We all know how popular LinkedIn has become when it comes to job hunting. So, how do we use it to our advantage while making connections in the process?

In this blog, we’ll go through TMC’s 5 step process to help you make the best connections that may also open up new opportunities for you in the future.

TMC’s 5 Step Process of Making Connections via LinkedIn

Let’s walk through this 5 step process together.

1. Search for People on LinkedIn
2. Utilize Autopilot for LinkedIn
3. Check Your LinkedIn Often and Respond to Views
4. Thank Your New Connections
5. Ask for Coffee

Step 1 – Searching for People on LinkedIn

According to Triangle Marketing Club, TMC, you should view 1200 profiles a day. You may think that 1200 is a lot, but it’s necessary, and you will be thrilled with the outcome if you do this! Searching for people is the only way you are going to increase the number of your connections on LinkedIn.

When you connect with someone on LinkedIn, don’t just press the connect button and move on. Instead, view their profile. Your connection invites will be alerted that you viewed their page, and it will show that you are interested in learning more about them. People will be more willing to accept your invite to connect if they feel that you are truly interested in who they are, and not just connecting with them to raise the number of connections.

Step 2 – Utilize Autopilot for LinkedIn

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself that you like the idea of creating your own personal brand; however, you don’t have enough time in the day to view 1200 different profiles.

No need to fear! There is a solution. Autopilot for LinkedIn will do this for you! How easy is that? There is a fee to utilize this tool, but it is worth it! It views people’s pages for you and saves you a lot of time! Through the automatic viewing, it will increase your connections and help you rise in ranking among those connections.

Step 3 – Check Your LinkedIn Often and Respond to Views

We all tend to check our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram religiously, but what about our LinkedIn?

As a general rule, check your LinkedIn at least twice a day, if not more. Your profile will never grow if you don’t engage and have an active profile. Treat your LinkedIn account like your social media sites, but do so professionally.

Tip: Try setting your LinkedIn account as a tab on your browser, or put the app on your homepage so you will always remember to check it.

As we discussed in the third step, make connections and view other profiles daily. If you put in the hard work, then you will see results, but you have to make an effort.

We all see those alerts that someone has viewed our profile, but they didn’t ask to connect. Well, when you see that notification go to their profile and view their page. After you view their profile, respond back to them by sending them a personal connection request.

They have already seen your profile, so if they didn’t send you a request, they may be intrigued to connect with you after they read your personalized message as opposed to the generic one. Just remember, engagement is key!

Here are some suggested guidelines from TMC regarding personalized connection requests:

• Make It 300 Characters
• Be Genuine
• Include Their Name
• Avoid Yes or No Answered Questions

All of these may seem simple, but these points can make a tremendous amount of difference.

To start, make your message 300 characters. This is really easy to do. As for being genuine, people enjoy feeling as though you are interested in who they are and that you truly want to get to know them.

When you include the person’s name, it shows you care about who they are as an individual. To add onto this point, make sure that you spell the person’s name right. This might sound obvious, but it happens. Although it may be an innocent mistake, spelling someone’s name incorrectly can come off unprofessional.

When you ask a question to someone, avoid yes or no answered questions. This makes the person you are sending the question to open up and be more specific when they reply.

Step 4 – Thank Your New Connections

Most people do not expect a thank you message after they decide to connect with you. So, when you send a thank you to your new connections, this will make you stand out among the others who do not.
You always want to make a good impression on those around you, especially if they may be recommending you in the future. This is the same concept as sending a thank you note after an interview.

Sending a thank you message will show that you are dedicated to learning more about this person. So, type away! If you asked the person a question when you sent them a request, but they did not respond, feel free to ask them again when you thank them for connecting.

Step 5 – Coffee

Now that you have made a connection, it’s time for you to build that relationship. Don’t be afraid to ask to meet your new connection. In fact, your thank you message gives you a great opportunity to ask them to meet with you.

By meeting your new connections, you will be able to get to know them more on a personal level. Even if your new connection is not from your area, you can still arrange to meet them by using an application like Skype. This will make your conversation more personal than just a regular phone call.

Meeting your new connection is a great opportunity that you should definitely consider taking advantage of. When you meet with them, you will be able to learn from someone who has more experience than you in your prospective field, and they will be able to give you more insight on the type of job you are looking for. Plus, you may gain them as a mentor or a friend that could possibly lead you to even more connections in the future. Overall, getting to know your new connections can be very beneficial.