There are a number of effective ways for you to invite people to connect with you on LinkedIn. Conversely, there are plenty of ways to alienate potential connections when you send them a note with your invite.

Perhaps as part of your plans for expanding your LinkedIn involvement, you want to increase the number of your connections. Before you create your own strategy for inviting people to connect with you, reflect on how you use LinkedIn.

If you use it mainly to grow your business, you will likely reach out to potential clients and referral partners. If you use it to share information of value related to your field, you may broaden your circle of connections.

 

Should I Send a Personalized Note with My LinkedIn Invite?

In many cases, it is advisable for you to include a personalized note with your invite. You have up to 300 characters for this note. However, if you already know the person pretty well, you might want to skip the note.

When you invite someone to connect via the LinkedIn website, LinkedIn prompts you to send a note. However, when sending invites via the LinkedIn app, you need to take a couple extra steps to send the note.

The following article “Reach Out: How to Connect with Someone on LinkedIn” gives the steps for sending personalized notes via the LinkedIn app. Plus, it provides a number of tips about sending invites to connect on LinkedIn. Many of the suggestions in this blog post come from this article.

 

How to Personalize Your Note

  • In the note, tell the person how you know them, e.g. the two of you met at a networking function.
  • Give a reason for the two of you to connect on LinkedIn. If you share a target market and have related services, it could make sense to connect.
  • Reference a post of theirs that you found helpful or a meeting at which they spoke. Compliment them, but don’t overdo it.
  • If appropriate, reference a shared experience, such as the college you both attended or a place you both worked.
  • Another type of shared experience to reference is your mutual involvement in a professional, community or volunteer organization.

 

What to Avoid When Sending a Connection Invite

  • Don’t use generic phrases, especially compliments, that could be said to anyone. Here’s an example of what I mean: “I see you do impressive work! As an entrepreneur, I am always looking to connect and surround myself with high-level people like you. So, I thought it would make sense for us to connect if you are open to it.”
  • Don’t start pitching the services of your company in your personalized invite. Or if they accept your invite, don’t send the new connection a sales pitch in a LinkedIn message. In fact, whenever someone is too pitchy in a note or a follow up message, I tend to block them.
  • Don’t lead with something like: “I see we both live in colorful Colorado.” Just because a person lives in the same state as you doesn’t mean they have any interest in connecting with you.

 

How About You?

What kinds of personalized notes make you likely to accept a LinkedIn invite? What approach do you take when writing these notes? What kinds of notes annoy you the most?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 50 and up, to become more effective using social media, especially Facebook and LinkedIn. She works with business owners, nonprofit organizations, job seekers, consultants, and many others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.