Asking someone to connect on LinkedIn can seem daunting, but it’s an important part of networking and building your professional brand. With the right approach, you can make requesting LinkedIn connections seamless and effective. Here are some quick tips on how to ask for a LinkedIn connection via email:
– Personalize the request by addressing the recipient directly by name.
– Remind them how you know each other or where you met to provide context.
– Briefly explain why you’d like to connect on LinkedIn and how it can benefit both of you.
– Suggest meeting up for coffee or a phone call to continue the relationship.
– Close politely with a call to action to connect on LinkedIn.
Being thoughtful and transparent about why you want to connect makes the process more genuine. It’s also wise to proofread for typos and mistakes before hitting send. With a well-crafted request, you can start building meaningful LinkedIn relationships.
Crafting an Effective LinkedIn Connection Email
When asking someone to connect on LinkedIn, your outreach email needs to be polite, direct and thoughtful. Here are some best practices to craft an effective request:
– **Keep it brief yet personal** – Your email should be concise yet personable. Aim for no more than 2-3 paragraphs. Include a warm greeting addressing them by name and jog their memory of where/when you met.
– **Remind them who you are** – Since they may not remember you right away, gently remind them of where you met or your relationship. Provide 1-2 sentence context of how you know each other.
– **Explain why you want to connect** – Articulate the main reason you’d like to connect on LinkedIn. Be transparent about hoping to keep in touch, seeking career advice or discussing business opportunities.
– **Make it mutually beneficial** – Emphasize how connecting on LinkedIn can be valuable for both parties, not just you. Show them what’s in it for them.
– **Include a call to action** – Close your email by encouraging them to connect on LinkedIn. Provide a link to your profile or suggest exchanging profile links.
– **Mind your manners** – Use proper etiquette including a warm sign-off like “Best regards”. Proofread before sending.
Following these steps can help you craft a polite, compelling request that gets accepted.
Best Practices for Wordcrafting Your Request
Beyond the structure, the actual wording of your request matters too. Here are some writing tips when asking someone to connect on LinkedIn:
– **Use a warm, enthusiastic tone** – A friendly tone goes a long way. Be upbeat and excited about the prospect of connecting.
– **Keep it natural but professional** – Find a balance between formal and casual language. You want to sound natural but still professional.
– **Proofread carefully** – Double check for typos, grammar errors and accidental miscommunications.
– **Be concise and direct** – Don’t ramble or beat around the bush. Get to the point promptly.
– **Avoid assumptions** – Don’t assume they remember you. Refresh their memory instead.
– **Focus on shared values** – Highlight common ground and interests between you.
– **Follow up if needed** – If they don’t respond, follow up in 7-10 days. But don’t harass them.
– **Express gratitude** – Thank them for considering and close politely with gratitude.
With care and finesse, you can craft an effective, eloquent request that gets accepted. The devil is in the details.
Best Times to Send Your Request
When you ask someone to connect on LinkedIn also matters. Here are some tips on timing:
– **Morning** – Try to send your request early in the morning before they get bogged down with emails.
– **Midweek** – Tuesday – Thursday tend to be good days to reach people. Avoid busy Mondays or laidback Fridays.
– **Non-holiday weeks** – Don’t ask during major holidays or when people are likely on vacation.
– **When it’s top of mind** – If you just met them, request quickly while the encounter is fresh.
– **Avoid year-end** – Many people have extra personal commitments at year end. Best to avoid.
Also consider their role and industry norms. For example, sales professionals start early, so aim for 8-9 AM. Executives are harder to pin down, so persistence and timing experiments are key. Apply common sense based on what you know about their schedule.
Sending Reminders
If they haven’t responded after 1-2 weeks, it’s reasonable to send a friendly reminder. Here are some tips for effective LinkedIn connection reminder emails:
– Keep it casual and concise – A simple 1-2 line email is all you need.
– Remind them who you are and where you met – Jog their memory without sounding annoyed.
– Reiterate why you want to connect – Copy key phrases from your original ask.
– Suggest trying higher on the hierarchy if they don’t respond – For example, if an HR coordinator hasn’t responded, try reaching out to their HR director.
– When in doubt, move on – If someone clearly isn’t interested, don’t harass them. Simply move on.
– Change the time/day you’re emailing – Try early morning or midweek when they’re less busy.
– Follow up once or twice more, then let it go – Persistence is good but don’t overdo it.
With a friendly, polite reminder or two, you can pick up any LinkedIn connection requests that fall through the cracks. But know when to walk away and redirect your efforts elsewhere.
Troubleshooting Rejected Requests
It stings when someone rejects your LinkedIn connection request. When this happens, stay composed and take the high road. Here are some ways to troubleshoot:
– **Don’t take it personally** – Focus on the factors outside your control causing the rejection. Don’t internalize it.
– **Wait and retry later** – Give it a few months then try sending another request. Situations change.
– **Send them a note** – Politely ask for feedback about why the request was rejected.
– **Reflect on your profile** – Review your profile/content through their eyes. Make improvements.
– **Build rapport offline** – Interact in-person at events or through colleagues to build trust.
– **Try an indirect approach** – Ask a mutual connection to introduce you instead.
– **Respect their decision** – If multiple requests get rejected, accept that the relationship may not happen.
With persistence, relationship building and profile cleanup, many initially rejected requests can be reversed. But also know when to cut your losses and move on. Handled well, a rejection today can become an opportunity tomorrow.
Expanding Your Network Organically
While sending requests is essential, you can also expand your LinkedIn network organically without constantly asking for connections. Some organic growth strategies include:
– **Participate in LinkedIn groups** – Join relevant industry or niche groups. Contribute value by answering member questions.
– **Comment on posts** – Provide thoughtful comments on other people’s updates. Share insights without self-promoting.
– **Cross-connect with your connections’ connections** – When you gain a new connection, check their connections for crossover opportunities.
– **Turn in-person events into connections** – Attend conferences or networking events, then proactively connect with new people you meet.
– **Ask for recommendations** – When you receive great service, ask if the provider is on LinkedIn and request they write you a recommendation. This often leads to a connection.
– **Enable open profile viewing** – Under settings, enable “Allow anyone to view your public profile” to facilitate serendipitous inbound requests.
Growing your network doesn’t have to be a tedious chore. By providing value and thinking long-term, you can build a thriving professional community.
Managing and Maintaining Connections
Once connected, the work isn’t done. Actively manage your connections to extract maximum value long-term. Here are some best practices:
– **Organize connections** – Use LinkedIn grouping features to sort connections (ex: colleagues, clients, friends).
– **Remain engaged** – Actively like and comment on their posts, send messages, and keep a pulse on their activities.
– **Provide value** – Look for opportunities to endorse their skills, write recommendations, and share their content.
– **Don’t just take** – Focus on giving more than you take from your network. Be willing to help others.
– **Cull dormant connections** – Unconnect with connections you no longer interact with after a year or so.
– **Send personalized messages** – On birthdays or big news, send congratulatory notes to reinforce the bond.
– **Find common interests** – Take your chats offline around shared hobbies, groups or volunteering activities.
– **Keep organized** – Frequently review your connections and remove inactive ones. Keep things orderly.
Tending closely to your network leads to the strongest and most mutually beneficial connections over time. Keep relationships fresh.
Do’s and Don’ts
To recap, here are some key do’s and don’ts for asking for LinkedIn connections via email:
Do | Don’t |
---|---|
Personalize each request | Send generic copy/paste requests |
Remind them who you are | Assume they remember you |
Refresh their memory if no response | Get annoyed if they don’t respond |
Send a friendly reminder if needed | Hound them to connect if they decline |
Proofread carefully | Spam with typos or errors |
Thank them for connecting | Hard sell them on benefits |
The keys are being personable, transparent, adding value and following proper etiquette. With a thoughtful, professional approach, your acceptance rates will dramatically improve.
Conclusion
Asking someone to connect on LinkedIn by email is an art that takes some finesse. By personalizing your ask, communicating your goals clearly, offering mutual benefits, and following best practices, you can craft persuasive requests. Relationship-building begins with a single quality connection. With a professional, friendly approach, you’ll be expanding your network in no time.