In our first article on LinkedIn Newbies we talked about different types of publications you may have on your LinkedIn profile. We showed you how they can help you present yourself as a professional and be found by others.
In “Growing Your Followers on LinkedIn” we give some valuable advice on how you could start growing your company’s network by growing your own. But having a lot of connections on LinkedIn does not mean you have successfully built a network that can help you grow as a professional.
In this article we’ll focus on what you can do as a newbie to develop “an actual connection with your connections” on LinkedIn. Here are 8 things we suggest you try.
1. Say “Thank you!”
This is a staple of Netiquette in LinkedIn, but a lot of users forget about it. Send a “Thank you” message after connecting with someone. This applies to connections you made on and off LinkedIn. By sending a “Thank you” message you demonstrate good manners, but also indicate that you’re open for a conversation.
2. Reach out to people who view your profile
There is a good reason the “Who viewed your profile” feature to exist on LinkedIn. There are differences between the Basic and Premium versions of Who’s Viewed Your Profile features on LinkedIn. The latter gives you the opportunity to see the entire list of viewers from the past 90 days, viewer trends, insights.
This is important because in the professional network viewing someone’s profile is usually a sign of interest for potential partnership. Don’t disregard it.
Lindsey Boggs, Salesforce Top Influencer 2021, shared her successful results using this strategy for gaining new leads, recruitment, research and even closing business deals. Read the full article here.
When you reach out to people who viewed your profile (regardless whether they are already your connections or not) find a common interest or a connection and use it as an ice breaker in your message.
3. Congrats on your new role!
LinkedIn is amazing in the way that the platform makes sure you have a lot of opportunities to connect with people in your network. Send a kind message with congratulation to a connection that started a new job or position, finished a course or marked one more year working at their company.
This is a great way to show you care about someone, you value their work and admire their accomplishments. This can also be used as a great way to reconnect or learn more about someone’s work or company. Write a short but personal message and you’ll be surprised at people’s responses.
4. Be proactive
Comment and react to posts by people in your network to show them you pay attention to their content. This is also a great way to share your opinion, your experience or expertise.
5. Share an article or а post
Share an article or an interesting post by someone in your network. Tag them and continue the conversation by messaging them. They will definitely appreciate the interest and the time you took!
This is a great way to show interest in a certain topic and willingness to “share the spotlight” and share knowledge. As Matshona Dhliwayo said “You become strong by lifting others up, not pulling them down”.
6. Make it personal
“I read this great article about greek philosophy and I immediately remembered you had an interest in the field” is a great way to start a conversation! Well, your connections may not be interested in the classics as much as the author of this article, but showing someone you care about their interests and more important – you share them, is always a good way to establish a great connection. Share an article or an upcoming event with a simple description. That will be enough.
7. Ask a question
LinkedIn is a place you get to share your experience or expertise, but also a place you can reach out to other professionals and ask them for guidance and advice. Yes, there is a chance you can be ignored, but there is also a great chance you’ll learn something valuable, or make yourself visible to someone who will become important in your future career. Take a chance and look for advice and recommendations on LinkedIn.
8. Involve your connections in a charity cause
When we talked about “What to Post When You Are New on LinkedIn” we said it is important to let your connections learn about you as a person by sharing causes you support and charities you fund, information about themes that personally interest you. Why not try to Involve others in a charity you care about?
This does not mean you need to ask your connections to donate money or hours of their time. It may be a call to participate in a petition or awareness campaign. Share it personally with a message explaining why this cause is important for you to those among your connections who you think would share your passion and respond with an open heart. What a great way to connect with someone!
Regardless of how you’ll try to strengthen the bond with your connections on LinkedIn, remember to be always polite and respectful of others’ time. The best way to make a great impression on your LinkedIn connections is to be honest and genuine.
As you build your LinkedIn network don’t miss other LinkedIn for Newbies articles.
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