Comments on: How Well Do You Know Your Potential Client?

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 22:43:24 +0000

Ann — I think a lot of people (like me) sign up for these types of sites like LinkedIn and then decide it’s not for them. Some of these make it nearly impossible to delete your account (LinkedIn is a classic example, as I have tried to delete my account several times). So it makes sense that old info would remain up there. I would certainly never go by any info unless I found it on the person’s company website or a blog or something that is updated regularly (as in, you can see the date it was updated).

By: Ann G.

Ann G. — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:29:01 +0000

@Amy – LinkedIn is the exact site. So maybe it’s an issue with them.

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:33:10 +0000

Deb — Great advice. I always stalk before I pitch. My favorite client hired me because I commented regularly on his blog. He eventually emailed me, and we began talks of my working for him. Being a stalker does come in handy sometimes.

Ann — I have found what you’re saying to be particularly true of LinkedIn. I’m not much for social networking, but it seems like every time I google someone and end up on their LinkedIn profile, it’s horribly outdated.

By: Ann G.

Ann G. — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:36:31 +0000

Social Networking sites only work if they’ve been updated. One of my former editors was listed up until very recently as working for MoreFocus though she left six months ago. And since May, MoreFocus has turned from a great place to work to a place that rarely has assignments anymore and I’ve even heard from current writers that the last batch of checks bounced.

What I’ve found is that if you can have an honest conversation with other writers from that company, you’ll generally get a full picture.