The One Thing You Should Avoid on LinkedIn to Build Connections and Opportunities

By Juan Arroyave Published On: January 17th, 2024 Categories: Business Tips for Beginners, Digital Marketing

Have you accepted an invitation on LinkedIn to build a connection, and immediately or even the next day, you got a sales message? You are not alone! It doesn’t only happen to you, but there are thousands dealing with the same issue. Read more to learn my thoughts about it.

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LinkedIn has proven to be a professional network that allows individuals to expand their network, educate themselves, and find jobs. With recent changes, it has also become a powerful tool for businesses to generate leads. My company and many others are utilizing LinkedIn to build connections, educate, find opportunities, and generate leads. But there is a thin line between doing this and disrespecting our community. Some salespeople invite individuals to connect and immediately send a sales speech; if you don’t reply, you can get multiple messages during the week. Has it happened to you?

Multiple email marketing platforms can send you messages on LinkedIn; one of them is Lemlist. The possibility of sending these messages via email and following up on LinkedIn is even greater! Don’t get me wrong, I’m in marketing, and I use these tools. But as marketers, we have to have ethical standards. If we use these tools, we have to stop being super invasive.

One thing that we, as marketers, should practice is respect. Instead of practicing the funnel of invite, connect, and sale. We should interact with people, network, educate, build relationships, and sell. I have received hundreds of messages on LinkedIn to build connections during the past two months, and sometimes I feel harassed because they keep sending messages if they don’t get a response or get a no. I end up blocking not only the person but also the company. Surely, I won’t do business with that company.

We have to humanize marketing and sales; to use LinkedIn to build connections for real, we must understand that sometimes people need more time to be ready to make a decision, or there is no fit. In the medium and long run, you may be able to work with that prospect. Months ago, we started a conversation with a prospect to work with them to elevate their marketing and launch their brand. They needed to develop more information on their end to be a successful business. We didn’t have to call every day or send messages to ask if they were ready. Instead, we provided a guide on what they needed and why it was that important. Three months later, we started working with them.

Using LinkedIn to build connections is the best choice because it is a place to network, connect, and learn.?You can utilize tools such as LinkedIn newsletters to create relevant content for people with the same interests. You should post content in your business and personal profile and interact with others. This way, you generate leads and relationships that turn into long-lasting clients.

Another tactic to generate leads is to join groups. But, do not just join, interact with the members, read their articles, comment, and post content related to the group. You will start generating an audience and relationships that will generate genuine leads.

It may be a little different when recruiters contact people for open roles. Who wants to avoid getting contacted to improve their career? Before starting my entrepreneurship path, I got a message on LinkedIn for an available role in Boston. I was very happy I got that message and took the role. There may be other cases in which people or companies are so glad to receive messages, and let’s be honest: most of the time, they are messages from potential customers.

I am not against sending cold emails or messages on LinkedIn to build connections. We all need to sell! But I invite my fellow entrepreneurs and marketing companies to have some limits.

What do you think about this? Do you have any suggestions on times to follow up?

See our blog on our page here. We have many articles that will help you with topics related to Digital Marketing, HR, and Busines Management.