Why speed dating will never work on LinkedIn

Speed dating wasn’t a thing when I was single, but I know how it works.

Chat with someone for five minutes, a bell rings, and you rotate to the next person.

If you feel a connection, you may go on a date to explore a potential relationship.

I see a lot of people speed dating on LinkedIn.

Throw spaghetti at the wall and see if anything sticks.

If someone responds to your sales pitch, you go on a second date, which they call a discovery call to see if you are a fit.

I’ve been on too many discovery calls, which are thinly veiled sales pitches.

They do most of the talking, selling me on their service.

They do very little listening.

Their goal is to close a deal.

Sure, some discovery calls turn into new clients.

Some turn into long-term clients, but it’s the exception, not the rule.

Most of these transactions are one-hit wonders.

It’s a numbers game.

Blast enough messages at job titles until someone yells “uncle” and agrees to do a discovery call.