Endorsements can form the foundation of a super-athlete or celebrity’s retirement plan. Athletes prominently display certain watches when hoisting trophies or wear a specially designed shoe while celebrities become the face of a major beauty campaign or clothing brand.
We see parched athletes in television commercials guzzling beverages as if they were life-giving. They may like and trust the product they are endorsing, or they may not. In many cases, it comes down to the health of their RRSP or 401-K. From a brand’s perspective, the spokesperson is carefully selected based on a number of different factors related to awareness, audience segmentation, and relevancy. These types of arrangements are not made on a whim, they are cautiously approached by both sides to ensure the association will be well-accepted in the public eye.
When it comes to business, endorsements should work the same way. Having an industry influencer publicly endorse you as a professional because of your expertise can open up doors for you when it comes to lead generation for new business or job prospecting. When one professional endorses another they are saying, “I am staking my reputation on this person’s ability to create value for others. I know their work and I trust them.” There is a certain amount of accountability placed on the receiver of the endorsement to follow through when someone has stuck their neck out for them.
What happens next? Is an endorsement a two-way street? Is it a case of, “I endorsed you so you must endorse me?” With the introduction of social channels into the business realm, the answer to this question has become blurred.
A colleague was recently endorsed on LinkedIn by another professional for her expertise in a service she doesn’t provide. She wondered what motivated her “endorser.” Was he trying to support her business? Did he want to be professionally associated with her? Should she now feel obligated to endorse his services? Or should she ignore his endorsement as it misrepresented her and could potentially be embarrassing if a prospect contacted her seeking those services?
The last option is the wise choice.
If I were endorsed for a service I don’t provide, say software development, I would disregard it, but happily refer a colleague when the situation warrants it.
When I endorse another professional, I make sure I know exactly what he or she does so I don’t endorse them incorrectly and risk appearing insincere in the process. A misstep like this can hurt them and me when they realize I am not really interested in helping them, only myself. It comes down to relationship building in business. Your relationship will grow and be maintained if you are sincerely interested in what the other person does. It means adding a personal touch to digital interaction.
I have spoken with a number of “serial endorsers” who rack up as many as a dozen endorsements in rapid succession of people they admit they don’t know but want to do business with. They liken this approach to cold calling, that age-old marketing tactic now under siege by many. Serial endorsers dilute the value of the endorsement process for others who take real pains in deciding to endorse someone – or not.
Endorsing others is generous when done selectively and authentically. It makes us feel good. And it can also be a wise business decision. After all, we are judged by the company we keep.
This article was originally posted on LinkedIn.
