One question I am often asked at events is what a LION is and is it a premium feature? In short no, it’s not a premium feature it is simply one approach to making LinkedIn work and tends to be quite emotive in discussions.

LION stands for LinkedIn Open Networker and the people declare themselves (and in some cases don’t) as LIONS or open networkers. The approach is one where they connect with everybody that they can, either that they ask to join their network or accept all invitations – they believe that bigger is better or that there might be someone useful in their network that they can find one day if they find they need them.  Last time I checked the most connected man was from Australia with over 44,000 connections at level one!

This is also often found in the people with an old school internet marketing approach or simply trying to build a bigger list. You give someone all your personal LinkedIn details when you connect so I advise caution with those you don’t know.

They certainly won’t bite you, but equally they will probably not help you, imagine the amount of introductions they must be asked to pass along? Imagine how well or perhaps how little they know all of their “connections”? Imagine the quality of the introduction they will give you to someone they know. No they don’t bite but equally they don’t help you to move forward either.

In fact did you know that it breaks LinkedIn’s own terms of service to connect to someone you don’t know? See 7B here.

I am definitely not an open networker, I take great pride in speaking to everyone I have connected with, it is important; you would never deal with anyone on the basis of a LinkedIn connection alone would you? You want rapport, trust and relationship before you part with your money.

I think reputation and trust are a form of currency, how about you?

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