What is lets Connect on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a professional social networking platform that allows users to connect with other professionals in their industry or field. The “Let’s Connect” feature on LinkedIn provides a way for users to grow their network by connecting with new contacts.

What is the purpose of Let’s Connect?

The main purpose of Let’s Connect on LinkedIn is to allow users to expand their professional network by connecting with other LinkedIn members. When you use Let’s Connect, you are requesting to add someone to your LinkedIn connections. If they accept your request, they will be added to your network and you will be added to theirs. This allows you to see their full profile, message them, and interact with their content and network.

Let’s Connect enables you to make new professional contacts that you may not already know in real life. These could be colleagues in your industry, recruiters, potential clients, or really anyone that would be beneficial to connect with. A broader network on LinkedIn can lead to more opportunities, exposure, and access to people you normally wouldn’t encounter in your day-to-day work.

Benefits of using Let’s Connect

Here are some of the key benefits of using the Let’s Connect feature:

• Grow your professional network – Let’s Connect allows you to easily expand your contacts beyond just people you know personally.
• Increase your visibility – A larger network means your profile and activity has broader reach.
• Find career opportunities – Connecting with recruiting and HR professionals can help you discover new job openings.
• Get introduced to key contacts – Your connections can facilitate warm introductions to people you wish to meet.
• Stay up-to-date on your industry – News and articles shared by your network keep you in the know.
• Gain subject matter experts – Connecting with influential individuals can provide expertise and advice.

How to send a Let’s Connect request

Sending a Let’s Connect request to add someone to your LinkedIn network is simple:

1. Search for the profile of the person you wish to connect with. You can search by name, company, title, school, or other keywords.
2. Go to their profile and click “Connect” next to the Send message button.
3. A window will pop up allowing you to send them a connection request. You may choose to include a note with your request.
4. Click “Send” to deliver your connection request to the person.

Once you send the request, the recipient will receive a notification that you wish to connect. They can then choose to accept or ignore your request. If they accept, you will become connections on LinkedIn and gain access to their full profile and additional capabilities based on your account type.

How to accept a Let’s Connect request

When someone sends you a Let’s Connect request on LinkedIn, you will receive a notification indicating that a user wants to connect with you. To accept the request:

1. Go to the LinkedIn notifications icon at the top of your homepage and click on invitations.
2. You will see a list of any pending connection requests. Click “Accept” on the request you want to approve.
3. You can also view pending requests by going to your homepage and clicking “My Network” then “Manage my network.”
4. From this Manage page, go to the Connection requests section and click “Accept” next to the requests you wish to approve.
5. Once you accept, that user will be added to your connections.

It is considered good LinkedIn etiquette to only accept requests from people you know or want to connect with professionally. If you receive a request from someone you don’t know, you can ignore or decline it.

Let’s Connect vs Connect

On LinkedIn, there are two main options for connecting with other members – Let’s Connect and Connect. What is the difference between these two features?

• Let’s Connect – Sends the other person a connection request that they must approve before you are added to each other’s network. Gives the recipient the ability to accept or ignore the request.
• Connect – Directly adds the other person to your connections without needing them to approve it first. This is only possible if you already know the email address or have imported contacts.

In most cases when looking to grow your network, you will use the Let’s Connect feature since it requires the other person to opt-in to connecting with you. The regular Connect approach is typically only used for contacts you already know or have information for outside of LinkedIn.

Let’s Connect best practices

To get the most out of LinkedIn’s Let’s Connect feature, keep these tips in mind:

• Personalize each request with a note – This increases the chances your request will be accepted.
• Only connect with those you want in your network – Don’t spam connection requests.
• Focus on quality over quantity – Curate your network; don’t just connect with everyone.
• Follow up after connecting – Send a message to start a dialogue.
• Provide value to your connections – Share helpful content and opportunities.
• Keep your profile updated – An informative profile encourages connections.

Let’s Connect on mobile

The LinkedIn mobile app makes it easy to send connection requests on the go. Here is how to use Let’s Connect on mobile:

1. Tap the “My Network” tab at the bottom of the LinkedIn app screen.
2. At the top, tap “Grow network.”
3. Search for the name of the person you want to connect with or tap “Browse connections” to scroll profiles.
4. Tap the “Connect” button on their profile.
5. Add an optional note and tap “Send” to deliver your request.

To accept requests:

1. Tap the notifications bell icon at the top of the LinkedIn app.
2. Scroll down and tap on the pending invitation you wish to accept.
3. You will be taken to that connection request where you can tap “Accept.”

The mobile app also gives you quick access to your pending requests so you can easily manage connections on the go.

Limits on Let’s Connect requests

To prevent spamming, LinkedIn does impose limits on how many Let’s Connect requests you can send. The allotment depends on your account type.

If you exceed the limits, you will be restricted from sending additional requests for a brief cool down period. Upgrade to a premium account if you need to regularly send more connection requests.

Who to connect with on LinkedIn

As you build your professional network on LinkedIn, focus your Let’s Connect requests on these types of contacts:

• Colleagues at your current and past jobs
• Classmates and alumni from schools you attended
• Leaders and influencers in your industry
• Recruiters and talent acquisition professionals
• Clients and customers you work with
• Vendors, partners, and affiliates of your business
• Potential mentors and business coaches
• Groups and associations in your field

Avoid spamming low-value connections like random companies or people you have no association with. Focus on quality over quantity in your network.

LinkedIn connection request message tips

When sending a Let’s Connect request, including a personalized message improves your chance of getting accepted. Here are some tips for writing effective connection messages:

• Introduce yourself and explain who you are.
• Note any common connections you may share.
• Mention a specific reason for wanting to connect.
• Offer value such as relevant articles or opportunities.
• Refer to shared groups, interests, or affiliations.
• Keep the message concise but personable.
• Use a warm and enthusiastic tone.
• Follow up after connecting.

Avoid generic messages that could be sent en masse. Tailor each request to the individual recipient. This extra effort goes a long way in increasing acceptance rates and forging stronger connections.

Accepting Let’s Connect requests

When reviewing Let’s Connect requests you receive, consider these tips:

• Only accept requests from people you know or want to connect with.
• It’s okay to ignore requests from strangers or known contacts you wish to avoid.
• Check that the sender personalized the message to you.
• View the sender’s profile before accepting to verify credibility.
• Politely decline the request if you are not interested in connecting.
• Add a quick thanks when accepting a warm request.
• Connect if you share common affiliations or contacts.
• Avoid accepting if the profile seems suspicious or spammy.

Curate your network by only accepting requests that will provide value. But do take the time to thoughtfully review each request. Building quality connections on LinkedIn is key to getting the most out of the platform.

LinkedIn Let’s Connect FAQs

Is Let’s Connect free to use?

Yes, anyone with a free LinkedIn account can use Let’s Connect to send and receive connection requests. Premium paid account levels allow you to send more requests per day but otherwise provide the same core connecting capabilities.

Can I cancel a sent connection request?

Unfortunately no, once you have sent a Let’s Connect request you cannot revoke it. The recipient has the options to accept, ignore, or decline your request however. If you change your mind, you can disconnect from that person later.

Does accepting a request make us 1st-degree connections?

Yes, when you accept a Let’s Connect request, that person is added your 1st-degree connections on LinkedIn. They will appear in your connections list and you in theirs.

Can I resend a connection request that was ignored?

If your initial Let’s Connect request was ignored, LinkedIn does not allow you to immediately resend a request to that same person. You must wait at least 90 days before attempting to re-request that connection.

Is there a limit to total connections I can have?

Free LinkedIn accounts max out at 30,000 total connections. Paid subscribers can have up to 60,000 connections. When you near the limit, you will need to prune contacts or upgrade your account.

How do I message a new connection?

Once a Let’s Connect request has been accepted, you can message that new connection directly through LinkedIn Messaging. On their profile, click the “Message” button or in the My Network section, click the Messaging icon to start conversations.

Conclusion

Let’s Connect on LinkedIn provides a simple yet powerful way to grow your professional network. Sending thoughtful connection requests to relevant contacts and curating a quality group of connections is key to getting the most out of LinkedIn. Focus on relationships that provide value, not just the highest quantity. With a robust professional network, you’ll gain access to more insights and opportunities through the world’s largest professional community on LinkedIn.