LinkedIn etiquette

Laura Beavin-Yates

Hello GGR community! I had a completely out of the blue question come to mind this eve, and wanted to post it to get the group's thoughts. 

What is your approach when it comes to connecting with customers you're working with on LinkedIn? For the CSMs, do you always connect with assigned customers? For the team leads out there, do you recommend your CSMs do so?

Does it depend on the level of touch and/or seniority level of the person whom you've spoken with? Or maybe the seniority of the CS professional? Do you connect before meeting them "in person" (aka, Zoom), or do you just stalk their profile? 

Very curious to know whether folks have any guidelines or best practices they operate by! 

TIA for sharing your opinions! ?

Brooke Carrie

I connect with customers after I have established a relationship with them. Taking the time to get to know them lets me figure out if they would be open to that type of external relationship or not. I do this for all level of folks with an organization that I have gotten to now. I wouldn't connect to someone who is just randomly cc'd on an email nor would I connect to someone who I have interacted with in passing, rather I wait until I have had two or three conversations with a person and then I will reach out via LinkedIn.  

Also, I will admit I do stalk LinkedIn profiles of every person I am about to meet in a meeting. I think looking at ones background can give some insight into how to best approach them (e.g., do they have a history of data jobs vs customer facing jobs). 

Of course, the above is all my personal preference. I don't know of an unspoken 'right or wrong' guidelines or best practices in this area. If there are, I would love to hear them! 

Laura Beavin-Yates

Thanks for sharing your perspective, Brooke!