2. Disclaimer
This presentation is for information only, should
not be taken as representing the official views of
LinkedIn and should not be construed as
constituting business or financial advice.
Logos are copyright of the respective companies.
3. In This Webinar
● “Only connect with people you know and trust” -
really?
● Why you don't need to choose between quality and
quantity
● How many people should you aim to have in your
network and "Dunbar's Number"
● What we can learn from Granovetter's theory of the
Strength of Weak Ties
4. But Wait! There's More :)
Practical tips for inviting connections and responding to
requests for connections:
● inviting people to connect and a neat formula for doing
that effectively
● dealing with those invitations from people you don't
know or can't remember
Plus:
● some thoughts on engaging with the people in your
network - and
● discussion
6. The Official Line in Detail
..., we grant you a limited, revocable, nonexclusive, nonassignable,
nonsublicenseable license and right to access the Services,...in
accordance with this Agreement. Any other use of LinkedIn contrary
to our mission and purpose (such as seeking to connect to
someone you do not know or trust, or to use information
gathered from LinkedIn commercially unless expressly authorized by
LinkedIn) is strictly prohibited and a violation of this
Agreement.
LinkedIn User Agreement, Sn. 3 Your Rights
10. Quality vs Quantity?
Quality matters
● I never knew of any of the “super connectors” saying
they didn't care about quality!
● Know what “quality” means for you (e.g. “hub”
connector, ideal client, influencer)
11. Quality or Quantity?
Quantity matters too
For networking you need reach
● the more good connections you have the more you can help
others with introductions – and be helped by them
For search
● finding others
● being found
13. Dunbar's Number
Academic Robin Dunbar's theoretical cognitive limit to the
number of people with whom one can maintain a stable or
“meaningful” social relationship.
The number? Somewhere around 150.*
14. Dunbar's Number & LinkedIn
But:
● we are not early humans living in neolithic village
societies
● the web and social media have changed our perceptions
about social relationships
And anyway:
● on LinkedIn are you looking for “meaningful”
relationships or business?
15. Granovetter's Strength of Weak Ties
● you can never have enough connections
● it doesn't matter if you don't know them. *
16. Strong, weak & absent ties
“The strength of a tie is a ... combination of the amount of
time, the emotional intensity, the intimacy (mutual
confiding) and the reciprocal services that characterize the
tie”.
“It is remarkable that people receive crucial information
from individuals whose very existence they have forgotten.”
Mark Granovetter
17. Is There an Ideal Number?
● There is no universally ideal number
● Depends on your objectives
● 500+ the most LinkedIn shows others you have a
larger network
● 30,000 maximum
● 200 a good minimum to get reach
● A guide – multiply your age by 10
20. Engaging with Your Network
● Updates – yours, and interact with theirs
● Introductions
● Endorsements
● Recommendations
● Occasional messages – 50 addresses at a time
● not just promotion
● offer help
● Signal (next slide)
22. Coming Attractions!
Future webinars
● LinkedIn Groups: Participating and Possibly
Establishing Your Own – week commencing March
4, 2013
● Highlights of 30DLB2 and Building on the
Experience – week commencing March 11, 2013
23. We Covered
● “People you know and trust”
● quality and quantity
● How many connections - and Dunbar's Number
● Strength of weak ties
● Inviting – using one of the 3 options (or combo)
● Problem invitations
● Engaging with our networks
24.
25. Admin Stuff
Image credits
Illustration of Granovetter’s strength of weak ties concept: Image by Sadi Carnot,
public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
http://sociology.stanford.edu/people/mgranovetter/documents/granstrengthwea
kties.pdf
Sea, with text – picture by Des Walsh
Notes:
Dunbar's number: This was based on observation non-human primate
behaviour, then supplemented by some complex calculations of how people
related to one another in neolithic villages.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar's_number
Granovetter's Strength of Weak Ties
http://sociology.stanford.edu/people/mgranovetter/documents/granstrengthwea
kties.pdf
