A LinkedIn question I hear so often from my clients is, “Christine, how do I connect on LinkedIn with people I admire, but don’t yet know? What’s the etiquette?”
As the LinkedIn #1 All Time Top Female Expert, ranked Top 1% LinkedIn Most Viewed Profile and a site user since 2006, I have four primary ways I connect on LinkedIn with those I admire…but don’t yet know.
1. View the person’s LinkedIn profile and send them a personalized connection request…with a sentence about why you admire them and want to connect on LinkedIn.
IMPORTANT: Do not sell or include any links!
People who want to network with others usually have their profile set to be public, so this is a great way to get more information about how to connect and engage with them on LinkedIn and elsewhere online.
NOTE: It’s critical that they don’t mark your invitation “IDK” or “I Don’t Know”! If this does happen and you get 5 IDK’s your account will be restricted.
2. Click on their LinkedIn profile links to find out more about what they’re doing and engage with them there, e.g., Twitter, FaceBook, website, blog, etc.
3. View the LinkedIn Groups they belong to on their profile, join them and start engaging.
4. Finally, do a Google search for their name to find out more about what they’re doing…and where. It’s amazing how much information you can find out about someone by scrolling through the search results. This is also an excellent way to find out more about someone who has their LinkedIn profile set to be more private.
Once you’re connected with them, be sure to make your interactions value-rich by focusing on what you admire about them and what you can do for them.
If you’re interested in getting more details on exactly how you can connect with people you don’t yet know on LinkedIn, click here to qualify for your complimentary LinkedIn Results strategy session with me to explore that and to find out what you can do to have a results breakthrough. I have a limited number of appointments available and request that only people who are serious about dramatically increasing their results on LinkedIn apply for a time to talk.
QUESTION: How do you connect on LinkedIn with people you admire, but don’t yet know?
I’d love to hear in the comments below.
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© 2014 ChristineHueber.com
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Christine,
Great blog! I will share with my students and let them know about you too.
Nancy
Thanks for your comment and feedback, Nancy…I appreciate and will reward your referrals!
Best!
Christine
What happens if five people mark IDK and your account is “restricted” ? What happens then? Thanks.
Thanks for your comment, Stephen.
When your account gets restricted you’ll be required to have a member’s email address to invite them to connect.
Does that help?
Best!
Christine
Christine, well-done blogpost with great advice. In today’s world, those points should almost be considered common sense, but they’re common sense expressed uncommonly well — thanks!
This is the first post of yours I can recall reading. From a quick browse of your website and your LinkedIn profile, I can see that you’ve done some clever things on your LI to ensure some really great SEO — and that comment is coming from me as someone who doesn’t know a whole lot about SEO, but it’s clear what you’ve done and I can see it must be working well.
I also love your very effective self designations of “Marketing Phenomenon Christine Hueber” and the “LinkedIn #1 All Time Top Female Expert” — now, does that latter mean you’re the top #1 female expert on LinkedIn? Or the top #1 LinkedkIn expert on females? (OK, just kidding — no need to answer that one!)
Lastly, and a more serious comment, I see from your phone number that you live up in God’s country, near Lake Tahoe. Not bad: far from the madding crowds, electronically connected as much as you need to be, using your mind and your pen to discover and share insights on social media, and doing occasional public speaking to larger groups in the civilized locations. Not bad at all: methinks life doesn’t get much better. Congratulations on what I suspect have been some great choices along the way.
And thanks again for a great blog piece!
Thanks for your comment, Dan, and sharing your insights!
How are you using LinkedIn?
Best!
Christine