Before I begin, does this look all too familiar?
If you've been on LinkedIn long enough, the above should come as no surprise. It amazes me how often I see individuals issue requests without customising their message. Would you approach someone in the middle of the street and ask for their phone number?
Okay, maybe some of you could / would, but the general consensus would be no . In the same manner, why would the recipient add you unless you gave them a good reason to.
So then, what makes a good LinkedIn Invite?
1. First, you need a profile pic. Did you know your profile is 14x more likely to be viewed if you have a profile picture?
2. Personalise your message. It really isn't hard to add a simple 'Hi [Name]'. Here's a great example of a request I received not too long ago. Jillian gets it!
3. Why do you want to add them to your network? Let them know if it's because you will value their content or if you wanted to chat further about a white paper they released.
4. If you met them at a conference or function, remind them. If you haven't met, let them know but then refer to point 3.
5. It doesn't hurt to mention briefly what you're about especially if you have no relationship with the individual.
6 & 7 Finish off with kind words and a warm sign off. Tip: Avoid sending LinkedIn requests from the LinkedIn app using your mobile device as there is no scope to personalise your message. Here's our infographic summarising the great thoughts put together by HubSpot.
This article was originally published on the Webquacker blog.