Expanding your LinkedIn network is a great way to discover new business and/or career opportunities.
I am a true believer that our networks of people, including our LinkedIn network is one of the most important assets we have in life. My career and business have been significantly influenced by my diverse networks of people.
For these reasons I encourage you to work hard and deliberately to expand your LinkedIn network. However, I want you to do this work the right way.
It’s rather easy to connect with people who you know, who you have worked with or for. It’s real easy to connect with people you meet in real life, especially once you get their email address.
However, sometimes we’ll find another LinkedIn member that we don’t know who we want to connect with. We don’t know them, have not worked with them or for them and don’t know their email address, yet we still want to connect with them because of what they do or where they work.
Most people will use the LinkedIn Introduction function. LinkedIn permits up to 10 open Introductions at a time.
However, I prefer not to use this feature because it does not allow me to:
- Determine the relationship between the two LinkedIn members
- Control the introduction process
For this reason I prefer to use my own unique process to get introduced:
- Find a mutual connection that you have a good relationship with.
- Either call or email your connection and ask them this:
- Do you know this person I want to connect with well?
- Is this person someone you think I should connect with?
- If so, please send this person an email, copy me on the message and introduce me to them regarding (what you do).
- If they do not know the person well, ask them to do nothing and look for another person to introduce you.
The benefit of this type of an introduction is:
- It’s far more personal (even if via email)
- You can get a warm introduction from a verified mutual connection
- You get the other person’s email address
Once you receive the email from your mutual connection, wait a day or so for a reply from your future connection before you follow up with your own email message.
Additionally, now that you have the LinkedIn member’s email address, you can send a LinkedIn connection request using the connection type of “Other”. Be sure to include a Personal Note mentioning your mutual connection and the reason for your connection request.
The only time this type of Introduction has not worked was when the person I wanted to connect with did not use LinkedIn. However, this isn’t a problem. I have a warm introduction and their email address, I can reach out to them in other ways if LinkedIn is not a tool they use.
Get introduced to new connections through your existing network. The relationships you can make this way you can help and who can help you.
Using LinkedIn properly is how you get the greatest value from your time investment in this business tool. I enjoy coaching and training individuals on the best practices of using LinkedIn.
Visit LinkedIn Coaching Program if you want help with LinkedIn.
* This post was written by Career Confidential LinkedIn Expert Teddy Burriss of Burriss Consulting, Inc. Follow Teddy Burriss on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook to learn more about his Social Media Coaching and Career Transition services.