When it comes to making connections on LinkedIn, does this scenario sound familiar?
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You set up your LinkedIn profile (hopefully using the tips I’ve given you!). You start searching for a network of like-minded professionals in your industry. You immediately recognize a few people you know, so you immediately request a connection with them. However, you often experience shyness when meeting new professionals in the real world, as you don’t know when to bring up connecting on LinkedIn.
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This phenomenon is what I like to call “LinkedIn shyness” – and it can often be one of the biggest deterrents to an online marketerbuilding a massive (and incredibly valuable) networking base.
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But Lynn, you might be thinking to yourself. I’m not being shy – I’m just being observant of boundaries!
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I know that the pressure of connecting with someone on LinkedIn – especially after you’ve just met him or her at a conference – can seem like a daunting prospect. It gives you that “high school kid in the cafeteria” feeling; in other words, you want to make friends, but you’re afraid of appearing too forward and getting rejected as a result.
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Luckily, I have a way that all online marketers can overcome LinkedIn shyness without having to ask everyone they meet to connect with them online. Here are a few quick-fire tips that will get your connections expanding – just like your business horizons!
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Import your contacts from your email account and seek them on LinkedIn. As you already know these people, it will be easier to request connections with them.
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Place your LinkedIn profile name on every piece of self-promotional materials you own. Use it on your business cards, your email signature, your letterhead – you name it, put your LinkedIn info on it.
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Finally, don’t be afraid to ask your existing network to introduce you to key industry players. Having an acquaintance introduce you to a new contact will likely result in a new LinkedIn connection.
It’s a wide world out there – and you never know what opportunities will open up to you as a result of making these crucial connections.
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Let me hear your thoughts … Are you experiencing LinkedIn shyness? Are these tips helpful?
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Nice post. I’m still new in online marketing and this post has given me a lot of helpful tips to overcome linkedin shyness. Thanks.
Raquel
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Thank you Raquel I am happy to hear these are helpful tips. Please I invite you to stroll around my blog as I offer many more social marketing tips and blogging strategies. Appreciate you stopping by today.
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Your second recommendation of placing your LinkedIn name everywhere reminded me to update my name on LinkedIn, adding “Lee”, creating consistency across all my social platforms. Thank you!
Appreciate you mentioning how important consistency is PeggyLee. Thank you for sharing your comments and I just got your Linkedin invite, so we are connected there too!
This tip is the one I find most valuable, Lynn …
“Finally, don’t be afraid to ask your existing network to introduce you to key industry players.”
I oftentimes get the question, “Which LinkedIn groups do you like the most, Melanie? Any recommendations?”
And …
When someone invites me to “accept” their invitation to join their network on LinkedIn, I reply with a quick “thank you” note and a few suggestions for groups for them to join (especially if I know they’re “newbies” to LinkedIn). Nine times out of ten, I get a nice “thank you” note in return.
From the activity I’ve seen lately on social media, it seems a lot more people are going to give LinkedIn a fair shake this year.
If you read the recent post on the Social Media Examiner, there’s a general “shift” in thinking going on right now regarding social media marketing and one that I agree with wholeheartedly! We need to stop trying to participate on a gazillion social media venues and ZERO IN on just one or two that will serve us best to build our businesses.
I find that to be a very valuable technique as well Melanie. You hit the nail on the head when you talk about how there seems to be a shift in social media. I have been reading other articles as well regarding the same thing. Having a zillion social platforms can actually hurt your business and brand. That is because not even the biggest companies can keep up with all those sites, especially when these social sites make changes (i.e., Facebook!)
Zeroing in on those social sites that will benefit both the business and your customer/client I believe will be key. And yes, your statement about more people looking into coming onboard with Linkedin, is probably true. Especially since there are people like you and me sharing the awesome techniques and different ways you can utilize Linkedin properly for results in a timely manner.
Really appreciate you sharing your comments, tips and advice. Will certainly be helpful to others, especially if they are on the fence with Linkedin!
I have still not really gotten active on Linked-In. I have a basic profile and I have joined some groups, but I don’t post very often. I will try to get on the site a couple times a week to see what is going on. Thanks for the encouragement.
I think you will find Janette, if you add 10 or 15 minutes into your daily business schedule for your Linkedin account you will find you have a huge resource for connecting with people that could be your potential clients or customers. Also connecting with other like minded professionals within your industry can be a tremendous way to cross promote and bring even more visiblity to you and your business.
I would also like to share my Free (recorded) webinar where I offer 10 Tips to apply and implement for your Linkedin profile. http://products.learnit2earnitwithlynn.com/10_missing_links_webinar I hope you will find it helpful, and as always, if you have questions, I am more than happy to answer them.
These are great suggestions, Lynn. Personalizing your request with a link to an article that may be helpful to that person can be a great ice-breaker. Also, I often coach my clients who are shying away from sharing their gifts and themselves to ask what they might be withholding from someone else by doing so. If you truly believe you have expertise and a desire to help others, then to NOT do so is going against a core value of being of service…when you do an action in service to others instead of what they may do for you, I find it takes a lot of the “charge” out of it.
Oh very well said Tambre! And I just listened to a video that Frank Kern recently released, he said the same thing as you. If you have that expertise and desire to help others then it is something you must share so others can experience the positive energy that comes from that. Your clients are getting a great lesson from you Tambre as you always are inspiring and keeping things real! Appreciate you sharing your awesome experience and advice.
Yes I agree and like Roy, an unusual name helps especially in many places but that does not always mean its easy to find the exceptional names. I keep checking that I have everything in place but then you keep coming up with new details for me to consider. At least its all good stuff and I just need to follow through. Thanks Lynn for teaching me more and more and helping me increase my presence
I enjoy sharing these tips Roberta and I am happy to hear how you and others can and do benefit from them. I guess you already can tell my favorite social platform is Linkedin! Appreciate your comments and positive support!
That’s something I haven’t done- include my #in profile name on my eMail. Of course, it’s so original (RAAckerman), I doubt folks would miss it, but why make them work hard!
That is true, make it simple for them Roy and you just might see a flood of connections
Thanks for sharing your comments. And glad to see you are on Linkedin!
p.s. no comment luv?
Hmmm … will have to look into that. Thanks!!
Signing up to use a social site is definitely not the time for “shyness!” If you are a true business person, you WANT your products and services out there in a LOUD way. No room for shyness!
LinkedIn is such a different bird from the other social sites. I find I am making more JV connections there and I like that. I’ve partnered with several in the industry since becoming more visible on LinkedIn. It has definitely put me in front of others as the expert in my niche. Nice article.
Thank you Martha. And getting those Joint Venture partnerships is awesome. That is where my first JV opportunity came from was Linkedin. I am glad that you see value with Linkedin even though I know your main love is Twitter! I think both platforms are complimented and extremly important for any serious business owner. Thank you for sharing your awesome experience and advice.
Hi Lynn,
The tips are excellent.
Spread your net wide. This way, as you meet others, folks will seek you out. Move forward with a calm confidence. Believe in yourself, and opportunity? If you do, people want to meet you….and if people do not connect with you simply accept the idea that you were not a match.
Thanks for sharing!
RB
Wow, Ryan …. well said and I like your approach of ‘calm confidence’. Thank you so much for stopping by today and adding tremendous value by sharing your very insightful advice.