10 key ways to build your Network faster on LinkedIn in 2024

Maybe there are more people missing from your network on LinkedIn than you think?

I hope this helps you build a more valuable network on LinkedIn faster, with members who will pay more attention to your content and therefore engage in the live conversations that you want, so that you can convert those conversations into revenue.

Summary

Here is Summary of what I am going to share in this blog:

1. Value: Why does this matter for your Business
2. Types: What are the different kind of members of your network on LinkedIn (its not just Connections)
3. Sources: what are the (not often used) specific Sources of additional Connections for you on LinkedIn
4. People: How to build your network more authentically (ie for People)
5. Growth: How do you integrate delegation into this LinkedIn networking model so that you can grow your business with more staff
6. Habits: Habits that will help you (rather than Hacks that ultimately hinder you)
7. Connections: What makes a good Connection Message better?

1) Value: Why Does Size Matter for Your LinkedIn Network

Next, why does Your LinkedIn Network matter to you & your business on LinkedIn? Because it delivers these three strategic benefits

1] Brand Credibility: Who doesn't want to be connected to someone with a healthy network (conversely someone with say only 50 connections would probably make someone think you either really don't know many people or - worse - you don't value the connections you do have? Either way it’s not a good look.

2] Content Reach: The more people you are connected with on LinkedIn, the more people will read your content and the real bonus here, the more they read your content the more likely people in their network might read it: that is a great multiplier effect.

3] More Conversations: This will help you find more conversations with your connections (and their connections) that you can convert into Live Conversations and therefore more Revenue

“Content Creates Conversations” (LinkedIn Maxim No. 69)

2) Types: Different types of Network members on LinkedIn: Connections, Followers, Following, Readers

For me the definition of my network on LinkedIn or the purpose of my network, is to find more people to engage in conversation on LinkedIn and then in person, primarily driven by my content that they have consumed and or their content which I have consumed.

There are four kinds of members in your LinkedIn network:

1. Connections: People who have sent you a connection request that you have accepted or People you have sent a connection request to that they have accepted
2. Followers: People who are following you (i.e. your profile) but that you aren’t connected with
3. Following: People who's profile you are following
4. Readers: People who are following your LinkedIn Newsletter (Note: they don’t have to be either Connected to you or Following you)

3) Sources: What are these extra Sources of Connections

Generally speaking when I mention these network sources to people, they are obvious: the key here is to have a deliberate strategy to consistently and steadily build your network:

Source summary: 10 Sources in 2024

1. Past Colleagues: the People you used to work with
2. Recent Meetings: the People you meet yesterday, last week, last month etc
3. Your Clients: the staff and decision makers at current (and past?) clients
4. Your Prospects: your prospects (decision makers and staff)
5. Your Partners: your Referral Partners (People who provide you with prospects)
6. Your Network: your Network group - for example: your Chamber of Commerce? BNI? etc
7. Your Community: your "non-business" network groups that you may belong to: Toastmasters, Rotary, Lions? etc
8. Good Company: companies you want to work with (where you have found that Company's LinkedIn Page and their staff / People)
9. Forget Facebook: actually don't Forget Facebook - many of the people who are now friends of yours on
10. Janes List: your Jane's List (People who aren't current Clients, Prospects or Prospect Partner but who you would like to be doing business with) - why not grow your relationship with these specific people from bring Followed by you to being connected with you?

Bonus Tip

11. Your Phone: There are many people on your phone that you have had or do have contact with, that are on LinkedIn that you may not be connected with on LinkedIn?

How much is enough (on LinkedIn?)

You want to grow your Followers on LinkedIn to

1. 500, then
2. 1000 plus then
3. keep adding people that you meet in person

4) People: How to build your Network Authentically

Bonus Note:

"Would you walk up to a stranger in the street and suggest that you know them? Then why would you do that on LinkedIn?"(LinkedIn Maxim No. 92)

So the question is how do you build your network on LinkedIn without Connecting with Strangers? Here is an alternate model:

The Find Follow & Fraternise Model:

Find - the person on LinkedIn and view their profile - and they will get notified that you have viewed them (In the list of People who have Viewed their profile)

Follow - their profile- and they will get notified that you have Followed their profile (in their Notifications)

Fraternise - like and comment on one of their pieces of content

Bonus note: For extra impact (and attention on the Content you share) before you post your Content, View their Profile again and Fratenise with their latest content. This is based on the simple logic that: "If you want to be listened to by someone else, then why not start by listening to them first?"

A summary of my approach is:

1. Connections: People I have meet in person or been introduced to: I have sent a connection message to
2. Following: People I want to do business with: I have viewed and followed their profile

Why does Fratenising matter?

If someone has a free account, they will see the last few people that have viewed their account but they will be notified of all of people that have Followed their profile.

5) Growth: The Power of Delegation

One of the key drivers in growing your business is creating the possibilities and processes for delegating certain functions in your business.

They Know Too: if your team can

• see the people you know and have meet (and how: that will be in the messages you shared with these people on LinkedIn) then
• they can help you FollowUp with your network - [conversely if its all in your phone / email / spreadsheet - it makes this aspect of your business (FollowUp with your network and inviting them to events etc) much more difficult for your team to help with on LinkedIn.

The Two Key Growth Habits here are:

Meeting: Make sure you have a regular practice (process) to send Immediate FollowUp messages to people you meet and add them into your database (key here is to set aside the time after the event - in advance - to do you your FollowUp).

Methodology: Have a recurring time slot (weekly? or fortnightly?) where you set aside time to do the FollowUps.

6) What makes a good Connection Request Better

When you send a connection request on LinkedIn there are the key elements (try and include all 4 elements for maximum impact):

• Where: Where did we meet? At what event?
• When: When did we meet (a date is often helpful)
• What: What did we discuss and
• Why: Why (or about what) should we continue our conversation

"Good morning John, it was great to meet you at the Abracadabra Networking event at the Super Duper Hotel on Sunday, 21st of January 2024. I look forward to continuing our conversation about great Chamber events to attend locally."