Tag Archives: networking

LinkedIn is Greedy

Posted on April 14, 2009 | 14 Comments

linkedinlogo

LinkedIn is greedy.  They work hard to get you to upgrade to a premium account and then make it nearly impossible for you to downgrade back to the free version.   

They intentionally hide the steps to downgrade, make those steps as manual as possible, and don’t remind you that you are paying for their premium services.  All together, this clearly shows a pattern of intentional behavior designed specifically to keep you paying for their service and to discourage you from downgrading to the free service when you realize the premium services are not worth the money.

A few highlights:

  • Upgrading to premium account is extremely simple and painless.  They clearly know how to design a sign-up process effectively. 
  • Once upgraded, there is no clear method to downgrade your account. 
  • There is absolutely nowhere within your account settings or emails you get from LinkedIn that provides details of how to cancel the premium service.
  • They charge you in advance and require you to pay for the full 30 days even if you want to cancel immediately. 
  • There are no emails sent out to remind you of your monthly premium subscription.

Let me take you through the sign-up and cancellation process.  You can then come to your own conclusions.

Sign-up is a cake (click to see a larger version):

upgrade-sm

Here are the “terms” you agree to during the sign-up process.  This is the only place now or later that you are told how to cancel: 

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The value of personal and professional networking

Posted on June 20, 2008 | 1 Comment

handshakeIt is nearly impossible to overstate how critical your personal and professional network is and yet most of us, myself included, don’t spend enough effort building and maintaining it.  Those that are most successful in business (and in life) almost always have an extensive network of people that know and trust.  Ask them and they will tell you that a direct introduction or word-of-mouth referral from a trusted friend or colleague is the single best way to build that network of people you know and work with. 

Over the past 10 years I can honestly say that I have done a bad job of building and maintaining my own network.  There’s always a reason, an excuse, but unless you actively work on it, that network won’t be there when you most need it.  I turned a small software company, WebEvent, into a venture-funded firm shortly after the first Internet bubble burst.  I had lots of opportunities to build my personal and professional network at that time (and ever since) but was always too busy; there always seemed to be too many other priorities.  I am now building my second startup, VendorCity, which is a business-to-business vendor recommendation site and am having to rebuild and expand my network.  What I am finding is that not only is it critical (and effective) but I am truly enjoying the experience of getting to meet and know all of these great people.   

So, I highly suggest that you find and cultivate personal and business relationships by going to networking events in your field (and related fields).  For me, I’ve recently joined:

and have attended the following networking events:

  • MIT Enterprise Forums of New Hampshire (we did a skydive presentation pitch)
  • NH Entrepreneur of the Year
  • WebNOB (Web North of Boston – meetup in Manchester)
  • NSWG (North Shore Web Geeks – meetup in Newburyport)
  • PopSignal (networking event in Boston)

Also looking at going to the WebInno group event in July, local meetups in NH and Mass, as well as the Boston Mashable event in August.  If you know of any others, please drop me a line or post a comment.

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Posted in networking

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