Goodwill via LinkedIn?

[kaydubya]

Has anybody tried a GW via LinkedIn?  Would it be adviseable to try that avenue rather than email?

[SunriseEarth]

I think contacting someone via LinkedIn is different than messaging a company's page via Facebook.  IMHO, LinkedIn is more for business networking on an individual level and seems more personal.  I personally wouldn't go through LinkedIn for GW purposes. 

[gdale6]

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@kaydubya wrote:

Has anybody tried a GW via LinkedIn?  Would it be adviseable to try that avenue rather than email?

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GWs should always be professional and send by US Mail.

[rckstrscott]

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@gdale6 wrote:

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@kaydubya wrote:

Has anybody tried a GW via LinkedIn?  Would it be adviseable to try that avenue rather than email?

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GWs should always be professional and send by US Mail.

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I don't agree with the last two comments.

GW's, in my opinion, have to be whatever means you can to get through the shubbery maze to have your voice heard.

I agree that you risk maybe irritating someone if you go that route, but you might also have success. I have had success using LinkedIN on an account I wasn't able to make headway on the old fashioned way. 

You gotta do what you gotta do.  I see no issues with it personally.

-scott

[rckstrscott]

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@gdale6 wrote:

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@kaydubya wrote:

Has anybody tried a GW via LinkedIn?  Would it be adviseable to try that avenue rather than email?

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GWs should always be professional and send by US Mail.

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I would also like to add that in no way, shape or form do goodwills JUST need to be US Mail - I have had success with emails, faxes. People have shared stories before of sending flowers, hand delivered letters. All kinds of stories. There is no legal statutes to why you need to us only US mail for GWs.

People have had success with tweets even. If you limit yourself to one avenue, you are limiting your ability to have success. Period.

-scott

[SunriseEarth]

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@rckstrscott wrote:

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@gdale6 wrote:

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@kaydubya wrote:

Has anybody tried a GW via LinkedIn?  Would it be adviseable to try that avenue rather than email?

---

GWs should always be professional and send by US Mail.

---

I would also like to add that in no way, shape or form do goodwills JUST need to be US Mail - I have had success with emails, faxes. People have shared stories before of sending flowers, hand delivered letters. All kinds of stories. There is no legal statutes to why you need to us only US mail for GWs.

People have had success with tweets even. If you limit yourself to one avenue, you are limiting your ability to have success. Period.

-scott

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Agreed.  People have used FB posts/messages, Tweets/DMs, faxes, emails, phone calls and conventional letters for GW success.  And I think any of these are great options.  I've personally used faxes, calls, and physical letters and had successful results. 

IMO, LinkedIn just seems too personal.  Many companies have a presence on there and I personally feel that would be a more appropriate contact point.   However, if you feel comfortable making this approach, then just be extremely polite and accomodating.  Some people manage their LinkedIn as part of their work duties, but some like myself manage theirs on their personal time (this is the reason I wouldn't feel comfortable using it for GW). 

I also feel it would be inappropriate and against TOS to share a specific person's LinkedIn page on posts in this forum, since it is a direct personal contact.   If you use this method, I'd either do your own research for a contact or DM someone who's had success. 

[Involver]

LinkedIn is public domain and if people are willing to leave their contact information accessible then I don't see why this is a bad thing.  People send direct e-mails to CEOs and board members of companies, it's not as if this is any different IMO.  

[rckstrscott]

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@SunriseEarth wrote:

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@rckstrscott wrote:

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@gdale6 wrote:

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@kaydubya wrote:

Has anybody tried a GW via LinkedIn?  Would it be adviseable to try that avenue rather than email?

---

GWs should always be professional and send by US Mail.

---

I would also like to add that in no way, shape or form do goodwills JUST need to be US Mail - I have had success with emails, faxes. People have shared stories before of sending flowers, hand delivered letters. All kinds of stories. There is no legal statutes to why you need to us only US mail for GWs.

People have had success with tweets even. If you limit yourself to one avenue, you are limiting your ability to have success. Period.

-scott

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Agreed.  People have used FB posts/messages, Tweets/DMs, faxes, emails, phone calls and conventional letters for GW success.  And I think any of these are great options.  I've personally used faxes, calls, and physical letters and had successful results. 

IMO, LinkedIn just seems too personal.  Many companies have a presence on there and I personally feel that would be a more appropriate contact point.   However, if you feel comfortable making this approach, then just be extremely polite and accomodating.  Some people manage their LinkedIn as part of their work duties, but some like myself manage theirs on their personal time (this is the reason I wouldn't feel comfortable using it for GW). 

I also feel it would be inappropriate and against TOS to share a specific person's LinkedIn page on posts in this forum, since it is a direct personal contact.   If you use this method, I'd either do your own research for a contact or DM someone who's had success. 

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From my understanding of LinkedIn, the point of it is to NOT be personal. This is not a personal page. It is your public portal to your business career. Facebook is personal, Twitter can even be personal. But LinkedIn is intended for outside business contact to reach you. That is the point. That is how they sell it to advertisers, that is how they hook you with 'premium' subscriptions. From a collection company standpoint, if you put your people on there, you are EXPECTING to be contacted. You are hoping someone reaches out you for a PFD, to make money for your company.

My employer requires linkedin, they require us to tidy up our links, to make sure a nice business friendly picture is up, they proofread it, and it is put in every single communication to the outside world we make. They WANT people to learn about us through linkedin.

Put yourself in the shoes of a person getting these messages. Would you rather get a message from linkedin that sits in your box until you decide to retrieve it? Or would you rather get an instant push to your phone from your corporate email?

Maybe my vision of linkedin is clouded by how my company uses it, but it is a very effective OUTSIDE communication tool, in my opinion.

-scott

[SunriseEarth]

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@rckstrscott wrote:

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@SunriseEarth wrote:

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@rckstrscott wrote:

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@gdale6 wrote:

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@kaydubya wrote:

Has anybody tried a GW via LinkedIn?  Would it be adviseable to try that avenue rather than email?

---

GWs should always be professional and send by US Mail.

---

I would also like to add that in no way, shape or form do goodwills JUST need to be US Mail - I have had success with emails, faxes. People have shared stories before of sending flowers, hand delivered letters. All kinds of stories. There is no legal statutes to why you need to us only US mail for GWs.

People have had success with tweets even. If you limit yourself to one avenue, you are limiting your ability to have success. Period.

-scott

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Agreed.  People have used FB posts/messages, Tweets/DMs, faxes, emails, phone calls and conventional letters for GW success.  And I think any of these are great options.  I've personally used faxes, calls, and physical letters and had successful results. 

IMO, LinkedIn just seems too personal.  Many companies have a presence on there and I personally feel that would be a more appropriate contact point.   However, if you feel comfortable making this approach, then just be extremely polite and accomodating.  Some people manage their LinkedIn as part of their work duties, but some like myself manage theirs on their personal time (this is the reason I wouldn't feel comfortable using it for GW). 

I also feel it would be inappropriate and against TOS to share a specific person's LinkedIn page on posts in this forum, since it is a direct personal contact.   If you use this method, I'd either do your own research for a contact or DM someone who's had success. 

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From my understanding of LinkedIn, the point of it is to NOT be personal. This is not a personal page. It is your public portal to your business career. Facebook is personal, Twitter can even be personal. But LinkedIn is intended for outside business contact to reach you. That is the point. That is how they sell it to advertisers, that is how they hook you with 'premium' subscriptions. From a collection company standpoint, if you put your people on there, you are EXPECTING to be contacted. You are hoping someone reaches out you for a PFD, to make money for your company.

My employer requires linkedin, they require us to tidy up our links, to make sure a nice business friendly picture is up, they proofread it, and it is put in every single communication to the outside world we make. They WANT people to learn about us through linkedin.

Put yourself in the shoes of a person getting these messages. Would you rather get a message from linkedin that sits in your box until you decide to retrieve it? Or would you rather get an instant push to your phone from your corporate email?

Maybe my vision of linkedin is clouded by how my company uses it, but it is a very effective OUTSIDE communication tool, in my opinion.

-scott

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Scott, I think you make very excellent points.   While my company has a LinkedIn presence, i am not someone who actively uses it for my work responsibilities.  My job has no mandate to have a profile and my email redirects to a Gmail address that I've set up on my own (mainly used when I was doing job apps).  So my responsibility is my own and my maintenance is my own choice.   We each certainly have unique experiences.   

I think the take-away from this is that you should use the GW methods you feel most comfortable with but do so with the upmost respect and professionalism.   If someone felt uncomfortable making phone calls, I'd suggest they try letters.  Some people have have bad writing skills and might be better served by short emails or phone calls.  I'd give the same guideline for LinkedIn.