Following up with connections on LinkedIn after initially connecting is an important part of relationship building and networking on the platform. Doing so in a thoughtful yet not overbearing way allows you to nurture those relationships over time. Here are some tips on best practices for following up with LinkedIn connections.
Send a Message Right After Connecting
When you initially connect with someone on LinkedIn, it’s a good idea to send them a message right away. This helps put a more personal touch on the connection instead of just letting the default automated message go through. In your message, thank them for connecting and explain why you wanted to connect in the first place. For example, you can mention shared connections, groups, interests, or a project you’d like to discuss. This helps provide context for the connection and gives them a reason to engage back with you.
Share Relevant Articles or Updates
One easy way to follow up with connections is to share articles, status updates, or news that would be valuable to them. If you notice a connection has shared updates about a certain topic, find a relevant article about that topic and share it with them. This shows you pay attention to their interests. It also provides a natural way to start a dialogue. You can include a note explaining why you thought a particular piece of content was a great fit for them when you share it.
Comment on Their Updates
Engaging with your connections’ posts and updates is another way to maintain relationships. Scroll through their LinkedIn feed and like and comment on updates when you have something meaningful to contribute. This could be asking a question, providing your perspective, or simply showing support for their work. It shows you’re paying attention and deepens your ties. Just make sure not to comment generic phrases that don’t add value.
Congratulate Them on Work Anniversaries, Promotions, etc.
Keep an eye out for career milestones your connections share on LinkedIn, like work anniversaries, new jobs, promotions, awards, etc. When you see major accomplishments like this, take the time to send them a congratulatory message. People appreciate the recognition, and it reaffirms the value of your connection when you acknowledge meaningful moments in their professional journey.
Connect Them to Other People in Your Network
Leverage the power of your own network to facilitate valuable introductions for your connections. If you notice two people in your network have common interests or complementary skills, put them in touch with one another. Offer to make a warm introduction by email or on LinkedIn. This helps strengthen your relationship with both parties as a connector.
Ask for Advice
Sometimes the best way to follow up with someone is to ask for their insights and advice. Most people are happy to share their expertise, experiences, and lessons learned. When you seek out their guidance, it makes them feel valued. Pose thoughtful questions that demonstrate you’re interested in learning from their knowledge and getting their take on industry trends, career progression, and more.
Propose Collaborating
If there are projects or initiatives you think could benefit from someone’s involvement, propose collaborating. This could mean asking them to guest blog for you, contribute expertise to an event you’re organizing, partner on a case study, join a volunteer organization together, and more. Identify win-win opportunities that allow you both to showcase your talents while making valuable connections.
Invite Them to Connect in Other Places
In addition to engaging on LinkedIn, you can strengthen ties by connecting with your contacts on other platforms. For instance, you may invite them to connect on Slack, Facebook, Twitter, or other industry forums where you have a presence. Or exchange email addresses to continue the dialogue outside of LinkedIn. Building connections across multiple channels makes the relationship more multidimensional.
Send Them New Contact Leads
Keep your eyes open for potential leads that align with your connection’s business offerings and refer prospects their way. If you come across a contact who could benefit from their services, make an introduction. They’ll appreciate you thinking of them for opportunities and sending business their way.
Wish Them Happy Birthday
LinkedIn will notify you about your connections’ birthdays. Take a moment to send them a quick “Happy Birthday!” message. People enjoy receiving birthday wishes, and it’s another touchpoint to show you care.
Follow Up After Real-World Interactions
If you meet someone in person at an event, conference, or networking opportunity, always follow up with them afterward on LinkedIn. Send them a message recapping highlights from your conversation, asking any additional questions you didn’t get to, and suggesting keeping in touch. This helps transition the in-person connection to an ongoing online relationship.
Share Job Opportunities
Keep an eye out for job openings and opportunities that match your connection’s background and interests. Take the time to pass along the information and encourage them to apply. They’ll appreciate you thinking of them when potential roles arise.
Say Thanks
Gratitude goes a long way in nurturing professional relationships. If a connection refers you to someone, shares valuable insights, forwards an opportunity, or assists you in any way, follow up to thank them. People like to know their efforts made an impact.
Check In Occasionally
Every once in a while, check in just to catch up and touch base with no agenda. Ask how they’ve been, what they’ve been working on, if there are any updates since you last spoke. This gives you a chance to reconnect and demonstrates you are invested in maintaining ties.
Offer Encouragement and Support
If you know a connection is going through a challenging time in their career or personal life, lend some encouragement and support. Message them to let them know you’re thinking of them and offer moral support. Things like job changes, illnesses, losses, and major life events all warrant a thoughtful note.
Gauge Frequency Based on Relationship Strength
How often you follow up will vary based on the depth of your connection. For casual connections, occasional check-ins every month or two may suffice. For close contacts you collaborate with frequently, you’ll likely be in touch multiple times a week.
The key is not to overdo it and risk annoyance. Pay attention to how often others engage back with you as a gauge for the cadence of contact they prefer.
Be Genuine and Add Value
The most important principles for follow-up communications are to be genuine and add value. Avoid generic, disingenuous outreach and make sure your messages have a clear purpose and benefit. Personalize your tone and content to show you care about maintaining the relationship.
Examples of Follow-Up Communications
Here are some examples of effective follow-up messages after connecting on LinkedIn:
| Follow-Up Type | Example Message |
|---|---|
| Initial connection | Hi [name], thanks so much for connecting on LinkedIn! I really enjoyed meeting you at [event] and hearing about your background in [industry]. I would love to stay in touch and learn more about [area of interest we discussed]. Let me know if you would ever like to get coffee or have a call to discuss further. |
| Sharing an article | Hi [name], I saw this article about [topic relevant to them] and thought you would find it interesting given your work in [their field]. Would love to get your take on the points it raises! |
| Commenting on an update | This [project/achievement] looks awesome! I’d be very interested in learning more about the approach you took and results. Please keep me posted on your progress. |
| Congratulating them | Congratulations on [work anniversary/new job/promotion/award]! That’s such an impressive accomplishment and well deserved. I’m excited to see all that you’ll achieve in your new [role/company]. |
| Making an introduction | Hi [name 1] and [name 2], I wanted to connect you both since you share an interest in [common topic]. I think you two would really hit it off and be able to learn a lot from each other’s experiences in [relevant areas]. Hope you’ll consider connecting! |
| Following up after an event | It was so great to see you at [event name] last week! I really enjoyed our conversation about [discussion topic]. Let me know if you would like to continue the dialogue – I’d be happy to connect by phone sometime in the next few weeks. |
| Checking in | Hi [name], I hope this note finds you well! Wanted to check in and see how everything is going on your end. Look forward to catching up and learning about any new updates in your world! |
Use Signals of Their Communication Preferences
Keep an eye out for signals within your connections’ communication style that indicate their preferred frequency and channel of contact:
- Note how quickly they respond to your messages to gauge expected response times.
- If they tend to reply very concisely, they may prefer shorter interactions.
- See if they redirect conversations to email or phone for more personal contact.
- Check their LinkedIn settings to see how often they are notified of messages.
- Pay attention if they don’t respond – take it as a sign to not over-message.
Adjusting your outreach accordingly shows you are considerate of their preferences and avoids overstepping boundaries.
Follow Up Without Being Pushy
The key is finding the right cadence that maintains the relationship without applying too much pressure or coming across as needy. Some best practices include:
- Let at least 1-2 weeks pass between general check-in messages.
- Only re-approach someone if they didn’t respond once.
- Spread out asks for favors or referrals over time.
- Vary your follow-ups between personal, professional, and social topics.
- Keep messages brief yet warm in tone.
Leverage LinkedIn’s Tools
Take advantage of tools LinkedIn provides to streamline follow-ups at scale when needed:
- Saved Messages: Craft reusable templates you can quickly customize.
- Mentions: Tag connections in updates to notify them.
- Praises: Show public recognition for achievements.
- InMail: Directly contact those you’re not connected to.
- Groups: Participate in Groups to broaden your reach.
Keep an Organized CRM
Maintaining a CRM to track your LinkedIn outreach helps you follow up consistently without dropping the ball. Log details like:
- Date connected
- Initial conversation topics
- Interests and goals discussed
- Recommended actions like sending articles
- Date of last follow-up
Review your CRM periodically to surface contacts you should reconnect with.
Measure Response Rates
Track how response rates to your follow-ups change over time. This can reveal patterns and help optimize your strategy. You may find:
- Higher response rates right after connecting vs. months later.
- Better response rates from referral vs. cold outreach.
- Higher response rates to event follow-ups vs. general check-ins.
Course correct based on insights from your data.
Consider Follow-Up Cadence by Industry
Expectations around follow-up cadences often vary by industry. For example:
| Industry | Expected Follow-Up Frequency |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | Longer intervals, ex. Monthly |
| Technology | Shorter intervals, ex. Weekly/bi-weekly |
| Higher Ed | Moderate intervals, ex. Monthly |
| Consulting | Frequent intervals, ex. Weekly/bi-weekly |
Adjust accordingly based on norms for your connections’ fields.
Conclusion
Following up strengthens LinkedIn relationships over time by keeping you top of mind, deepening engagement, and providing ongoing value. Apply these best practices to do it effectively without being perceived as invasive. The ultimate goal is nurturing authentic relationships that mutually support your professional journeys.
