something. I’ve recently been working on my LinkedIn profile. Now I’m going to have to look to see if I’m a LION or not. (LOL!) And if I am or not, What do I do about it? I’ll probably have to give that some thought. I’ll let you know….
http://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker Rick Roberge

Let me draw another analogy (Just in case you don’t already think that I’m weird.) I also don’t give references when asked during the sales process. Multiple reasons, but the one that is most relevant here is that I don’t give references because I don’t want people that aren’t customers bugging people that are. Think about it. If I did give a reference, it would probably be one of my happy clients. How happy would they stay if I was constantly having people call them to check on my effectiveness? So, I can tell that prospect that not only won’t I give them a reference, but I’ll never ask them for a reference.
http://69.195.124.93/~scoremo1 Lori Richardson

Bob, you always make me smile. While those posting comments have brought up that acronym (open connectors for those who don’t know- people who will connect to anyone on LinkedIn) I was never eluding to the fact that I do that – in fact I only connect to people I know. I just believe that there are varying degrees of know, like, and trust – it is not zero or one (in digital terms) but seems to be for others. Fascinating.
http://69.195.124.93/~scoremo1 Lori Richardson

yes – agreed. My connections all see who we have in common – for me that was always enough, and all I wanted to know. I once decided to not connect with a woman who I had just met and said to me, “let’s connect on LInkedIn and go through each other’s lists to see who each of us might want to meet.” – not doing that either.
http://69.195.124.93/~scoremo1 Lori Richardson

Rick, I have to say that I find value in the most “weird” people – and I don’t consider you weird so far – just leveraging what you have learned in your successful path. Thanks for the comment.
http://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker Rick Roberge

Maybe a minor point, but when I slammed “LIONs”, I wasn’t slamming open networkers. I am an open networker. I was referring to the “Like It Or Not” LIONs. They connect whether they like it or not.
http://twitter.com/bridgegroupinc Trish Bertuzzi

There is a distinct competitive advantage to NOT showing your connections which I learned about recently. Anyone who wants to know what it is should do a little research on LinkedIn Signal or call Jamie Shanks at SalesForLife which is where I learned about it.

Ya learn something new every day don’t cha??
http://twitter.com/barbaragiamanco Barb Giamanco

Hi Lori,

Great post and a provocative question you pose…share or not share your connections with others? For me, I share them openly BUT I also choose carefully who I decide to say yes to. I’ve used LinkedIn since the first year and I have always believed that the entire point of the platform is to facilitate networking and referrals. Others have a different viewpoint, and now I’m curious – based on Trish’s comment – to find out what the “competitive advantage” is to not sharing my connections. Maybe my view will change.

As for the LIONs…always thought that was dumb. I espouse a mix of quality plus quantity of connections. Connecting to anyone just so you can brag about the large numbers of connections you have seems irrelevant to me. I want to connect with people that I can help and who can help me, so again, I choose carefully and don’t say yes to everyone who sends a LinkedIn invitation my way.
http://twitter.com/james_t_shanks Jamie Shanks, MBA

To Trish’s point, there is a compelling reason NOT to share your LinkedIn connections due to an increase in “Competitive Intelligence”. I can honestly say I don’t use (our thought tactics in LinkedIn Signal) to analyze my fellow sales consultant – but as a sales rep at company ABC, there are reasons you may want to close down your connections in highly competitive industries with closely related (1st degree) competitive sales reps. In contrast, I’m am open book. Go ahead and surf my connections, I’ve built great relationships with most, and would be happy to introduce
http://getBRANDWISE.com Brandwise

Lori, over the years I have been very protective of my knowledge and skills. I hid my light under lock and key. What I have found is being open allows me to continue to focus on the future and continue to innovate instead of worring about competitors stealing my ideas or connections.

In reality, what does it matter who sees your connections? Honestly, as a sales person and business owner I do not connect with people with hidden connections. If they are not open about their connections, what else are they hiding, is how I think about this topic.

Plus if they can’t trust me to review their contacts, then they certainly are not going to be someone who trusts me enough to make introductions to their best contacts. So in my mind keeping your contact private is a bad idea.

Obviously we all have our own goals and sales strategies, mine is being open and only connecting to those who are open. As a matter of fact, I have thought of going through my whole list and disconnecting with people who are not open.
http://69.195.124.93/~scoremo1 Lori Richardson

Dale, I was the same way, coming from a very competitive technology company. It wasn’t until I met a man named Thomas Leonard in 1999 where I learned how great it is to give away knowledge and that people would still work with you if you did. It shifted my whole perspective and did make me more transparent. As I mentioned in my comment to Jamie, I am connected to people who are in extremely competitive industries – maybe the answer is for me to un connect to them – but until I had this conversation with Rick it never was an issue. Thanks to everyone for some food for thought.
http://getBRANDWISE.com Brandwise

Lori, maybe the answer is not disconnecting from those people, but maybe it is having this conversation with them and maybe it could/would open their eyes to a new way of looking at things. Sometimes “WE” are what is holding us back. A new perspective sometimes shakes out the ol’ cobwebs and allows us to make changes and set ourselves apart in our industry. Doing things just because it is an “industry” thing or because it is a “competitive industry” may be limiting growth potentials. Being a thought leader in ones industry may mean creating a following of “ME TOO” competitors who are just looking to steal your ideas/contacts. Again, this is looking in the past and not innovative. To lead the pack you need to be looking to the future and make your own way. Just some more food for thought. Thanks for the dialogue on this topic! There are some good things being brought up on this article!
Marc Zazeela

Barb – I agree. LI is about networking. The most effective way I have found to create a viable and powerful network is to keep in wide open. I don’t worry about who can see my connections.

My competitors all know who I am and they probably know most of my customers already, anyway. They will learn very little, if anything, by looking at who I am connected to.

As you mentioned, I feel it is much more important to see who my connections have in common with me. That can create openings for stronger bonds and better opportunities.