I think there are some real issues to consider when directly
connecting with people you don't really know well:

1) When you send out invitations, and your acceptance rate drops
below 30%, you should consider how you might be affecting your
reputation with the 70% of people who don't accept.
2) If you connect with a person with whom you'd like to build a
relationship, but whom you don't well, you risk forwarding them the
wrong requests thus decrementing your reputation with them (or
withholding a request they thought was a good opportunity, but you
decided to decline because you were concerned off passing on a
request that would not be appreciated)
3) When you have a request, and it is passed on by someone who can't
really give you a meaningful and strong recommendation, your cotnact
requests are less likely to get accepted and it may also reflect
poorly on your reputation by some of the intermediaries
4) More connections also mean more time spent forwarding requests.
If the requests you forward both come from strong connections and go
to strong connections, then chances are that you are gaining in
reputation for both, or you know when it's in the best interest of
both you and the sender to not forward a request. However, making
introductions for people you don't know well and who may not even
have strong ties to the people they know is not something that is
probably not the best ROI for your time--probably better to use that
time to meet face to face with your existing connections.
5) Keep in mind that 50 to 100 connections can easily give you
access to 500,000 people--and if your connections are strong, then
any virtually all requests that have a decent value proposition for
the intended reicpient are likely to reach that person.

Basically, we have two types of relationships on LinkedIn currently
with different rights & privileges. The "connection" means that you
have to know the person well enough not only to be able to introduce
them, but also to put your professional reputation on the line for
people you don't know, but whome they reocmmend. The second type of
relationship is that of people belonging to the same LinkedIn Group.
That is weaker relationship--it entitles other members of the group
to send you a message, but you won't be put in the position where
you have to recommend them to their contacts.

Given that there are many types of relationships out there (e.g.
having met someone at a conference who you had several great
conversations with), we probably will over type provide different
types of relationships with different associated rights and
responsbilities.

I'd be curious what thoughts people have on what people thought were
specifics rights and resposbilities that define relationships other
than the two that currently exist in LinkedIn.

Also, how important is this to you? Or are there other improvements
you think are more important to do that this?

As we are in the process of turning LinkedIn into a business, our
foucs is increasingly on features like job listings that can
generate revenues, so do let us know which features are ones you
personally would be willing to pay for.

We raised a bunch of money from VC's, but our charter is to reach
profitability within 12 months, and we'd like to keep basic
membership and as many functions as possible free (ideally,
everything that currently exists).

-Konstantin

--- In MyLinkedinPowerForum@yahoogroups.com, "Arnnei MegaAS"
<arnnei@m...> wrote:
>
> Hi Bineet - and everyone...
>
> I agree. There is always the question of quality vs quantity.
>
> From my experience, statistically (by defaults) this falls into
the Pareto
> Rule of 80 - 20 which mean that 20 percent of your contacts will
make 80
> percent of your LinkedIn needs. This is a statistical rule.... it
does not
> apply to individual cases. For example, I believe I have more then
20 % of
> real strong contacts I can relay on - for me and for my other
contacts. But
> again, it just come to say that as a process, if you want to have
the best
> shot at LinkedIn - you need a large 20 %....
>
> See you at LinkedIn...
>
> Cheers,
> Arnnei Speiser
> Managing Director
> Mega AS Consulting Ltd
>
> Cellular: + 64 21 782 223
> Skype: arnneisp
>
> Mega AS Consulting Ltd.
> PO Box 55227
> Phone: +64 9 5759580 http://www.megaas.co.nz
> Mission Bay, Auckland, New Zealand
> Email: info@m...
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bineet Ram [mailto:bineetr@g...]
> Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 8:47 AM
> To: MyLinkedinPowerForum@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [MyLinkedinPowerForum] Enjoying your discussion
>
>
>
> Hi Arnei and everyone
>
> I understand and agree with what you mean however is it possible
to
> have a small network of 1st degree contacts and have more people
in
> your network than someone who has more 1st degree contacts .
How ?
> Your first degree contacts are better connected or have more
contacts
> ! On ther other hand you could have a 1st degree network of
hundreds
> of people who dont have any contacts so your entire network
could be
> small. Does that make sense ?
>
> However I personally believe the more the merrier as its
increases the
> range of possibilities. (so the statistical probability of
getting
> great business deals)Sure they are nos from time to time but
thats a
> vision thing (yours and theirs).
>
> For each no ( if any) there are sort of 10+ pluses yes that
introduce
> you to more possibilities.
>
> Conclusion better to have a network of more people because it is
> better to have average of 10% ROI when ur network numbers in the
> hundreds than in the dozens.
>
> If the above doesnt make sense ,please feel free to write . It
could
> be the combination of being half asleep and last nights corporate
> taxation lecture !
>
> I note some people dont like forwarding requests and some do , I
would
> like to find out what members views of this is ....
>
> Regards
> Bineet
>
> On Wed, 9 Mar 2005 22:05:24 +1300, Arnnei MegaAS <arnnei@m...>
> wrote:
> > Hi Guys,
> >
> > Enjoying the discussion....
> >
> > I'd like to put in my 2 bits....
> >
> > I've been working with LinkedIn for sometime now.
> >
> > 1. LinkedIn is meant to enable the user (or his direct
contacts) to
> reach a
> > specific contact and post a request. For that purpose there is
the Find
> > People tool and the Request process.
> >
> > 2. To reach/find your specific contact you need to have a
chain of
> contacts
> > that lead to that person.
> >
> > 3. To have a chain to the person you need to extend your close
contacts
> > numbers.
> >
> > 4. If you don't have the numbers.... you won't be able to make
the most
> of
> > the system.
> >
> > In essence, you have to decide - I want to be able to reach
only a small
> > amount of people using only people I personally know, or, do
you want to
> > work with the system and get a chance to find your contact and
make a
> > request.
> >
> > My advise is to make the best of both worlds. Extend your
network, and
> get
> > to know the people you link with. How you get to know them ?
> > For example - by "chatting" with them through this forum (or
others,
> like
> > maybe - Ecademy).
> > With my LinkedIn links today, I can and I have reached most of
my target
> > people successfully. I also helped many others to reach their
targets.
> >
> > On the way, when I was receiving "strange" requests, I've
occasional
> > returned the requests to the originator indicating what should
be
> amended
> > and helping him/her this way. I've learned to know the people
who posted
> > requests through me. The system works.
> >
> > As usual, I encourage people from this trusted forum to link
to my
> network
> > and support each other.
> >
> > https://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=264576
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> >
> > Arnnei Speiser
> > Managing Director
> > Mega AS Consulting Ltd
> >
> > Cellular: + 64 21 782 223
> > Skype: arnneisp
> > Mega AS Consulting Ltd.
> > PO Box 55227
> > Phone: +64 9 5759580http://www.megaas.co.nz
> > Mission Bay, Auckland, New Zealand
> > Email: info@m...
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: KG [mailto:kgkg@s...]
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 8:13 PM
> > To: MyLinkedinPowerForum@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [MyLinkedinPowerForum] Enjoying your discussion
> >
> >
> >
> > Just wanted to drop a quick line to let you all know I'm
enjoying your
> > discussion here. I like the focus on quality of connections vs.
> quantity. We
> > designed LinkedIn with this in mind, and we believe for most
users the
> > experience is much better if only connected to people they
know and
> trust.
> >
> >
> >
> > However, we are always open to learning how people want to use
the
> system
> > and to evolve it over time. However, there are usually several
> > constituencies with different needs to balance.
> >
> >
> >
> > Will try to stop by as much as I can and also point some other
LinkedIn
> > employees to this great resource. We're still in the middle of
launching
> > LinkedIn Jobs (expect some national press next week), and my
wife and I
> are
> > expecting our second daughter on Sunday, so it's an especially
busy time
> for
> > me.
> >
> >
> >
> > -Konstantin
> >
> > https://www.linkedin.com/p/kguericke
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> > ADVERTISEMENT
> >
> > ________________________________
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> > To visit your group on the web, go to:
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> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > MyLinkedinPowerForum-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
Service.
>
>
> --
> Bineet Ramrakha
> Analyst
> Synergy IBC
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> ADVERTISEMENT
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
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