Better Business Shots offers professional headshots by local photographers, your location or theirs, starting at just $197. Quality profile photos build trust and rapport. And as the old saying goes, you . . .
Read More: Your LinkedIn Profile Photo Matters]]> Besides the fact that it’s against LinkedIn’s User Agreement, this should just be plain common sense:

At the post office today, a woman with curlers in her hair asked me, “where’s the courthouse?” I wasn’t sure but then she asked what I did for a living. When I told her, she asked me for a business card and said she was in marketing. I . . .
Read More: What’s LinkedIn?]]> A funny anecdote from Kendall Kunz:

At the post office today, a woman with curlers in her hair asked me, “where’s the courthouse?”  I wasn’t sure but then she asked what I did for a living.  When I told her, she asked me for a business card and said she was in marketing.  I said, “send me an invitation to LinkedIN,” and she asked, “what’s LinkedIN?” And this woman is in marketing?  I think I want my business card back.

Image credit: Editor B

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” ~ Arthur C. Clarke

Lesson for LinkedIn: You need to communicate the value of this feature more effectively to users.

Lesson for businesses: Nobody wants to read your ads. People may tolerate it if they’re receiving other valuable content from you. But LinkedIn doesn’t (yet) have the kind of conversational engagement that Facebook or Twitter has, so . . .
Read More: Following Companies on LinkedIn – What’s the Value?]]>

Lesson for LinkedIn: You need to communicate the value of this feature more effectively to users.

Lesson for businesses: Nobody wants to read your ads. People may tolerate it if they’re receiving other valuable content from you. But LinkedIn doesn’t (yet) have the kind of conversational engagement that Facebook or Twitter has, so you’ve got to carefully consider what you’re putting in your LinkedIn stream. What will truly be of interest and value to your customers and potential customers?

Lesson for users: Look before you link. What kind of content is this company publishing? Will it create any real value for you, or just more infoglut? I see a place for it, but I recommend using it sparingly. The burden is on the company to engage you.

When you’re looking for that person Who can make a job connection, Or someone who’s an expert in Inflection or convection, Or maybe you are headed on a . . .
Read More: Dr. Seuss LinkedIn Invitation]]> If Dr. Seuss were alive today and a member of LinkedIn, I wonder what an invitation from him might have looked like. I’m thinking something like this:

When you’re looking for that person
Who can make a job connection,
Or someone who’s an expert in
Inflection or convection,
Or maybe you are headed on a
Trip to Machu Pichu,
And you want to find a tour guide
In Lima who could meet you,
And you know you must know someone who knows
Someone who could help,
But finding them’s like looking in
A forest full of kelp
For the legendary Hammer-headed
Bottle-nosed Blue Eel,
And you dread it in your head so much
It makes you want to squeal,
Then, my friend, LinkedIn would be
The perfect tool for you
And if you’ll link to me I’ll open my
Connections up to you!

I may have to re-think that – this guy’s definitely onto something:

Sure, it might seem like a crazy idea to recommend someone you don’t even know. And you might think that’s a relatively new etiquette problem unique to the modern social web.

You would be wrong.

In fact, this problem has been occurring for centuries. Fortunately, one of history’s greatest networkers, Benjamin Franklin, has some . . .
Read More: How to Recommend Strangers on LinkedIn]]>

Sure, it might seem like a crazy idea to recommend someone you don’t even know. And you might think that’s a relatively new etiquette problem unique to the modern social web.

You would be wrong.

In fact, this problem has been occurring for centuries. Fortunately, one of history’s greatest networkers, Benjamin Franklin, has some advice on how to solve it:

On Recommendations
To a friend. Passy. [Date unknown.]

Permit me to mention to you that, in my opinion, the natural complaisance of this country often carries people too far in the article of recommendations. You give them with too much facility to persons of whose real characters you know nothing, and sometimes at the request of others of whom you know as little. Frequently, if a man has no useful talents, is good for nothing and burdensome to his relations, or is indiscreet, profligate, and extravagant, they are glad to get rid of him by sending him to the other end of the world; and for that purpose scruple not to recommend him to those they wish should recommend him to others, as "un bon sujet, plein de mérite," &c. &c. In consequence of my crediting such recommendations, my own are out of credit, and I cannot advise anybody to have the least dependence on them. If, after knowing this, you persist in desiring my recommendation for this person, who is known neither to me nor to you, I will give it, though, as I said before, I ought to refuse it.

These applications are my perpetual torment.

You can have no conception how I am harassed. All my friends are sought out and teazed to teaze me. Great officers of all ranks, in all departments; ladies, great and small, besides professed solicitors, worry me from morning to night. The noise of every coach now that enters my court terrifies me. I am afraid to accept an invitation to dine abroad, being almost sure of meeting with some officer or officer’s friend, who, as soon as I am put in good humor by a glass or two of champaigne, begins his attack upon me. Luckily I do not often in my sleep dream of these vexatious situations, or I should be afraid of what are now my only hours of comfort. If, therefore, you have the least remaining kindness for me, if you would not help to drive me out of France, for God’s sake, my dear friend, let this your twenty-third application be your last.

"Model of a Letter of Recommendation of a person you are unacquainted with."

Paris, 2 April, 1777.

"Sir,
"The bearer of this, who is going to America, presses me to give him a letter of recommendation, though I know nothing of him, not even his name. This may seem extraordinary, but I assure you it is not uncommon here. Sometimes, indeed, one unknown person brings another equally unknown, to recommend him; and sometimes they recommend one another! As to this gentleman, I must refer you to himself for his character and merits, with which he is certainly better acquainted than I can possibly be. I recommend him, however, to those civilities, which every stranger, of whom one knowns no harm, has a right to; and I request you will do him all the good offices, and show him all the favor, that, on further acquaintance, you shall find him to deserve. I have the honor to be, &c."

The publically owned [Green Bay] Packers, who want to raise money for renovations at Lambeau Field, are considering a stock sale. For roughly $200 a share, you can vote, attend stockholder meetings, get a tour of the stadium. Best of all, you can put "part owner, Packers" on your LinkedIn . . .
Read More: How to Really Beef Up Your LinkedIn Profile]]> The Hartford Courant reports:

The publically owned [Green Bay] Packers, who want to raise money for renovations at Lambeau Field, are considering a stock sale. For roughly $200 a share, you can vote, attend stockholder meetings, get a tour of the stadium. Best of all, you can put "part owner, Packers" on your LinkedIn profile.

That’s one way to beef up your LinkedIn profile!