This week, being tagged in LinkedIn posts, I don’t know the etiquette, but I feel like I am being shouted at across a crowded bar. Just me?
Recently, one of my old bosses, Grant Johnson, has started tagging me and a select group of people on LinkedIn when he posts a new blog post that he thinks we might like. He writes his blog CMOMentor and for someone like me, it’s on the money, I’m delighted to be alerted to a fresh post and be invited into the conversation.
In contrast, last year, someone who I’ve never met, claims to be an expert in social media selling started tagging me and a long list of people every time he farted on his blog. A blog that seemed to be a light commentary on some content that was seemingly ripped off from somewhere else.
I might be a weird kind of social media introvert, but for me, being tagged on LinkedIn is like someone shouting out across a crowded bar, “Hey IAN, you like PINA COLADAS AND GETTING CAUGHT IN THE RAIN”… “LOOK AT THIS LADY WITH AN UMBRELLA”
I’m not sure why I used that analogy; pina coladas are OK, I’m as relaxed as any Englishman about the rain, and even I was VERY, very young when Rupert Holmes (yes, I had to Google that) was lamenting about his relationship boredom in his song Escape (The Pina Colada Song). Oh, and my lovely wife has many umbrellas.
Anyway…
Do I want the bar or the lady with an umbrella to think I am interested?
Like trying to communicate across a crowded bar, you can’t trust the busted algorithm to lift your social media voice over the noise and put your content in the stream of interested people, even if they follow you or are connected. To be sure, you have to shout.
But, it’s a subtle business; what’s the difference for me between being tagged by Grant and our social media selling “expert”?
It’s permission and relevance.
The second chap heard that tagging people was a great tactic, that knowing a tactic was sufficient permission to peddle his lame shit to anyone he didn’t know who fit his profile.
I assume it’s one of those “ask enough people out and someone says yes to a date” kinda things. My reaction, if you claim to be an “expert in social media selling” and this is how it’s done, you can fuck off.
On the other hand, I respect Grant; he’s making a genuine offer to help.
What Grant shouts across the bar is, “WOULD YOU LIKE AN OLD FASHIONED?”
He’s offering the good stuff, something that, in this crowder bar, the people we both know have just heard Grant offering me. And I am very happy to be associated with it.
“YES, GRANT”, I shout back, “I WOULD LOVE ONE!”.
Read more of Grant’s blog at CMOMentor and follow me on LinkedIn, and I’ll share whatever he tags me in! And regular podcast listeners, occasionally, it’s not a gin and tonic 😉
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I’m a 3xCMO, now a marketing strategy advisor and podcast host at Rockstar CMO. Although, I’m not a rock star, but a marketing leader, strategist, content marketer, columnist, speaker, industry watcher, and creator of ART (Awareness, Revenue, and Trust) for the companies I work with. But most of all, I am an enthusiastic tea drinker.
You can find me on LinkedIn, Twitter, or now Threads! – or listen to my weekly podcast at Rockstarcmo.com
The half-baked thoughts shared on this blog may not reflect those of my employer or clients, and if the topic of this article is interesting or you just want to say hello please get in touch.