If mankind were to establish the 7 wonders of the virtual world, LinkedIn would undoubtedly be among them.

With “nearly 800 million members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide” (https://about.linkedin.com/), LinkedIn is by far the largest professional “social network” out there. Having a LinkedIn profile has not only become an essential part of any individual’s or company’s online presence, but of their personal or business brand.

So, what’s all the fuss? More than we have time for here, but in brief:

• Connect with anyone, anywhere – Perhaps the greatest thing about LinkedIn is that it allows you to professionally connect, one-on-one, with nearly anyone in the world. Whether you’re reaching out to potential clients, seeking the absolute best candidates for a job, or are looking to compare notes with someone who is researching the same microbe that you are, there’s a really good chance they’re on LinkedIn.

• Find your next career move – According to a study by Jobvite, 93% of recruiters use LinkedIn to research and recruit candidates. Better yet, head-hunters use LinkedIn religiously to find the talent they need, even if said people aren’t actively looking for a job.

• Other benefits include building your name as an expert by posting quality content and articles, using LinkedIn as a research platform, using it to show off your latest success, and much more.

In this post, I want to talk about using LinkedIn to connect with others, the most fundamental tenet of doing business or developing one’s career. I can’t tell you how many people squander this unbelievable opportunity by sending brief or automated messages that don’t give people any meaningful reason to connect.

If you really want to get the most out of LinkedIn, you must give thought to your approach to the people you want to link up with and spend time crafting personalized messages that are more likely to get you the connections you’re looking for.

Surefire Tips for Writing High Quality LinkedIn Messages

Here are four steps/tips that will help you write better, more targeted LinkedIn messages:

1. Start your message on a personal note:

When sitting down to write the body of your message, ask yourself: “How do I know this person and why am I reaching out to them?” Equipped with the answers to these questions, construct a targeted, personal opening line. An example: “I thought your comments on my recent post were spot-on and would love to continue our conversation here.”

2. Get to the point, fast:

People are busy and have limited attention spans, such that they will lose interest in a heartbeat if you don’t cut to the chase quickly.

An example: “We have started our US penetration and would like, if possible, to consult with you regarding the best way to approach American CEOs.” (good).

vs.

“After working hard for over 5 years to develop our product and conducting a controlled launch in a few European countries, we have moved on to the next phase of our go-to-market strategy. We have started rolling out our plan to penetrate the US market and would like, if possible, to ask a few questions regarding the best way to approach American CEOs.” (too long and long-winded).

3. Be appreciative and communicative:

The last two lines of your message are your opportunity to wrap things up professionally and gracefully. You’ll want to be polite while also making sure that what you’re asking for is crystal clear. Try something like this: “In a few words, we were wondering if you might spare a few moments of your time to discuss this over a Zoom meeting sometime next week. Your time and any assistance on the matter would be greatly appreciated.”

4. Don’t overdo it:

Corresponding on LinkedIn should be a mix of the formal, professional style we use in business emails, and the lighter, more casual way we communicate on social media. However, we need to be careful not to go overboard in either direction. For example: “I wish to express my profound gratitude for your instructive content” is probably going to be less effective than “I love your captivating, invaluable content.” 

Here’s How an Entire, Well-Written LinkedIn Message Might Look:

“

Hi Bruce,

I just finished reading your article on invisible drones and was excited to find someone whose interests perfectly align with mine.

I'm in the process of opening a tech start-up revolving around micro-drones in a variety of fields and think your impressive background, experience, and expertise would be a great fit for the founding team.

I’d be very grateful for an opportunity to discuss this with you. Please let me know if this would be possible, and how best to contact you.

Many thanks,
Noa

“

Feel free to shoot us a message on WhatsApp with any questions you may have or if you need help crafting a killer LinkedIn message.