How do I approach someone for a meeting on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn has become an invaluable tool for networking and making professional connections. With over 722 million members worldwide, it offers access to a massive pool of professionals across all industries and career levels. One of the most common uses of LinkedIn is to connect with new people and set up informational interviews or meetings. However, many people struggle with how to appropriately approach someone on LinkedIn to request a meeting. Here are some tips on how to effectively and professionally ask for a meeting on LinkedIn.

Do Your Research

Before reaching out to request a meeting, take some time to research the person and their background. Read through their full LinkedIn profile to get a better understanding of their professional experience, skills, interests, education, etc. This will allow you to personalize your outreach message and show that you have taken the time to understand who they are. You can also look through their connections and groups to find any commonalities that you can reference in your message. The more personalized you can make your request, the better chance it will get a positive response.

Make Sure You Have a Shared Connection

One of the best ways to increase your chances of getting a meeting is by being introduced through a mutual connection. Look through your networks on LinkedIn to see if you have any 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree connections with the person you want to meet. If you do, consider reaching out to that shared connection first and ask them to make a personal introduction. People are much more likely to accept a meeting request when it comes recommended from someone they both already know and trust. A warm introduction goes a long way.

Personalize the Connection Request

When reaching out directly without a shared connection, it’s important to personalize the meeting request rather than just sending a generic invitation. Address them by name and mention something specific that caught your attention on their profile, like a previous job, shared interest, group affiliation, etc. Let them know why you would value meeting with them. Make it about starting a mutually beneficial professional relationship, not just asking for something from them.

Explain Why You Want to Meet

Be upfront in your outreach about why you want to connect for a meeting. Share details on your professional background and explain how meeting them can help you learn more about their industry, role, company, etc. Outline what you are hoping to gain from a conversation with them and how it can benefit your own career goals. The more you can explain how the meeting will be worthwhile for both parties, the better chance they will make time on their calendar.

Suggest a Specific Day and Time

Rather than generically asking to connect, increase your chances of getting a meeting scheduled by suggesting a specific day and time that works for you. For example, “I’ll be in your city next Tuesday and would love to take you out for a quick coffee or chat over the phone for 20-30 minutes.” Giving them a concrete date and length of time shows that you value their time and want to schedule something that works for them.

Follow Up Politely

If you don’t hear back on your initial request within a few days, consider sending a polite follow up message. Sometimes messages get buried or overlooked in crowded inboxes. Reach back out mentioning your original request and reiterate your interest in scheduling a meeting. However, don’t aggressively follow up multiple times if they don’t respond. Take the hint if your requests continue to be ignored.

Offer to Provide Value

Rather than just asking for their time, think about ways you can provide value to them in return. Offer to share an interesting article, send over your latest presentation, or make an introduction to someone that would be beneficial. Position the meeting as an opportunity for both parties to help each other out. People are much more likely to accept a meeting if they feel like they will get something out of it too.

Watch Your Tone

It’s important that your outreach comes across as professional and courteous, not pushy or sales-y. Avoid sounding too informal or using emojis/text speak. Don’t try to oversell yourself or be aggressive in your approach. Keep the tone conversational but polite and understanding if they decline or don’t respond. Getting the right tone can influence how receptive someone is to your request.

Suggest a Quick Phone Call

Asking for a short 30 minute phone call, video chat or coffee can seem less intimidating than requesting someone block off a big chunk of time to meet in person. Consider pitching a quick introductory phone call as a first step, and if the conversation goes well you can follow up later to schedule an in-person meeting.

Connect With Them First

If you aren’t already connected with someone on LinkedIn, send them a connection request first before asking directly for a meeting. They are much more likely to accept your invite if you are already connected as LinkedIn contacts versus cold outreaching. Reference any common connections in your customize request note to increase the chance they accept.

Sample Outreach Message

Here is an example personalized message you could send to request a meeting:

Dear [name],

My name is [your name] and I came across your LinkedIn profile after being connected through our mutual friend [shared connection name]. I have been very impressed by your background as [job title] at [company] and your extensive experience in [industry].

I am currently a [your job title] at [your company] trying to expand my professional network within the [industry] space. I would love the opportunity to take you out for a quick coffee chat or 30 minute phone call the week of [date] to introduce myself, learn more about your career journey, and get your insights on the industry.

Please let me know if you might have availability to connect. I’m happy to schedule around a time that works best for your schedule. Thank you for considering, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Best,
[Your name]

Tips for Crafting Your Request

Here are some additional tips when reaching out to request a meeting:

• Keep it short but personalized – 3-4 sentences max.
• Note any common connections or shared experiences you have.
• Compliment their work or something specific on their profile.
• Have a clear objective for the meeting request.
• Suggest a specific date and time for the meeting.
• Be gracious if they decline or can’t meet – don’t take it personally.
• Use a professional but friendly tone.
• Follow up once if you don’t get an initial response.
• Offer to provide value to them in return.

What to Avoid When Requesting a Meeting

There are also some common mistakes to avoid when asking for a meeting:

• Making it all about yourself versus a mutually beneficial conversation.
• Using informal language or emojis.
• Asking right away before building any connection.
• Being vague about the reason for meeting.
• Not suggesting a specific day and time.
• Pressuring them if they decline.
• Making it seem like a sales pitch.
• Contacting too frequently if they don’t respond.
• Forgetting to personalize each request.

Following Up After the Meeting

Once you’ve had the meeting, it’s important to follow up and continue nurturing the relationship:

• Send a thank you message recapping any helpful insights or takeaways from the conversation.
• Connect on other social platforms or exchange contact info for future conversations.
• Share any articles, resources or connections that would add value based on your discussion.
• Consider ways you may be able to collaborate in the future.
• Keep the relationship warm by periodically checking in and updating each other on new developments.
• Offer to return the favor by making introductions or providing advice to them.

The goal is to turn a one-off meeting request into the start of an ongoing professional relationship that benefits you both. With the right approach, LinkedIn can become an invaluable way to grow your network.

Typical Meeting Response Rates on LinkedIn

If you are new to requesting meetings on LinkedIn, you may be wondering what kind of response rate to expect. Typically, acceptance rates for cold outreach meeting requests tend to be low, often less than 20%. However, you can significantly improve your odds through personalization, shared connections, and providing value. Here are some benchmarks:

As you can see, putting in the extra effort to craft thoughtful, personalized requests and utilize your existing connections pays off with much higher meeting acceptance rates. Don’t get discouraged if your early cold outreach attempts get rejected or ignored – learn from each interaction and continuously refine your approach.

Expanding Your Network Organically

In addition to direct outreach, focus on expanding your connections and network organically on LinkedIn by:

• Joining and actively participating in relevant industry groups and discussions.
• Commenting on posts from influencers and thought leaders to get on their radar.
• Seeking out and connecting with alumni from your university or past companies.
• Connecting with people you meet at conferences, events, trade shows, etc.
• Leveraging your connections to obtain introductions to their networks.
• Finding people working in your target companies and roles.
• Connecting with prospects, partners, or clients.

The larger your authentic network, the easier it will be to obtain meetings and access new opportunities. LinkedIn is about building relationships over the long term, not just cold contacting once and moving on.

Tips for a Successful Meeting

Once you’ve secured the meeting, make sure you make the most of it:

• Prepare – Review their background beforehand and come with specific questions in mind.
• Listen – Let them share their experiences and advice instead of dominating the conversation.
• Take notes – Write down any key takeaways, recommendations, or action items.
• Offer value – Share helpful information, resources or contacts.
• Have a clear call-to-action – End the meeting with defined next steps.
• Follow up – Connect again to strengthen the relationship after the meeting.

The goal is to make a strong impression and nurture an ongoing connection that will continue to provide value for you both.

Conclusion

Meeting new people is one of the most valuable ways to grow your professional network and access new opportunities. With over 722 million users, LinkedIn provides an unparalleled platform to connect with just about anyone. However, simply sending random connection invitations will only get you so far. To maximize your odds of a successful meeting, craft thoughtful and personalized requests, do your research beforehand, and focus on creating mutual value. Establish authentic relationships vs just transactional meetings. Follow up consistently after your initial outreach and meetings. In time, this approach will allow you to turn LinkedIn into one of your most powerful networking tools.