LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful tool for networking and making professional connections. One way to leverage LinkedIn to grow your network is by doing cold outreaches and introductions. A cold intro on LinkedIn is when you initiate contact with someone you don’t know to try and establish a connection. Doing an effective cold intro requires thoughtfulness, personalization and conversational tone. Follow these tips to learn how to best do a cold intro on LinkedIn.
Why Do a Cold Intro on LinkedIn?
Here are some of the key reasons you may want to do a cold intro on LinkedIn:
- Expand your professional network – A cold intro allows you to connect with professionals you otherwise wouldn’t have access to. Growing your network opens up more opportunities.
- Increase visibility – Getting on someone’s radar by doing a cold intro can raise your visibility which may lead to future collaborations or opportunities.
- Get introduced to someone you admire – Doing a cold intro allows you to initiate contact and get to know someone you find impressive or inspiring.
- Share your knowledge and experiences – You can use a cold intro to share your unique expertise and background that the recipient may find valuable.
- Establish your credibility – Doing thoughtful cold introductions demonstrates your interpersonal skills and can help build your reputation.
- Find job opportunities – Occasionally a cold intro may lead to finding a new job opening or project you may be a fit for.
- Generate leads for business – If done properly, cold intros can help generate leads and new business contacts.
The ability to strategically leverage your existing network to make new connections is incredibly useful. A cold intro on LinkedIn is often the starting point for establishing these new relationships.
How to Find People to Cold Intro To
To set your cold outreach up for success, you need to first find appropriate individuals to intro to. Here are some tips on how to find good cold intro prospects on LinkedIn:
- Look at your existing connections – Check who you’re already connected with and see who they are connected to that you may want to meet.
- Use LinkedIn’s search tools – Utilize advanced search to find people based on location, industry, job title, skills, interests etc.
- Look through group members – Sift through relevant LinkedIn groups you are part of and identify members you want to contact.
- Browse company profiles – Research companies you’re interested in and find employees you want to connect with.
- Follow hashtags and keywords – Follow relevant hashtags and keywords to discover contacts discussing topics of interest.
- Attend virtual events – Attend LinkedIn events and keep an eye out for attendees you want to follow up with.
- Ask for referrals – Request referrals to new contacts from your existing professional network.
The key is identifying individuals who you share common interests or goals with. Focus on quality over quantity when prospecting for cold intros. 10 thoughtful cold outreaches will be much more effective than 100 spammy ones.
Tips for an Effective Cold Intro
Here are some best practices to follow when putting together your cold intro outreach:
- Personalize the message – Avoid generic introductions. Demonstrate you did your research on the recipient’s background.
- Make the value clear – State upfront what value you can provide by connecting.
- Be transparent – Disclose that you have no prior connection and are requesting their time.
- Highlight commonalities – Note any shared connections, interests, goals, backgrounds etc.
- Keep it brief – Get to the point quickly. Two to three concise paragraphs are ideal.
- Use a warm tone – Come across as approachable and enthusiastic, not overly salesy.
- Make it easy to respond – Ask an open-ended question to continue the conversation.
- Watch your timing – Be mindful of their schedule and time zone differences.
Focus on relaying why it is worth their time investment to connect with you. Make sure each cold intro is tailored and relevant to the specific individual.
Cold Intro Templates
While each cold intro should be customized, it can be helpful to start with a template to guide your outreach. Here are a few cold intro email templates you can adapt:
Common Connection Template
Hi [Name],
I hope you’ve been well! I was connected with you through [name of common connection] who mentioned you are doing fantastic work in [their area of expertise].
I am [a bit about your background] and have been very impressed by [something specific this person has accomplished or their company]. I would love to connect with you to [discuss a potential collaboration, learn more about how you approached X, explore synergies between our businesses etc.]
Please let me know if you might have 20 minutes in the next week to jump on a call. I’m confident we can find ways to add value for each other.
Best,
[Your Name]
Industry Experience Template
Hi [Name],
Hope you are having a great week! I came across your profile while researching [industry] professionals making an impact on LinkedIn.
I am currently [your role/contribution to this industry] and was very impressed by [something admirable about their work in this field]. I would love to connect with fellow [industry name] professionals who are as passionate about [aspect of industry] as I am.
Please let me know if you would be open to chatting briefly via phone or video about [industry trends, innovations in the field, sharing advice etc.]. I’m sure we would have a great conversation.
Looking forward to hopefully connecting soon!
Best,
[Your Name]
Admiration Template
Hi [Name],
I hope this message finds you well! My name is [Your Name] and I am [bit about your professional role].
I wanted to reach out because I have long admired the work you’ve done with [company/initiative]. The way you [accomplishment] is so impressive.
I would love to connect and learn more about your experience with [accomplishment/company]. I truly believe there is a lot I could learn from your approach. Please let me know if you might have time for a quick video chat in the next week or two.
I look forward to hopefully speaking with you soon and learning from your experiences!
Best,
[Your Name]
These templates give you an outline to work from. Be sure to customize and elaborate based on the individual you are reaching out to.
Follow Up After Connecting
Getting a positive response to your cold intro is a great first step. To build the relationship after that initial contact, be sure to follow up. Here are some tips for continuing the conversation:
- Thank them for their time and insights from your initial conversation.
- Reiterate your shared interests and goals.
- Share any relevant articles, resources or connections that might provide mutual value.
- Consider inviting them to join a relevant LinkedIn Group you are in.
- Propose meeting up in-person at an industry conference or networking event.
- Schedule another call to continue exploring potential collaborations or opportunities.
- Connect them to others in your network who share similar interests or expertise.
Ongoing communication and engagement after the initial cold intro is key. Nurture the new relationship by providing ongoing value.
Avoiding Common Cold Intro Mistakes
When doing cold outreach on LinkedIn, there are some common mistakes to avoid:
- Making it too salesy or promotional. Keep the focus on them, not you.
- Using a spammy template message sent to everyone.
- Contacting someone with no shared connections or interests.
- Not having a clear purpose for connecting.
- Messaging at odd hours or with poor timing.
- Oversharing or getting too personal too fast.
- Making it too long which comes across as rambling.
- Using a pushy tone that pressures them to respond.
- Asking for too much too soon before building rapport.
- Not personalizing each message for the specific individual.
Avoid these missteps by being strategic, customized and professional with your cold LinkedIn outreach.
Conclusion
Doing a thoughtful cold intro on LinkedIn can significantly expand your professional network. But make sure to avoid being spammy or salesy. Personalize each outreach, establish common ground, provide value and follow up after connecting. With a strategic, tailored approach a cold intro can spark a new professional relationship allowing you both to thrive.
