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April 6, 2021
I love making connections on LinkedIn. I’ve learned and shared so much on the platform that checking in has become a valuable part of my routine. What I do not find valuable is when someone messages me with an unsolicited pitch on LinkedIn.
It seems that recently whenever I check my LinkedIn message inbox, I am almost guaranteed to receive an unsolicited pitch — and sometimes, the person will not go away. Just a few weeks ago, a person I did not know invaded my inbox with a solicitation I did not want. As always, I was firm but polite in explaining that I was not interested.
He didn’t get the hint. He steamrolled over my objections and tried again. When I told him I didn’t appreciate his tactics, he ignored me and tried yet again. It was at that point that I asked him not to contact me.
If this were a one-off situation it wouldn’t be particularly notable. But these kinds of pitches seem to be infecting LinkedIn and bringing down the quality of connections the platform is so famous for.
There is a right way to pitch, and it does take time, just like an in-person relationship. But do it correctly and you will reap the rewards.
Ask yourself: Is this potential connection a candidate for my pitch on LinkedIn?
Spend some time reading their profile, their posts and comments. Ask yourself if this is someone that can benefit from your products and expertise before you go down the sales path.
Start slowly.
Start by asking if you can connect with the person. Message them, introduce yourself, and give a quick explanation of why you’re following. Maybe you have a connection or subject matter in common.
Build rapport.
After you connect, take the time to like the person’s posts and comment thoughtfully on them. In the end, the number of connections you have isn’t as important as what you do with them.
Broach the subject in a considerate way.
Send an InMail message and offer your services or product in a polite, respectful manner that shows you’ve been paying attention to the person you’re pitching and the needs of their business.
Know when to drop the subject.
If the person you’re pitching says no, be understanding. Ending the conversation on good terms leaves the door open — pushing the subject will close it.
LinkedIn offers amazing opportunities, but the nature of the platform means you have to work smarter — not more forcefully — to develop relationships. Stay polite, be thoughtful, and your pitch on Linkedin may pay off in ways you did not expect.
What has been your experience with pitching on LinkedIn? Please share and let me know!
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Posted by Margaret Page in Entrepreneur, StartUp, Business, Business Etiquette and tagged LinkedIn, Pitch on LinkedIn, social media, LinkedIn communication, LinkedIn Messaging, selling on LinkedIn, Building rapport on LinkedIn, LinkedIn Connections
January 19, 2021
I was grounded, like so many other frequent flyers, for the duration of 2020. The upshot? More time for my already voracious reading habit. My five top reads helped me refocus and rebuild when the rest of the world seemed to be falling apart. I hope you find inspiration in them, too.
The Leader’s Checklist: 15 Mission-Critical Principles.
Author Michael Useem is a professor at the Wharton School of Business who has mined crucial events throughout history (the American Civil War and the rapid failure of AIG shortly before the Great Recession, for example) to determine how and why great leaders succeed. He distilled these lessons into 15 short lessons that I find fascinating. As a result, I now regularly reference Useem’s checklist to ensure I’m following the right path in my own leadership journey.
Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Business.
This might be the most influential book I read all year! I find myself turning again and again to Kindra Hall’s storytelling tips and strategies. Hall makes the point that our ability to communicate effectively and persuasively hinges on our ability to connect with our audiences. Storytelling is the way to make it happen. This book is engaging, smart, and an impactful read for anyone, from sales representatives to marketing execs to people who want to improve their public speaking or writing skills.
Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life. How appropriate that this was written by a person named Jim Kwik! If you’re looking to do more in our increasingly fast-paced, time-strapped world, you’ll love the “3 Ms” Kwik outlines in his book. I may not have the ability to read a book three times faster than normal, as Kwik promises, but I love the empowering feel of his advice.
Pitch Perfect: How to Say It Right the First Time, Every Time.
Bill McGowan is a consultant and correspondent who teaches people how to deliver their messages quickly and with maximum impact. As someone who regularly speaks in front of large audiences, I’m always on the lookout for advice on how to improve my skills — and McGowan truly delivers. His “principles of persuasion” are a must-read for anyone and can be used in your everyday life.
Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success.
The last of my five top reads assists those of us in leadership roles. We have an obligation to do our best — and that involves ensuring the success of others. LearnLoft CEO John Eades makes the case that rapidly changing technology and organizations require a different type of leadership. One that is based on carefully encouraging others while keeping an eye on long-term goals. His book gave me a chance to examine and hone my own leadership style.
How about you? What books got you through 2020 and have inspired you to shoot for success in 2021? Have you read any of my five top reads? I’d love to hear your recommendations — I read a book a week, so your suggestion has a good shot at winding up in my must-read list!
#leadership #books #reading #technology #advice #audience #pitching #presenting
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Posted by Margaret Page in Entrepreneur, StartUp, Business, Personal development, Time management, Self Care in challenging times, Uncategorized
October 13, 2020
In my 30 years as a business owner and community leader, I’ve often seen people set a goal or a target and call it a vision. Sometimes, fixing a problem is confused for vision. Although modern leaders need both problem-solving skills and visioning skills, the two are very different.
Visioning is from the future to today. Problem solving is from today to tomorrow.
A vision is a vivid mental image of the place you want your organization to be. It creates a new future by working backwards from a fixed point six months, a year, or even five or 10 or 20 years from now.
Sometimes, the vision you have for the future may seem to have almost nothing to do with how your organization functions today: 20 years ago, who would have thought that an online bookstore called Amazon would be the greatest deliverer of goods and information in the world? The answer is Jeff Bezos, of course. He started with his ultimate goal and worked backward to the easiest point of entry to that future.
Problem solving, on the other hand, examines ways to course-correct current constraints to allow greater flow in the future. Figuring out how to deliver books directly to consumers wasn’t Amazon’s vision, for example, but solving that problem did open up new supply chain possibilities for the company’s ultimate goal.
So how can you problem solve while working toward an overall vision?
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Posted by Margaret Page in Entrepreneur, StartUp, Business, Uncategorized and tagged business, vision, problem solving, visionist
April 14, 2020
Many of us have jumped into the Zoom world out of necessity, with many aspects of daily life now handled via video chat — club and business meetings, family dinners, play dates, pub nights, and even holidays!
Thanks to my work with Toastmasters, which has clubs throughout the world, I’ve had the opportunity to work with online meeting platforms for 10 years. What I’ve noticed is that many of us are comfortable with in-person meetings, but not quite so comfortable handling the challenges of remote communication. After all, the cues that we usually pick up on in person — such as the way a person enters a room or body language — aren’t available on a platform like Zoom.
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Posted by Margaret Page in Entrepreneur, StartUp, Business, Webinar, Personal development, Uncategorized, Business Etiquette, Communication and tagged Zoom, Zoom Webinar, Video conference, Internet, Virtual Meeting
October 8, 2019
Are you bringing your A game when you pitch your products or services?
You’ve worked so hard to build your business — think about the hours, the energy, and the money you’ve spent.
With so much on the line, it’s essential to nail the perfect pitch.
Your pitch is your shot to storm the big leagues and impress the investors who can make or break your future. It’s a big risk.
It’s time to bring your A game.
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Posted by Margaret Page in Entrepreneur, StartUp, Business, Pitch Conference, Business Etiquette, Communication and tagged entrepreneur, startup, Pitch conference, webinar, funding
October 2, 2019
I went to an event recently that brought up a lot of memories.
I was in the audience of Women’s Pitch Night Vancouver, listening to women make their cases for their business ideas. As I watched these talented women pitch, I realized the needs of women in business haven’t changed much since I started my career in the very masculine oil fields of Alberta.
Bringing Ideas To Life
We need help fleshing out our ideas and bringing them to vibrant life. Women face an uphill battle as entrepreneurs. We’ve gained a steadier foothold in business over the past 50 years, but we still lack the support structures we need to start our own businesses. For example, we’re less likely to find women in the upper echelons of the business world who can mentor us, share their own experiences, and help us take a kernel of an idea and help it thrive into something bigger. According to search and leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder, only 54 percent of women have access to senior leaders who also serve as mentors.
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Posted by Margaret Page in Entrepreneur, StartUp, Business, Communication and tagged business, women, entrepreneur, pitching, mentoring, startup
