Are you Lotusly Linkedin? Social Networking speaking of course

Those of you that have followed me for the last year or so know I have a group on Linkedin for Lotus Software Professionals.

Having been on Linkedin since it's beta pretty much, you would think I had millions of people connected to me, or I should.

But no, I have a relatively small number, 2,770 direct Connections that link me to 10,011,500+ professionals

But what is interesting is wether you are another BP or just an IT person who likes Lotus, the need or interest of people to belong to a community is impressive. Note to self, must clear the recruiters out better.

Why have the group? It's a passive way to interact with people. Find new roles, new business oportunities, friends in funny places and indulge some other habits, like advertising partnerships. Some people do ask me about advertising which I am open to, if there is a proper fit or benefit to everyone, not just for me, although single malted Scotch is always welcome.

While I try to be helpful in other ways, like answering questions or people's postings for jobs, some of those have become better friends because it's not always about Lotus.

OK, my linkedin update is ALWAYS about Lotus.

But you should try it, some of you will nto want to share your links, unless your links are all CXO's, and some of mine are(would like to shield those few who need to be shielded), what are you afraid of? That you might help someone else?
That is not in the true spirit of Lotus or collaboration is it? after all, why did you join linkedin in the first place if you did not want to share your links?

If you think you are opne to it, and haven't yet, you can join my group here if you have not already. It has over 1,000 members as of this morning. Many of which are Lotus friends or blog readers or twitter followers or ex comrades in arms from my Lotus days.

My goal in the next 6 months is to double our companies revenue...at Microsoft's expense. And averages say 1-2% of the people in my list need my help at least I have a list to work with now. What have you done to prospect lately?