Did you get a personalized love note from LinkedIn recently? Please say no….
You did? Oh…
I’m feeling less and less special by the minute.
Did yours look something like this?
When I first read my personalized, ego boosting email from LinkedIn, I swooned. My body felt all tingly inside. My heart rate went up to 11. My face glowed.
Thankfully, nobody was around to see me looking like a love-sick puppy.
Staring at the computer screen, I sat in my office chair for several minutes, basking in the recognition. LinkedIn–one of the best looking and most popular social media platforms on the web, noticed little ‘ol me?
*Sigh*
And they didn’t just notice me… They made me feel like a KING. I’m a 5%er, baby!
So then, with waves of infatuation crashing down on me, I jumped on every social media platform I could and shouted like a love struck schoolboy running down the street,”She loves me! Look at the note she gave me! See! It’s right here in her own handwriting!”
I wasn’t myself for the next few days. A continuous smile on my face brought puzzled looks from my family.
But eventually, like all romances, the goo-goo ga-ga stage was squashed by reality.
In my case, the thrill left when I acknowledged the truth… Somebody was cheating.
I had been played.
After the Honeymoon Stage
Seeds of suspicion began sprouting in my mind.
So, I took a closer look at this relationship. Started doing the math. Googled my suitor. Talked with friends on Twitter and Google+ about this whole thing.
Then, it hit me at 3 a.m. the other night.
I was played by a two timer two hundred million timer.
Crushed. Betrayed. I listened to Scott Walker tunes for days.
[Cue song Big Louise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ-NPo-s9IE ]
Brilliant Marketing Campaign from LinkedIn
Okay, you can stop worrying about me. I’m obviously just having a little fun here.
As a copywriter and marketer, I think the Top Percent campaign by LinkedIn is pretty ingenious.
They did a fantastic job making frequent users of their site to feel really good about themselves. This marketing campaign tapped into our vanity. Gave us the recognition we crave. Tickled our ego. Stroked us so seductively, most of us who received the Top Percent love letter, er, email, ended up talking about LinkedIn on other social media platforms.
And people who didn’t get one of these emails ended up feeling left behind. Another brilliant strategy called the “velvet rope” technique. Who knows how many of those people started using LinkedIn more frequently as a result of this campaign?
I’m just in awe, actually. As a business writer, I can greatly appreciate what LinkedIn has done here. And glean ideas from it to help my own clients.
MONEY FACTOR
LinkedIn Consultant Andy Foote wrote a great article about this called Insights into the Top Percent LinkedIn Marketing Campaign.
One thing he revealed is the potential money-making component to this marketing strategy.
Here’s How Theses Flattering Emails Make Money
Millions of LinkedIn users were told that their profile was one of the most viewed profiles out of 200 million total users. Some were in the top 2%. Others 5%. Some 10%.
Regardless of the group these people fell into, one common result likely occured: They got curious and considered upgrading their membership to see who all their visitors are.
Here’s why: Most LinkedIn members use the free basic service, and as a result, cannot see every person who views their profile. Most people normally don’t mind this. But if LinkedIn says you get more views than 90% of all users, you might get real curious who is checking out your profile.
So for only $95.40 per year ($7.95 per month) you can discover the identity of every profile visitor you get.
Let’s do the math: If LinkedIn has 200 million users, and you were in the top 5% of most viewed profiles (like me), that means you were one of 10 million people to receive this email. (Still devastated by this. I’m kidding.)
If only 20% of these folks wanted to upgrade their account to see everyone who views their profile, that’s 2 million people paying $7.95 per month…which means LinkedIn makes $15 million per month!
Impressive, indeed.
No Love Lost Between Us
As a freelancer, I love LinkedIn. I have met so many incredible people through this platform.
I like how LinkedIn is…
*all about business
*fun to use
*a good source for finding clients
And I appreciate the little kiss they blew my way this week.
Maybe this year I’ll reach the LinkedIn 2% club?
Hmm… better go log in and see what’s going on.
Kaboomis Copy 