Plaxo needs to be LinkedIn

Both of these sites offer some terrific, simple benefits. (Most folks are still trying to figure out the more complex benefits.) I’ll mention two benefits later and get to the point of this post.

LinkedIn and Plaxo are two different faces (not really even different approaches) to the same end. I don’t mind that they want to remain independent, viable businesses…but how long will they make us do double the work? If you’re on both, aren’t your networks on each one basically the same, although one may be larger because you use it more? This is like using two accounting packages. It’s a pain.

So, LinkedIn and Plaxo…figure it out. Try to share (login, database, etc.)…and compete with your other services and products.

Here are the two simple benefits I mentioned. If you don’t have a profile on one of these sites, you need to get with the program.

1. You are much less likely to lose track of individuals as they change companies, email addresses, etc. This goes both for friends and for people you contact infrequently.

If you’re into business networking, you’ll find that a tremendous number of contacts go bad within 4-5 months. But…if they have a LinkedIn account and update their profile, they stay in your network. Or, if you get laid off and are locked out of your work computer, you can still contact everyone.

On the personal front…have you ever had a pretty good friend who moved, switched email addresses, and didn’t let everyone know? In today’s society, we keep charging ahead, and that person falls off of our radar. It’s really too bad that LinkedIn didn’t exist when I was in school…just think how large my contact base would be right now!

2. If you’re somewhat active on these sites, you maintain a presence in the minds of your network members. When you post what you’re doing today, or connect to another person, or write a blog entry…your network can see what you’re up to. Like when I post this blog, many folks will see the title and click through if they’re interested.

Show a little life, and people will think about you. What they think about you is up to you.

Tag-team networking for the hesitant

Many members of closed networking groups settle into their own chapters and from then on visit only open networking events. Let me encourage you to visit other closed groups from time to time…especially if you are hesitant to go out and meet new folks.

If you don’t have a problem visiting around, then you need to encourage your members who do.

Here’s a plan: Arrange a simultaneous substitution program with other chapters. “We’ll send you one or two of ours as visitors, and you do the same in return.” A very brief foreign exchange program, so to speak. Of course, you will want to avoid any conflicts with members in overlapping occupation…don’t want subs stepping on people’s toes.

If one of your members is always present, you can even send that person to another group that meets at the same time as yours. Let’s coin the term “simul-sub.” Just another way of mixing things up, stirring new people in, and making your members less sedentary.

You may notice that most of my blogs have a strong team bias. We join groups so we don’t have to go it alone. We’ve done so since childhood. Now let’s be more intentional about it and work toward greater synergy.