When you’re seeking to expand your network on LinkedIn, there’s a temptation to submit connection requests “as is” in order to save time and effort. However, writing a personalized intro note can be of great help: according to LinkedIn’s stats, it increases the response rate by 30%! Moreover, a customized message can help you make a positive first impression and begin a meaningful conversation.
Today, we’ll cover ten common mistakes people make when sending connection requests.
Writing generic messages to everyone
For sure, sending out generic notes can save you lots of time, but will that be efficient? We doubt that. Instead, make sure that each message is personalized. However, there’s also no need to compose each one from scratch—you can use a few templates tailored to different audiences and/or goals and customize them to fit your prospect. By the way, Linguix’s shortcuts are ideal for this.
Sending requests to random people
As you probably know, LinkedIn suggests new connections via the “People you may know” section. This, indeed, is one of the ways to extend your network. But should we sacrifice quality for the sake of quantity? Perhaps, you’d prefer to connect to someone who’s from your industry or is your target audience rather than send requests to random people.
Not introducing yourself
Even though the person you’re connecting to has the chance to study your profile, it’d be polite to include short info about yourself. This can be your name, position, and the company you work for, or your area of interest. There’s absolutely no need to write a detailed bio (there’s not enough space for it anyway), but just one line stating who you are would be enough.
Not stating the reason why you write
It’s also worth mentioning how you came across the person’s profile and why you decided to connect. The reasons can vary: perhaps, you met them at a conference or some other event, you have common contacts, or you’re simply interested in connecting to industry professionals to extend your network. A good starting point would be to ask for some professional advice or recommendation since people are often ready to help.
Not studying the person’s profile
One of the best ways to make a positive first impression is to show that you have spent some time reading the person’s profile and are aware of who you’re writing to. For example, if the person states they are currently working on a digitalization project, it could be a good idea to comment on this, especially if you have relevant experience or want to know more. It’s always beneficial to start a new relationship with a common interest.
Trying to sell straight away
Even if you add new people to your network with a single goal to sell them something, it’s probably not the best idea to do it at your first encounter. Unless a person is looking for what you offer at this very moment (which is highly unlikely), they will probably react to such an initiative with aversion and might not accept your invitation. After all, we are bombarded by ads all the time, and people will typically filter incoming information.
Going into too much detail
There’s a 300-character limit for an intro message, but there’s no need to use them all trying to impress the person with a detailed pitch. Better keep it short—around 200 words would be enough. People value their time, and, most likely, not everyone will read your note to the end if it’s too lengthy. So, keeping it concise will increase your chances.
Not asking questions
If you’re interested in building a relationship rather than just adding another person to your network, it’d be helpful to initiate a conversation by asking a question or prompting the person to share some thoughts or ideas. This shouldn’t be too pushy, though—one simple question or suggestion would be enough.
Sending no follow-ups
If the person has accepted your invitation but hasn’t replied to you, this is not necessarily because they decided to ignore you. Perhaps, they haven’t read your message to the end or just haven’t had time to reply yet. In any way, if your goal is to establish a personal connection, don’t hesitate to send a follow-up message after some time passes.
Making grammar mistakes
Last but not least, make sure your intro message is grammatically correct and there’re no punctuation errors—this can spoil the first impression, especially if the person you’re connecting to is linguistically sensitive. The easiest way to avoid such things is to use online assistants like Linguix which will highlight mistakes and suggest better options.