Tips on building a LinkedIn Network

A growing LinkedIn Network is an important part of using LinkedIn as a Business Tool.

Here are a few points to remember when growing your LinkedIn Network:

(I added other tips from my LinkedIn Network?to the bottom of this list)

1. Focus on connecting with your target audience and their influencers.
2. Don't send LinkedIn Invites to LinkedIn Members just to raise your numbers.
3. Never miss an opportunity to connect with someone relevant to you. Including:

• If you get an email from someone new, consider connecting on LinkedIn.
• If someone new is copied on an email to you, consider connecting on LinkedIn.
• When someone gives you a business card, consider connecting on LinkedIn.
• When at virtual networking events, pay attention to who is speaking and consider connecting on LinkedIn.
• If you read an article that is relevant to you, consider connecting on LinkedIn.
• Watching a YouTube video or listening to a Podcast, consider connecting with the presenter, interviewer, or guest speaker on LinkedIn.
• When talking with a peer, if they mention someone relevant to you, consider connecting on LinkedIn.
• Watching a news show and an industry peer is mentioned positively, consider connecting on LinkedIn.
• Reading a relevant book, consider connecting with the author(s) on LinkedIn.
• Run into a peer in a public space, consider connecting on LinkedIn.

You also need to be deliberate when considering connecting on LinkedIn. Here are my tips for making decisions as to who to send an invite, or accept an invite:

1. Are they relevant to you?
2. Do they know you yet?
3. Should you ask for an introduction first?
4. Can you bump into them through their LinkedIn content?
5. Are they active enough on LinkedIn to see your invite?
6. Always use a personal note in the invite.
7. Supposedly LinkedIn is restricting us to <100 LinkedIn Invites per week. That's ok. Growing your LinkedIn Network is not a race, it's a continual journey.
8. Always immediately engage with your new LinkedIn Connection upon connecting.
9. The level of engagement will be directly proportional to their relevance to your business or career goals.

Don't measure success based on the size of your LinkedIn Network. It's not how big your LinkedIn Network is that matters. Continued success could occur with the next meaningful and relevant LinkedIn Connection.

From Lisa LaMunyon - "Create conversation when you are volunteering. You share an interest in giving back to the same community organization. Ask if they would like to connect. I always carry my card with me."

What other tips do you have to continually grow your LinkedIn Network in highly relevant ways?

/Teddy