My last post was on networking pet peeves, and one of my big ones is how people ask to connect on LinkedIn.
I get a lot of requests where people claim to be my friend or say they’ve done business with me. Sorry, meeting me once at a networking event doesn’t make you my friend. I know they are doing it to get around the requirement to add an email address but it’s not the best way. Now, I’m aware that when using a LinkedIn app, on your smartphone or tablet, sometimes you don’t have to claim a relationship or add a personal message, which is why, when requesting connections, I always use the LinkedIn website. Yes, it’s a bit more of a hassle, but it gives me more options.
In a moment, I’ll talk about good request messages, but let’s start with, “I’d really like to connect to this person, but I can’t claim a relationship, and I don’t have their email address.” No worries. You have two good options, and no, a Premium account with InMail isn’t one of them.
The best way to do this is to plan your request in advance. You need two messages, one for your contact, and the other for the person you want to be connected to.
Tell your contact in a few sentences why you want him to forward the connection request. Don’t beg, and don’t be long-winded, but make a quick, strong case.
Example: “Juli, I’m looking to network with more people in the financial services industry. I see you are connected to _____. Could you please forward a connection request? I think he’d be a great resource for my clients.”
Oh yeah. If I got that, I’d definitely forward it. It’s respectful and has obvious potential for my contact. Does the fictional person probably want access to my connection’s clients? Sure, but at least the request is classy enough to find another reason than “it’s all about ME.”
The next message should also be short but contain a good value statement. What’s in it for her to connect to you?
Example: “____, I see you are connected to Juli Monroe. I trust her opinion of people, and I’d really appreciate a connection to you. I have one financial planner I refer regularly, but she’s not right for all my clients. From what I see on your profile, you might be a perfect resource for some of my clients. If you’re willing to connect to me, I’d appreciate an opportunity to speak further to you about how I could refer you.”
A bit of targeted flattery is always good. Remember that both I and my contact will see both messages, so you want to be careful with both of them.
See how it works? Sure it takes more time than selecting “Friend,” but it will get you a lot more.
Don’t have a connection in common? There’s another good way. LinkedIn considers a common Group membership to be valid. So join a Group the other person belongs to and use that as the link. I get lots of connection requests this way because I’m fairly active in a couple of different Groups, and I don’t mind them and almost always accept them. You can personalize the request with a message like the one I used above.
Again, takes a bit longer than selecting “Friend,” but networking is a long-term strategy. Taking a bit more time now can pay off big in the end.