Social Selling Without the Cringe: Authentic Relationship Building in the Age of LinkedIn Spam
Written by Vedanth Vombatkere
Let's be honest—most of us have developed a LinkedIn-specific eye twitch. You know the one. It triggers every time you see yet another "I'm humbled to announce..." post about someone's incredibly average achievement, or when your inbox pings with another "Hey there, superstar!" message from someone who definitely copy-pasted it to 87 other people that morning.
LinkedIn Has Become a Dumpster Fire (But We Still Need It)
Remember when LinkedIn was supposed to be the "professional network"? Now it's turned into some bizarre hybrid of humble-brag central, performative work theater, and the digital equivalent of that guy at networking events who hands you his business card before asking your name.
Between the "broetry" posts (you know—those ones with... single line... paragraphs... for dramatic effect... #hustle #grind #blessed)
And the self-appointed "thought leaders" sharing revolutionary insights like "be nice to your employees" as if they've discovered gravity, it's getting harder to find the actual humans buried in the feed.
The Secret Nobody Admits: We're All Exhausted by This
Every time someone posts a 2,000-word essay about how losing their goldfish taught them resilience and made them a better CEO, a small part of all of us dies inside. Yet we're caught in this weird professional FOMO loop—afraid that if we don't participate in the performative networking circus, we'll miss out on opportunities.
But here's the thing: real professionals are craving genuine connection more than ever.
Breaking Through Without Breaking Everyone's B.S. Detector
So how do you connect with people when everyone's defences are at maximum strength? By being refreshingly, almost shockingly... normal.
Actually Read What People Post (Revolutionary Concept, I Know)
Before hitting "connect," take five whole minutes to understand who you're reaching out to. I know, I know—this cuts into your valuable time of crafting LinkedIn posts about your morning routine, but trust me, it's worth it.
When you comment on someone's post with something more thoughtful than "Great insights!" people notice. They might even think, "Wait, did this person actually read what I wrote?" (Spoiler: they did, and that's exactly why it works).
Drop the Corporate Robot Voice
If your message includes phrases like "synergistic opportunity" or "leverage our core competencies," please step away from the keyboard and reflect on your life choices.
Write like you actually talk. If you wouldn't say it over coffee, don't say it in a message. Unless you actually talk about "driving impactful outcomes" at coffee shops, in which case, we need to have a different conversation.
Video sourced by Brand24
The "Don't Be a LinkedIn Stereotype" Checklist
Ask yourself:
- Am I about to use the phrase "I'm excited to share"? (If yes, reconsider)
- Is my profile picture a forced serious-but-approachable headshot that took 47 attempts?
- Have I ever referred to myself as a "visionary," "guru," or "ninja"?
- Do I post inspirational quotes over sunset backgrounds?
- Have I written about how waking up at 4:30 am changed my life?
If you answered yes to any of these, you might be part of the problem. But don't worry—recovery is possible.
Play the Long Game (Because It Actually Works)
Here's the wildest part about authentic relationship building: it takes longer but actually works. While everyone else is busy crafting the perfect "viral" post about their entrepreneurial journey that began when they were selling lemonade at age six, you could be having real conversations that lead to real opportunities.
Build connections before you need them. Share things that are actually helpful. Comment when you genuinely have something to add. And maybe, just maybe, save the humblebrags for your mom (who's legally obligated to be impressed).
The Revolutionary Approach: Just Be a Normal Human Being
In the strange performance art piece that LinkedIn has become, simply being authentic has somehow become the most disruptive strategy of all.
So go ahead—be the person who doesn't start every message with "Hope this finds you well!" Be the one who admits that sometimes work is just work. Be someone who values actual relationships over connection counts.
Because in a sea of "LinkedIn Lunatics" (you know exactly who I'm talking about), being refreshingly real isn't just a relief—it's remarkably effective.
