LinkedIn

During the initial LinkedIn signup, you may be prompted to add or import contacts. Skip this portion of the signup process and wait until your profile is optimized and you’ve started to share content.

• Once your profile is optimized, and adheres to all guidelines, this is a great way to grow connections easily – you can add email contacts despite any degree of separation you may have on LinkedIn.
• You can reach the email import sync page here.
• You will need to select an email address to sync contacts from. There are several options available, from Gmail to Outlook.

TIP – Make a point to revisit this page quarterly to add any contacts you may have made which you haven’t yet connected with.

Here are a few examples of connections you’ll want to make a habit of making:

• After meeting at conferences, events, any time you establish real-world business connections in your day-to-day activities. This is one of the best ways to grow your network.
• New clients – You can either ask if they’re on LinkedIn or proactively look them up. A simple message like “I’m looking forward to doing business with you, (name)! Thanks for a great meeting today.” could go a long way here.
• Proactively adding prospects with whom you may be able to establish a meaningful connection.You’ll want to use your best judgement and be purposeful here, not spam your entire city. Is there a business that you’ve heard is getting off the ground and may need insurance? Find the owner and message them, giving them context on why you’d like to connect and be supportive in doing so to make a great impression.

On LinkedIn, searching for connections is called “people browsing.” In its basic form, you can find certain individuals by searching for their name when you want to find someone you’ve met. However, there are many ways to filter search results to help you find prospects easily. Please see the People Browsing section toward the bottom of this playbook.

Whenever you send a connection request, we suggest doing it from the profile of the individual you want to connect to. This way, you can make sure you’re able to add a note to your request.

If you’re reaching out to a prospective client (or even a current client!) you need to make a great impression─ especially if it’s your first interaction. “I’d like to connect with you on LinkedIn.” Just doesn’t cut it. You’ll want to maximize the 299 characters you’re allotted to make your prospective client want to connect with you and respond to you.

A framework that captures perfectly how you should frame each connection request is The 5P’s:

Polite, Pertinent, Professional, Personalized, Praiseful¹

These “5 P’s” will make sure you’re able to make a great impression and have a greater chance of a follow-up after an initial reaction. Once you’ve researched a prospect and are ready to make the connection, keep these in mind. While being personal is most definitely encouraged, keep templates for scenarios that you can customize for your common use cases. This will save you valuable time and still allow for effective networking.

1. 5P’s source: MarketingLand