Write something personal and show that you care.
That’s my first question when I check my LinkedIn Invitations tab, to see who’s trying to connect with me.
Typically, it would be someone from my professional past, long before LinkedIn existed. It could be a friend. It might also be someone I’ve recently met at a networking event.
Far too often it’s someone I’ve never met or heard of. I don’t know why they want to connect with me because they don’t tell me. They use the LinkedIn invitation template, which says “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” They could have replaced that with up to 300 characters of text that actually means something to me.
If I don’t know the person that is trying to connect with me, I expect some due diligence on their part. I’m open to connecting if they:
- Take the time to create a personal message;
- Explain that they viewed my profile and saw that we had something in common, or that they are interested in what I do;
- Suggest how I can be of professional use to them;
- Propose how they might be of use to me;
- Ask for the connection.
It doesn’t hurt to thank me for my time and wish me a nice day.
If none of these elements exist, I don’t connect. I don’t even respond. It’s a waste of my time. I’m a nice guy and an enthusiastic communicator, but please show me that you care. Call it a worthwhile five-minute investment.
If you wish to connect on LinkedIn with someone that you don’t know, here’s an idea of what your request might look like:
Hello Kate, I see in your profile that we share a strong background in financial planning. Your experience with small business owners is of interest to me and my company. We are seeking someone like you. Would you like to connect?
Or…
Hello Daniel, I viewed your profile and am intrigued by your business. You put a terrific new spin on the flea market concept. I like your website and feel I could add value – and increase your business – with my video, animation and graphics services. Would you like to connect?
The idea is to be conversational, sincere, flattering and interested. All of these can be easily achieved by just taking a few minutes. Otherwise, why even bother to request an invitation? The connection will have no value. It will accomplish nothing.
Showing that you care is a big part of being professional, and that doesn’t change on LinkedIn.
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