Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Using Linkedin Groups to grow one's direct connections

I was researching the Groups on Linkedin when I saw this:

SAP Freelancers(membership only for direct contact to sapguroo@gmail.com)

you need to be a first degree contact to be able to join this group send invite to sapguroo@gmail.com For SAP Freelancers to exchange knowledge and opportunity, freelancing,ERP freelancers,Freelancers.(membership only for direct contact to sapguroo@gmail.com)

Yesterday’s Activity: Jobs (1)

Owner: Krishna Badarla | 6,767 members | Share

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Now, THAT is interesting. The creator/owner of this group requires that you be DIRECTLY connected to him, in order to access this group.

I don't know what ERP or SAP are about, but I know it's a fairly important function in business, so I'm assuming that Krishna (the Group Owner) is cleverly leveraging the promise of that Group in order to get more direct connections.

Having more direct connections, is always a great thing.

Linkedin is a bit like the medieval days, when there was a King and then feudal lords who, in exchange for land, promise to be loyal to the King.

Linkedin Group owners are like feudal lords. By creating a Group and growing it, they are indeed growing their influence, often in multiple countries.

Now, why is it important to grow one's list of Linkedin connections?

After all, if you are like most Linkedin users, you are then an employee -- not an entrepreneurs selling and trading in the open marketplace.

However, something is happening that is NOT being reported by the mass media. It's what I call the rise of intellectual capitalism.

More and more people around me are turning their knowledge, experience and expertise into "intellectual capital," like an ebook, and they are selling it worldwide.

Even those who have not written an ebook of their own, are thinking of getting a copyright license (or a business license) in order to sell the creative work of others.

In both cases, a person needs to have a BIG list of Linkedin connections, and I mean more than 1,000 connections.

Making money by selling intellectual goods via Linkedin, won't interfere with your regular daytime job. But it will impact your bank account positively because we are talking about passive income here.

The secret to make extra mone on Linkedin, is to focus on the List, the Liquidity and the Letter.

The Liquidity, is simply something you can sell to a great number of Linkedin users.

I will talk more about the List and the Letter.