I don't know how many of you use LinkedIn, but they have groups you can join. I have not yet figured out a use for the groups other than you can contact other members of the group easily. There are now 5 telecom groups (that I know of):
- CrossConnects: Telecom Sales Professionals Group
- Telecom Agents
- Telecom Business Daily
- Telecommunications Professionals Network
- iTelco
All have the same members MOL. My guess is that so many folks are still trying to figure out how to monetize LI and Facebook. It isn't about getting sales. It is about GIVING. Give referrals. Share knowledge. You have to give before you get. The more you give, the more you get but that doesn't mean you get want you want, but you might get what you need.
I am the Group Manager of CrossConnects on LinkedIn.
Here is the skinny.
CrossConnects was started just two months ago and is now one of the fastest growing business networks in all of LinkedIn. We are now over 1,700 members and have just launched companion groups for Latin America, East and south Asia and Europe.
The Group is dedicated to connecting people who sell and market Telecommunications Services and Telephony Products to the business enduser. We are focused on organic growth and networking as a means of creating both business opportunity and professional development for everyone involved As such, we have an open enrollment policy to facilitate growth in breath and depth of our community on a global basis.
The idea is actually very simple. We have indentified five groups of people all marketing to mid-market Telecom Managers. While some members directly compete within their group, leveraging relationships with salespeople in the other groups is a way to drive more referral business and gain both visibility and opportunity in the local marketplace.
The groups include Telephony Hardware and Software reps. Cabling and Maintenance shops, Carrier sales reps, Resellers, various Telecom Consultants and Telecom Expense Management providers. If you belong to any of these groups you are welcome to join.
We do have a goal of moving to our own website as a means of broadening the networking capabily.
If we choose to monetize the concept it would likely be in the area of job postings rather than a fee to subscribe. but that is a ways off.
[email protected]
Steve,
I appreciate you replying (even if it was with a commercial). So you have a big number of members. My point was that the same people in your group are the same folks in the other LinkedIn Telecom Groups. There's no benefit to belonging to all of them. And since there really isn't any discussion or education or anything else going on within any of these groups, the only reason people would join is to add numbers to their contact list.
And while looking through these lists there are quite a few who have nothing to do with Telecom.
Steve, you mention that your group will "drive referrals" but people don't give referrals to people they don't know. A referral is me lending you my reputation and by extension if you mess up, my rep gets hurt. So how would referrals flow in a group without any means of communicating (other than the LI message system which many folks have problems with)?
To me, these groups are a way for the organizer to make money (at some point). I'm sure people will argue with me about this, but its a race to add as many folks to your network as possible - with little communication with those you add. How are they a referral source? The only information flow is that I have been added to countless "newsletters" whose value is questionable.
Thanks.
Peter