LinkedIn is often used as a means of companies finding suppliers. The advanced search allows for companies to search keywords for services they require, and look through the profiles of those who fit those services.
The downside of this comes when the company then wants to get in touch with that person.
In search results, 2nd connections will have a ‘connect’ option next to them. When the connect option is clicked, an instant connection request is sent. There is no option to add a personalised message.
The recipient may then receive this connection request and, not knowing who the person is and with no accompanying message, decide to decline. And the business is lost!
There are several places on LinkedIn where there is no option to send a personalised connection request, and many people fall in to this trap. The one place you are able to is when the connect option appears on the person’s full profile. This will then take you through to the standard personalised message box (on desktop version).
Over the last couple of years, I would have lost out on an awful lot of business if I hadn’t decided to connect with people I don’t know on LinkedIn. If I totted it up, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was in the tens of thousands of pounds! LinkedIn is definitely the best social media source of customers for my business. And many of these make the first step by sending a connection request.
If they haven’t had the opportunity to send a message with this, they can then send me a message when I accept, which they wouldn’t be able to do if I ignored instead.
So, is your LinkedIn connection acceptance strategy working for or against your business?
And my view is, the worst thing that can happen is I’ve made a mistake and accepted someone who will spam me. This is obviously horrific for my business, taking 1 minute out of my business day to then remove them as a connection….!! I hope you’re catching my sarcasm there!!!
