Do You Really Want to Connect on LinkedIn?
by Rocky VanBrimmer
I LOVE LINKEDIN!
LinkedIn has done wonderful things for my business. Each day I make 5 to 6 more contacts in my region (Columbus Ohio). These are people who may want to look for what I sell, which is investment properties.
I found early in using LinkedIn that the “QUALITY” connections out weigh “QUANTITY.” The “standard LinkedIn invite” will get you more rejections than acceptations, especially the one that states “since you are a person I trust!” Most LinkedIn users will automatically reject this by clicking “I don’t know Rocky.” This also has a drastic effect against your spam rating. Once you hit a certain point, your invitation allowance decreases.
When I receive such a request, I usually respond with “since we have never spoken, how much do you trust me and why?” I would love to see the uncomfortable look on their face as they contemplate if they should respond. The ones that do, I will accept.
Shortly after I realized that I was getting way to many rejections, I came up with a canned invite of my own. It tells people who I am, how I found them, what I do, and my goals for using LinkedIn. It is short simple and sweet. My invite acceptance increased dramatically. When I look at my invites sent, I see mostly “accepted” vs. the red “doesn’t know” and the grey “pending.”
With no further adieu here is a copy of my invite for you to use, abuse, or refuse:
My name is Rocky VanBrimmer from Delaware, Ohio. As you, I am a member of <insert group name here> and would like to take the opportunity to connect with you.
I am a Realtor with Minister Realty here in Columbus, Ohio. May background is in Real Estate and Banking with an expertise in bank owned properties and marketing. I keep a blog on the subject at www.therockson.com, as well as post how I like to use LinkedIn to connect with people across the country.
My networking efforts are concentrated on Central Ohio and the surrounding areas including Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and much of the Midwest. However, I am open to connection outside of this region as well.
Please feel free to send me an email to let me know how I may assist in growing your network business, or just to say hello. I do respond to all of my emails. I look forward to the opportunity to network with you!
Rocky VanBrimmer
Minister Realty
740-990-9040
rocky @.centralohioreo.com
Including your contact information also helps build your credibility with your connection prospect. I read in the LinkedIn Q & A that it adds a comfort level that the person they are dealing with is legit!
So if you are using LinkedIn to connect and find prospects for your product, then you need to take care of your initial invitation. As they say, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression!”
Click here to view my LinkedIn profile http://www.linkedin.com/in/rockyv . If you would like to connect with me, please send your invite to (network(@)vanbrimmer.com), and please send me something more than a LinkedIn standard invite!
Very nice – I actually have not see the potential that linkedIn has but mostly because I have not taken the time to research it. All of my contacts are people I already know and mostly other Realtors across the nation.
Thanks for sharing this, I may have to give it an extra push now
I signed up with Linkedin awhile ago but have never done anything with it. I may have to look at it again. Thanks for the article.
Rocky,
Creating a custom invite is one of those LinkedIn features that most people aren’t aware of. In fact, since LinkedIn has changed so much over the last few months, it is hard to keep up with all of the new features sometimes.
Great advice for people looking to leverage the potential power of LinkedIn.