Another great evening at the very new ‘’The Studio’’ purpose designed events venue (http://studiovenues.co.uk/venues/glasgow/ ) with a new platoon of LinkedIn Cadets, learning how to use LinkedIn as a business development and marketing tool. Driving new business, referral business and visibility, that all equates to growth.
LinkedIn is a superb B2B tool enabling users to achieve consistent success in using the platform to generate new clients, referrals and ‘go to’ expert status.
One cadet asked a very common question ‘what do I do with all these unsolicited connections request?’
Miles of LinkedIn Success Systems replied: “Unfortunately most people delete them which is lost opportunity’.
‘’Most people hit ‘connect’ without personalising their message which comes across as awkward and rude. Let’s face it you wouldn’t walk up to someone and give them a business card and walk off again. LinkedIn is no different, what you do offline you do online. However I am more forgiving on LinkedIn as most people thinking hitting the connect button is the way to go – without the benefit of a bit of training they feel they are doing the right thing. ALWAYS personalise your connection requests.
Unsolicited connection request are massive gifts for three reasons;
- Its an opportunity to open up a relationship, even if it came in from the cold. Nothing ventured nothing gained – turn it around and treat it as an opener.
- You may only work with a focused proportion of your database, which I understand, however your need ‘reach’ and by adding an unsolicited connection requests network to yours, builds ‘reach’. You must look beyond the 1st degree as they may have no obvious direct benefit and the hidden benefits may lie in the 2nd degree network.
- If you acknowledge unsolicited connection requests with a thank you and open the relationship…. they tend to amplify your shares…. boosting your visibility.
So, in a nutshell I apply three processes for unsolicited connection request; I check out their profile, if they seem ‘ok’ I accept, then I ALWAYS acknowledge the request with a thank you and an opener.
LinkedIn Success Systems are business development systems for business growth and brand building.
Designed for businesses of all sizes – all sectors – by business development experts.
A combination of 30 years’ experience and many many clients has perfected these systems.
Easy to learn through a choice of learning methods to suit teams or you.
