In your growing LinkedIn network, how can you strengthen your professional relationships?
For starters, you can send a thank-you reply when someone invites you to connect or accepts your personalized (always personalize!) invitation.
Not many people do this (yet), so if you want to stand out in a new connection’s mind, send a thank you.
You can test this out on your own network. Tap on “messaging” at the bottom of your LinkedIn mobile app screen and scroll through your messages.
Notice how many people sent a personal reply to your connection request. Do they stand out among the messages that simply say, “Jennifer Smith is now a connection”? Absolutely they do.
To make it easy to reply on a regular basis, set aside a few minutes each week to respond to LinkedIn requests and to send personalized requests to people you met that week or anticipate meeting soon.
Scan the person’s profile to see what you have in common (e.g., employers, schools, activity, etc). and what piques your interest. Maybe they published something on a topic of interest to you or have successfully tackled a problem similar to one you’re grappling with.
You can create a standard, 3-sentence reply to tailor as appropriate for each connection. Try keeping it in an easily accessible place, whether it’s an Evernote entry, Notes on your phone, or a Word document.
And as with all networking, it’s important to focus on the other person, rather than on yourself. Be interested in learning more about them or in helping them in some way.
Thanking someone for inviting you connect
Here’s a sample thank you when someone invites you to connect. Content to customize is in parenthesis.
Hi (First Name) –
Thanks for reaching out. Glad to be in your network.
(Comment on something you have in common or something you’re interested in learning more about them)
Look forward to staying in touch.
Thanks,
(Your First Name)
(Any relevant contact info, like your website or other active business-related social media handles such as Twitter)
Thanking someone for accepting your invitation
When you invite someone to connect and they accept, you might think your work is done.
But take advantage of the opportunity to further solidify the relationships by thanking the person for accepting your invitation.
Here’s a sample. Content to customize is in parenthesis.
Hi (First Name) –
Thanks for connecting.
(Comment on something you have in common, something you’re interested in learning more about them, or some way you might be of help to them)
Look forward to staying in touch.
Thanks,
(Your First Name)
(Any relevant contact info, like your website or other active business-related social media handles such as Twitter)
How should you end your note?
Research by Boomerang shows that one of the most effective ways to close an email before typing in your name is simply, “Thanks.”
Specifically, the study looked at emails that got the most responses, based on the sign off. While you aren’t necessarily looking for a response, it can’t hurt to use one of the more effective ways to close.
Just as the study showed that “the best way to end an email is with gratitude,” what better way to end a thank-you message than to say thanks?
As a result, I’ve stopped using “Best” and “Best regards” to end emails and other messages. It’s also efficient because I don’t have to decide which sign-off to use with every message. It’s always “Thanks.”
What NOT to do
Don’t pitch anything – whether it’s to ask for a meeting, for business or for a job. The purpose of a thank you is to build a relationship for the future, so simply thank the person for connecting.
Don’t send a long message. You’re writing for mobile. Like you, other people are busy. So keep it to 3 sentences, max. Edit out extra words before you tap “send.”
Sending connection thank-you messages is new for me, so I’ll share what I learn in a future post.
How do you thank people for connecting with you on LinkedIn?
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