425Actions
One of the most common questions I get asked about social selling is:Can I send LinkedIn connection requests to cold prospects?
The answer: Yes, you can.BUT…Don't spoil it, you need to know how to request a connection on LinkedIn. In this post I will discuss:
Here's what we'll cover: Click here to hide the summary
Expand your network through LinkedIn connection requests
Linkedin connection request limit
How to delete a LinkedIn connection request
Send and accept cold LinkedIn connection requests
How to write a LinkedIn connection request message
What if I want to create a "cold connection" with my target buyer, should I do that?
LinkedIn Connection Request Message Template - High School
How to Check for New LinkedIn Connections Post your requests
Can I send a #LinkedIn connection request to a cold prospect? YES, but... #SocialSelling #SocialMedia @M_3JrClick To Tweet
First, let's state one thing upfront. Blind soliciting through cold contacts is NOT - and I repeat - NOT what social selling is about. Instead this oneLinkedIn tipsYou will read is a methodical and holistic approach to building relationships with your target audience.
In all circumstances, your goal is not to "spray and pray" to connect requests. Rather, it's about finding unique opportunities to ENGAGE and HELP your buyers, which creates a warm connection.
Second, what I'm going to share with you works. I've spent years perfecting my formula and have found that the percentage can go up or down depending on the industry you're selling to. My organization sells to Sales, Marketing andsales trainingFührer.
So here's proof that it works. Using only my personal statistics, between January 31st and April 2nd, 2016, we sent and/or received a total of 1,129 connection requests on LinkedIn.
At the same time, we added 836 requests from LinkedIn. This gives us an acceptance rate of 74%! The goal is, of course, to establish 100% connection acceptance without a doubt.
Now let's talk about the GOAL of creating a new LinkedIn connection for a Social Seller. Of course there are many. However, in oursSocial-Selling-TrainingI focus on seven goals of a new connection.
- Raise
- Help
- Build a relationship
- generate sales
- create references
- Build your personal brand
- get discovered
Expand your network through LinkedIn connection requests
Come onsocial bandage, its main goal is to create POSITIVE engagement.sales commitmentmeans your target buyer is in some way, shape or formNOwith you. Engaging isn't just about them texting you back or replying to you on social media. Engagement can be as simple as your target audience just looked at youLinkedIn Profile.
In my training, this is a basic minimum level of engagement and can be the first step to creating more engagement.
Again, social selling leaders will teach many techniques and approaches. However, I teach our clients to focus on these 10 ways to grow your LinkedIn connections/followers. You can find out more about this in ourLinkedIn trainingProgram!
- One-to-one social engagement
- Use trigger events
- Ask for reference
- Enjoy profile views and Twitter followers
- Use likes, comments and shares to build engagement
- The group
- lange Blogs
- Campaigns with special messages
- Interact with LinkedIn followers
- Just ASK to connect
Once you've made a LinkedIn connection, by no means immediately send a LinkedIn connection message to your new connection asking for a sales pitch unless they've requested it. It's one of the quickest ways to turn off your potential new friend. It sounds so logical - but why am I getting these types of messages multiple times a day from new and veteran sales reps? Please DO NOT mess up your potential new connection and make it#YourBrandSuck!
Linkedin connection request limit
How many LinkedIn requests can I submit? From mid-2021, LinkedIn has changed its algorithm so that all users now only have to send 100 messages per week!
However, LinkedIn does not limit connection requests per day, but per week.Be careful when connecting with people so you don't get caught in the platform jail. Don't connect en masse on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn jail is when your LinkedIn user account gets banned for sending too many connection requests and too many people rejecting your connection requests. If you're arrested on LinkedIn, you'll likely have to wait until 5:00 p.m. local time for your account to be released from suspended status.
Generally, you will be thrown in LinkedIn jail up to three times before having your account shut down. However, if you mimic non-human behavior (e.g. using a bot), LinkedIn reserves the right to suspend your account and require you to identify yourself in order to delete your account. Whatever you do, avoid getting caught in LinkedIn jail.
In all cases, remember again that there is a Linkedin connection limit, do not send all connection requests at once. Distribute throughout the week.
How to delete a LinkedIn connection request
Before you learn how to send a LinkedIn cold invite, you need to know how to cancel a LinkedIn request in case you didn't accidentally edit it or misspelled something and want to repeat it. Please note that figuring out how to cancel is extremely difficult and almost a hidden feature. But fear not, that's why we have oursLinkedIn Coursehelp him.
If you're using desktop, you should follow the steps below to cancel your LinkedIn connection request. On the LinkedIn homepage
- Click on My Network (in the top navigation bar)
- Above the "Incoming" invitations section (in the middle) in the upper right corner there is a "Show all XX" - click on it. Believe it or not, it's linked.
- Click the Sent tab.
- Click on "Withdraw"
If you just want to speed up the process now,Just click hereand that will take you straight to the page!
Send and accept cold LinkedIn connection requests
How to effectively send and accept cold LinkedIn connection requests?
Before you answer that question, repeat after me, “Social selling isn't about spraying LinkedIn connection requests and praying.” OK. We have now established that. 🇧🇷 🇧🇷
Part of my formula for success, once a potential buyer views my LinkedIn profile, is to simply ask them to connect. Remember, a profile view = ENGAGEMENT! I don't know what they read or how much they read, but I know they know my picture and/or name.
I also know that managing the “Who Viewed My Profile” page on LinkedIn as a Social Seller is a GOLDmine! Make this page your friend! It's the page that looks like this:
As a #socialselling representative, the Who Viewed My Profile page p. @LinkedIn is a GOLD mine! @M_3Jr #SellingWithLinkedIn #SalesClick To Tweet
Within a maximum of 24 to 48 hours of receiving a profile view from you, I will send you a LinkedIn connection request to invite you to join my professional network. What do I say to guarantee a 74% connection rate? Remember you only have 300 characters so make it as personal as possible.
How to write a LinkedIn connection request message
The all-time secret tip is my "Who's Viewed Your Profile" every day, multiple times a day. The moment someone views your profile, that IS asocial bandageTrigger event and actually gives you permission to reach out and engage.
How do I write the perfect LinkedIn connection request? what should i write Here is one of the messages that contributes to a 74% acceptance rate:
Hello FIRSTNAME! Thank you for checking out my LinkedIn profile! Having seen yours, I would be honored to have you on my network to learn and interact with! We also share common connections! If it's open, here's the connection request! I look forward to learning from you! Mario
Note in the LinkedIn connect message above that I mentioned that this would be the casehonoredhave them in my LinkedIn network and wantto learnher. That's all true. I love learning from other sales and marketing leaders and reps (my target buyer persona).
I also found that we have mutual connections. Obviously the best message from LinkedIn would be to find out who we know together and certainly something I found of personal interest to her after checking her profile. But remember, we're talking LinkedIn cold connect requests here.
Finally have them in the above order1Make your choice - click the checkmark to accept or the X to decline.
What if I want to create a "cold connection" with my target buyer, should I do that?
When it comes to social selling, the best option is always to look for a way to get a warm recommendation. However, as my list above shows, Just Ask is number 10 on the list. So yes, I would encourage you to do so once you have exhausted your other social selling methods such as: B. the use of a warm recommendation!
Finally, remember that there is NO better message than the most personal approach. Always look for material on their profile to “connect” with your potential buyer on a personal level.
And here's my best advice on the common cold. Cold connections are much more likely to be accepted if they are 2nd degree. The lesson? Filter only 2nd degree connections on LinkedIn when sending a cold connect!
LinkedIn Connection Request Message Template - High School
Here's a 2nd degree personalized message + someone from the same LinkedIn group as me, so I'm writing:
Hello FIRSTNAME! LI suggested I could meet him due to our common connections and we are in the LI group named Director of Sales. Having seen your profile and being a former VP of Sales I would love to have you as part of my network to learn and interact with. If it opens, it's the order! Mario
If you read the above messages carefully, you will quickly see the psychology behind the messages.
So there you have it. 🇧🇷 🇧🇷 One of the secrets of how I make new connections on LinkedIn. It works out? I would say a 74% success rate means the answer is yes!
How to Check for New LinkedIn Connections Post your requests
One of the most important qualities a salesperson should possess is the ability to prospect. Most sales professionals don't know thisSell with LinkedInIt's not only possible, it's also very effective, and selling on LinkedIn is a requirement for today's modern buying engagement. Get it right and you could win big. Get it wrong and you can quickly ruin your brand.
Many argue that due to the number ofSales promotion toolsWith sales professionals at your fingertips, acquiring customers is easier than ever. But unfortunately, many still call the prospect list and ask questions that could easily have been avoided if you had made decent sales.prospecting.
The challenge comes when you connect with them on LinkedIn, what's next? during a lastPodcast with Ed Calnan, Founder and CRO ofseismic, I explain how every salesperson should approach their ideal prospect and how you can use personalization and storytelling to build sales engagement.
425Actions
FAQs
What is a good acceptance rate for LinkedIn connections? ›
Approaching and establishing a business connection through LinkedIn can be challenging and not very effective, especially if you see the statistics. The acceptance rate amounts to less than 30% and that's first level connections, meaning your closest network in regards to your professional experience.
How do I bypass the LinkedIn connection request limit? ›- Use The Boost Mode To Send 500+ LinkedIn Connections.
- Smart Sequences To Bypass The LinkedIn Connection Limit.
- LinkedIn InMails Don't Count Towards The LinkedIn Connection Limit.
- Send Emails Instead Of LinkedIn Connection Requests.
- How many LinkedIn connections can you have?
What To Do When You've Reached Your Weekly Invitation Limit on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is set to, or already has capped the weekly limit for connection requests to 100 invitations per week. So, if you've been hit with the invitation limit message on LinkedIn you probably think you're stuck.
What is the maximum number of LinkedIn connection requests that a single profile can send per day without being restricted by the platform? ›You can send up to 20 connection request per day on average. This is not a fixed number as linkedin impose a weekly limitation, not a daily limitation. Let's say you can send up to 100 connection requests in a week. You can send 60 connections request in one day and then 10 per day for the rest of the week.
What is the 5 3 2 rule in LinkedIn? ›The rule states that for every 10 updates you post to a social media channel: 5 should be content from others, relevant to your audience. 3 should be content from you, relevant to your audience—and not a sales pitch. 2 should be personal, non-work related content that helps humanise your brand.
What does top 10% of applicants on LinkedIn mean? ›Instead, a “top applicant' is calculated based on how your profile stacks up against others who have applied for the same job. The skills listed on your LinkedIn profile are directly compared to the skills and experiences outlined in the job description and the skills other applicants have listed on their own profiles.
Should you accept every connection request on LinkedIn? ›LinkedIn's own advice is that you should only accept connection requests from people that “you know personally and who you trust on a professional level”. Which could be fairly limiting, and there is some value to expanding your connection pool a little further than this.
Is it rude to ignore a LinkedIn request? ›You might be tempted to just ignore her request, but that's a little passive-aggressive and unprofessional. (Don't forget she'll be able to see her pending request!) Instead, send a polite but honest message.
Does LinkedIn have a 20% rule? ›Take Advantage of Text Overlays
Unlike Facebook's 20% text overlay rule, LinkedIn does not limit your ability to overlay text on your creative. This is a crucial element to having effective creative on Linkedin.
First restriction - Wait a few hours, then try again. Multiple restrictions in a day - Wait a few days, then try again. If you're restricted for having too many outstanding invitations – Wait for up to one month before attempting to send another invitation.
Is it bad to send too many invitations on LinkedIn? ›
LinkedIn Invitation Limit Per Day
Technically you could send all 100 invites in a 24 hour period, but this is more than likely going to get your account flagged. If you send out a maximum of 100 invites within a week, you'll get an automated message along the lines of: “You've reached your weekly limit of invitations.
When you have 10,000 connections on LinkedIn, it shows that you are well-connected. Being well-connected is one of the most important qualities of any professional, especially those who seek managerial positions. Many B2B leads come from LinkedIn. It happens to be an effective way for search engine optimization (SEO).
What happens when you hit 5000 connections on LinkedIn? ›Not just company pages and persons with 5,000+ followers or connections have access to LinkedIn Stories. When you have 5,000+ followers, however, you may use the swipe up feature to add web links to LinkedIn Stories, which will direct your visitors to more content.
What happens when you get 30000 connections on LinkedIn? ›If you have reached 30,000 connections, Follow will become the default option on your profile. You will not be able to accept or send new connection invitations unless you remove connections to keep network size under the limit. Learn more about: Remove a connection on LinkedIn.
Is 3 pm a good time to post on LinkedIn? ›According to HubSpot's findings, the best times to post content on LinkedIn are: Between 12 to 3 pm, 3 to 6 pm, or 6 to 9 pm. Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
What does 2+ and 3+ mean on LinkedIn? ›Your network on LinkedIn is made up of your 1st-degree, 2nd-degree, and 3rd-degree connections, as well as your followers and fellow members of your LinkedIn groups.
How many applicants are usually shortlisted? ›The shortlist for an interview usually includes 10 to 20 candidates, but this can vary depending on the type of position you are hiring for. Companies with more resources may have much larger shortlists because they can afford to spend more time interviewing people in-person.
How do I know if Im a top candidate? ›- The interviewer checks your references. ...
- The interviewer discusses moving. ...
- Instead of one interviewer, many. ...
- Interviewer provides next steps. ...
- Interviewer responds to your thank-you email. ...
- You shake hands with your future (fingers crossed) coworkers.
Note: The feature only displays if you're in the top 50% of applicants for at least one role. This will be determined by the current members who've applied for the role and requires at least 10 applicants.
What is the best time to send connection request on LinkedIn? ›Thursday and Friday seem to be similar to Tuesdays, with the safest times to post being from 8 am to 2 pm. Evenings are generally not the best times to post on LinkedIn, as the platform experiences a drop in engagement. This is normal since people usually tend to relax in the evenings.
Who should you not connect with on LinkedIn? ›
- Direct competitors.
- People where there genuinely is no value in connecting.
- People with no photo or an unfeasibly good looking one with few connections.
You will not know if someone declines your connection on LinkedIn, as that information is not available to the sender of the connection request.
Why would someone not accept LinkedIn invite? ›Either they are not interested in connecting, or they simply don't know the sender. People rarely accept invites from LinkedIn users they don't know personally.
Why do people decline LinkedIn invitations? ›Reasons to decline a LinkedIn invitation
– If you see a lot of misspellings or weird formatting on a profile, you may not want to be associated with this person. – Decline invitations from people who look like they spent only a few moments creating their profile so that it lacks much information or detail.
1 – Incomplete LinkedIn Profile
One reason your invitations are declined is that your profile is missing a title, job description, and perhaps even good content. Make sure that your photo is full-size, professional and not a random (fake) picture from the Internet.
“Hey {first_name}, I like the work {company_name} is doing in tech and innovation, and wanted to connect. I am always posting valuable resources and insights to help my network propel their company forward. Thought you'd be interested.”
Should you use all 50 skills on LinkedIn? ›Don't feel as though you must have 50 skills listed. Only 10 will show as “Top Skills” and you can select which skills those are. Include your skills and endorsements that are best suited to your current job search. What kinds of jobs are you targeting with your job search?
What does the 4 1 rule as it applies to using LinkedIn? ›This rule says that for every six posts you create on your social media channels, four posts should entertain or educate, one post should be a “soft sell” and one post should be a “hard sell.” Let's take a closer look at how you might use the 4-1-1 rule.
What percentage of employers look at LinkedIn? ›According to a recent report from Jobvite, a company that helps businesses find talent, 77 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates. But other job-focused sites such as Indeed and Monster also give you the opportunity to let employers know what you can do.
What is LinkedIn jail? ›'LinkedIn Jail' means that you have had a restriction placed on your account because you have had an increase in activity. Most likely, you have reached out to a significant number of users on LinkedIn, which is triggering this response.
How many LinkedIn connections can I send per day? ›
The LinkedIn maximum connections per day is to 80 – 100. It is therefore important to target the people you want to see in your network and who will therefore count in your 1st degree relationships, knowing that you can have up to 30,000 1st level relationships with this social network.
What happens when you get over 500 connections on LinkedIn? ›Myth #4: There are secret features that get unlocked when you hit 500 connections. Truth: LinkedIn stops displaying your number of connections on your profile after 500, but nothing happens once you go beyond. Tip: The trick to a successful network is to have both quality and quantity.
How many LinkedIn connections is good? ›The average number of connections per LinkedIn profile is around the 500-999 mark. So logic suggests the more people you are connected with on LinkedIn, the higher the total engagement score (likes, re-shares, comments, etc) vs. someone with a lower count.
Is it bad to accept random LinkedIn requests? ›According to the company's website, LinkedIn says they strongly recommend that users only accept invitations from people they know because when someone becomes a connection or a first-degree connection, they are given access to any information that you've displayed on your profile.
What is 1st 2nd 3rd in LinkedIn? ›2nd-degree – People who are connected to your 1st-degree connections. You'll see a 2nd degree icon next to their name in search results and on their profile. You can contact them through an In Mail or an introduction. 3rd-degree – People who are connected to your 2nd-degree connections.
How many LinkedIn connections is too low? ›If you have fewer than 250 LinkedIn connections, then you simply don't have the volume of second- or third-degree connections to make LinkedIn worthwhile. (Like this thought? Tweet it!) This is the number I've found to be the tipping point.
What happens when you reach 30 connections on LinkedIn? ›Based on our research, the number of connections to kick-start the value of LinkedIn's network is 30. Once you hit this many connections, you should start to see a more relevant news feed and engagement on your posts and new opportunities start to open up.
Is 500 LinkedIn connections a lot? ›It doesn't take much to differentiate yourself either. 54% of people on LinkedIn have less than 500 connections 27% have between 500–999 12% have between 1,000–1,999 3% have between 2,000–2,999. Meaning if you knock out 400 new connections per month you'll be within the top 3 percent in a little over 7 months.
Is 200 LinkedIn connections enough? ›Let's say you are a marketing professional in a well-defined industry like financial services. 200 connections will not be enough to get you to the level of visibility needed to manage your career. How many? Well, definitely more than 500 which LinkedIn defines as the limit it will display.
Is 1000 connections on LinkedIn good? ›I would probably say 1,000 makes you super at connecting. The poll below used 3,000 connections as the threshold into super connectivity. If you feel like checking out some real-life super connectors on LinkedIn, have a look at Neal Schaffer's post listing 10 LinkedIn LIONs and Super Connectors.
Does it look good to have a lot of connections on LinkedIn? ›
Having more LinkedIn connections increases your chances of showing up as one of a user's “most viewed connections.” While this may seem trite to some, appearing in a user's “most viewed connections” can be pretty handy. Recently I was at an industry event and had two different individuals recognize me from LinkedIn.
How do people get 500 LinkedIn connections? ›- Be active.
- Comment Often.
- Send Invitations.
- Use LinkedIn Pulse.
- Connect With Alumni.
- Get in Touch With the LIONs.
- Promote Your LinkedIn URL.
- Use LinkedIn Groups to Connect With Others in Your Industry.
3 ways to bypass linkedin weekly invite limitation: Send connection request through email. Connect with Open Profiles. Connect with group members and event attendees.
Who has the highest number of connections on LinkedIn? ›Who is the most followed person on LinkedIn? Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft is the most followed person on LinkedIn with 30,866,167 followers.
Is 500 LinkedIn connections good? ›With 500+ connections on LinkedIn, you have a greater chance of click throughs to your blog or website. that means profile, reach, presence and influence. It's also likely that you'll appear more often in search results and be higher in the search rankings if you are more connected.
What is a good LinkedIn recruiter response rate? ›You can learn more about how we enforce violations of our LinkedIn Recruiter InMail Policy here. To ensure members receive high-quality InMail and to help our customers achieve the highest InMail response rates possible, we've established a 13% response rate threshold as part of the Recruiter InMail Policy.
Is 30 connections on LinkedIn good? ›Based on our research, the number of connections to kick-start the value of LinkedIn's network is 30. Once you hit this many connections, you should start to see a more relevant news feed and engagement on your posts and new opportunities start to open up.
Do recruiters care about number of LinkedIn connections? ›Recruiters look at your connections for a combination of quality and relevance. Quantity is less of a factor (but you do want to have at least 50 quality contacts) because if you have 500+ connections, but 95% of the contacts aren't related to the field or industry for the job, it doesn't offer much value.
What is considered a lot of LinkedIn connections? ›It doesn't take much to differentiate yourself either. 54% of people on LinkedIn have less than 500 connections 27% have between 500–999 12% have between 1,000–1,999 3% have between 2,000–2,999. Meaning if you knock out 400 new connections per month you'll be within the top 3 percent in a little over 7 months.
What is a good recruiting acceptance rate? ›Aim high when it comes to offer acceptance rate (OAR.) An offer acceptance rate above 90 percent indicates that there's a good match between a company's requirements and candidates' expectations.
Can LinkedIn recruiters see your response rate? ›
Content Marketing Manager at LinkedIn
Recruiters monitor their InMail response rates closely, and for good reason. Recruiters earn an InMail credit back if their message receives a response within 90 days — so response rates reflect both candidate engagement and recruiter efficiency.
What is a good response rate for LinkedIn InMails? If your LinkedIn InMail response rate is between 20 to 50 percent, it's average; up to 65% is good; above 80% is excellent; below 20% is poor.
Is LinkedIn still relevant 2022? ›Summary: LinkedIn is the most widely used professional network available today. That makes it an excellent platform both to network with and learn from skilled people and to find applicants and potential new hires for your business.
What happens when you hit 500 connections on LinkedIn? ›Reaching 500 connections on LinkedIn is a bit of a 'rite of passage' because of the way LinkedIn display the amount of connections you have. When you have reached 500 connections, your profile will simply tell visitors to your profile that you now have '500+ connections'!
Should you accept every connection on LinkedIn? ›LinkedIn's own advice is that you should only accept connection requests from people that “you know personally and who you trust on a professional level”. Which could be fairly limiting, and there is some value to expanding your connection pool a little further than this.
Is it better to have followers or connections on LinkedIn? ›The answer is - always go for the connection, even if you don't personally know the person. The reason – LinkedIn is a virtual place for people to connect and network in a professional manner. The more people you are connected with, the more of an opportunity you will have to be seen and heard.