8 Tips For Growing A LinkedIn Network

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Many people send LinkedIn requests to people they do not know. This creates a network of weak ties with few personal connections. It can be challenging to leverage that type of network, especially when looking for business connections that can lead to positive outcomes. The following tips can help you build a network of strong ties on LinkedIn, which helps generate business:

1. Follow an in-person meeting with a LinkedIn connection request
2. Follow up on phone calls with a LinkedIn connection request. It is great to tell the person during the call that a LinkedIn request is coming when you hang up.
3. If you had an especially productive conversation on Twitter or Google+, send that person a LinkedIn request.
4. Don’t use the generic request. Add some detail about the meeting or conversation, or your reason for connecting. Context is always better.
5. Import contacts from your email to find both personal and business connections.
6. Review LinkedIn suggested connections and other network connections to find new connections
7. Connect with all work colleagues, as it shows a strong impression of your connected company to your prospects. There are company administrative functions that require a connection to other employees before a person can be added to certain fields.
8. Reach out to others in your industry or target industries who are in the same LinkedIn Groups as you, but make sure you add context to the request.