Remember To Close Your Questions!

If you're active on LinkedIn, you may have either asked or answered the many questions found on the site's Answer tab. It's a terrific feature where members can ask very specific questions and receive valuable insights from professionals who generously offer their expertise - expertise not so easily gained elsewhere. Some people ask questions that involve business challenges in their organizations; some are looking for a broader perspective for crafting a blog post; while others may use the insights to educate students in undergraduate and graduate classrooms.

Unfortunately, people who take time to answer questions too often discover that it's a thankless task - literally. In many cases, the member asking the question neither writes a quick note of thanks nor properly "closes" the question to acknowledge helpful responses. I can see how it can be easy to forget sometimes, but that doesn't make it right.

As the questioner, you should treat those who take the time to answer your questions as "clients." It's a small courtesy considering that you're asking for their help. I've answered a number of questions on Linkedin, so I know how much time it can take to offer a thoughtful response. Next time you ask a question on LinkedIn, remember to acknowledge those who took time out of their day to respond and don't forget to "close" the question after the allotted period has expired.

Thank you for reading!

Good Answers, Best Answer

From time to time, I'll ask a question on Linkedin to extend the conversation or get different points of view on various client service related topics. Most recently, I used the forum to ask a question based on a post by Edward Boches at Mullen's new team blog relentlessPR. (A blog for which I also write). The question was: "Is An Ad Agency The Best Place To Practice PR?"

As usual in this forum, I received some very thoughtful answers. While the question is closed, you can visit Linkedin to read how people responded. On Linkedin, when you close a question you're asked to rate the answers. This time, I only marked the Good Answers but did not select a Best Answer. A cope out? Maybe, but in their own way each of the good answers was excellent and there was no reason to arbitrarily distinguish one over the others.

The fact is, the more I thought about it and based on re-reading Edward's post, I could have asked a better question. I should have asked: "As a PR Professional, can you better serve your client's needs working from an integrated agency or a traditional PR firm? (If anyone has any thoughts on that, feel free to weigh in).

In the meantime, I just want to thank everyone who takes time to offer their insights to the questions on Linkedin and who takes time to leave comments on blogs. It's not always easy, but without you there is no conversation. I learn from you all every day. Don't worry about leaving the best answer; just add your individual perspective to the fabric of the conversation. We'll all be richer for it.