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WHY #4 of 101: What is Reid Hoffman’s WHY?

Reid Hoffman, co-founder, and LinkedIn had this to say about how the world has changed in a recent interview  in “Wired” magazine, ‘All the attributes of a business now apply to an individual.’ This statement frames Reid’s latest book, “The Startup of You.”

In the book, Reid points out that the WHY of LinkedIn is its focus on the “trusted repository of our professional selves.” It’s interesting to me to hear people talk about Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and, now, Pinterest still trying to figure out WHY they should be on each or some or all of these sites. I have always found that the WHY of what I do online helps me decide which site I put the most effort into.

For me, I spend 80% of my time on LinkedIn still. Why? Because I get results. Yesterday I spoke to a great CEO from a wonderful company in the promotional products area. He shared that the world has changed for his company. The old marketing isn’t working for him anymore. He realizes he needs to do something different. Can LinkedIn be helpful to his company that sells promotional products? I believe it will be. With so much competition online today, you need to get down to the individual level as Reid has pointed out.

Very practically speaking, LinkedIn is that tool that creates better networks for anyone who really wants to do so. In the business-to-business space, every connection could lead to thousands of dollars worth of new revenues. It all starts with a one-to-one relationship with individuals who are decision-makers. These individuals are on LinkedIn.  Now, more and more, many of these decision-makers are becoming more and more network savvy. So why wouldn’t you want to grow your relationship-building skills too and practice daily in an online environment where you can connect effectively? Does it take time to build your networking skills? Absolutely. I have been working, training, speaking and coaching these skills to others for more than two decades. But it pays off.

What touched me most about my conversation with the CEO was that he said to me at the end, “I trust you, Melissa.” That’s what matters most and WHY I love what I do. I am out to connect and make a difference, with one great CEO or company decision-maker at a time. How about you?

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