Today is day 3 of NAMS3. Wow! What an amazing event Niche Affiliate Marketing Systems is. David Perdew is a master at putting on highly valuable events.
Since this is an Internet Marketing event, you can well imagine how much tweeting is going on, posting on blogs and on social networks.
Most people are doing what they can to keep up with their email and DMs/PMs. I am definitely no exception. I have posted on my blog, done some fun marketing via my channels I use (and made money while enjoying NAMS3, posted videos on YouTube and done what I can to stay on top of friend’s requests in Facebook.
With the majority of friend invitations I am clicking
“ignore. Why you might wonder? It’s very simple, I likely don’t know the person sending the invitation. But then, maybe they know me due to being on my mailing list, but have not indicated that on their friend’s invitation.
This situation is not unique to me. Many people I know go through the same thing. Last evening while out to dinner with Denise Wakeman and Ellen Britt, the topic of all the invitations we get with not one point of reference to who this person is.
Imagine having to figure out from a list of thousands of people who this person is. This is the reality for many people, both highly visible and those who are not so visible.
This is not the first time I am writing on this topic. I have posted in the past on the very same thing. The thing to keep in mind is there are million of social network invitations being done in any given day. Millions.
Help those out who you are inviting by giving a point of reference. And again, “We have 300 friends in common.” Personally, that doesn’t do a thing for me.
“I receive your newsletter”
“I heard you speak at NAMS”
“I am in your VIP Club”
That’s how truly simple it is. Here’s a tip, the next invitations you send out, give a recognizable and valuable point of reference. Adding a short “personalized” message can make the difference between being accepted or rejected.
What are your thoughts on this? Agree, disagree, don’t really care? Leave your comments in the box below.
Hi Kathleen,
I agree with you. Yet there may be a more effective response than to “ignore” those who initiate friend requests. (I decided on this approach earlier today and would love to get your views on it.)
I email the friend requester and semi-qualify her by recommending if she has an interest in money-related topics … I invite her to subscribe to my free Financial Fitness eZine. I share that I’m over Facebook’s friend limit, and suggest she join my Fan page.
And finally, if she tweets, I suggest we connect on Twitter too.
My rationale is that I want my FB friends, group members, and Fans to subscribe to my opt-in lists. Ultimately, I have limited control over my FB participation. It’s in my best interests to capture as many people to my lists as possible. Make sense?
Best regards,
Judith Stephens
The Money Lady
PS. After sending out 6 emails as described, I got the dreaded FB security warning that I sent them out too quickly. (Duh?) Yes indeed, I want my peeps on my list.
You’re absolutely right, Kathleen. It’s just common courtesy to remind people if there is some reason they should know you and connect with you, especially when we all know there are folks out there with ulterior motives. Even if they just say, “Kathleen, you don’t know me, but your ebooks have helped me so much that I’d like to connect with you through _______” would be better than nothing.
Great responses. Thank you. I do stick by not trying to sell or even get people to register for something on the first contact. When I get someone writing, “I really want to connect, oh by the way, sign up for my “widget”. Even though the intention may be sincere it comes across as only interested in the opt in information.
With as much overload of emails, friend’s requests, connection requests, etc. that we all get, the social must be put back into social network.
Kathleen Gage
Hi Kathleen,
I have certain rules I follow for each of the networks when it comes to friending or following back.
I never let software follow for me and if I had as many followers as you I would have that VA you told me I should have do it for me.
I friended a stranger on FB once that I did not know and it was, as you know how sensitive I am, a traumatic experience
This person first asked why are you following me I thought it was through someone WE knew then in as nasty as one could imagine was asked NEVER to follow again.