When we have a new connection on Linkedin we can get really excited about making a great first impression. Maybe they are a potential new client or a dream business partner we’d love to work with. Whatever your intention it’s important to put your best foot forwards. There is nothing worse than sending the wrong message to a new connection, this is something we teach during our LinkedIn Training sessions. So, here are 5 top conversation starters for Linkedin.
1. The Thank You
There is nothing wrong with thanking someone for connecting with you. A simple “thank you for connecting” can go a long way as it allows them to simply accept the thank you and move forwards or instigate a conversation themselves. There is no pressure to respond and you’ve already touched base. The thank-you should never come with a caveat. Don’t go for the hard sell after a thank you message, as it essentially makes the thank you feel a bit empty.
2. Happy Birthday
This is a once in a year message, but just like the “Thank You” it shows you care more about the person as a person when you wish them a Happy Birthday. People are more likely to discuss things with you when they feel like you both value each other’s time. So a simple birthday message can go a long way in creating that.
3. Passing Along Information
Linkedin is primarily a platform for business owners, entrepreneurs and team workers to share, inspire and thrive. Creating your list of connections that can help you as much as you can help them. If you see something which could benefit your connection, drop them a quick tip…
“I wrote an article I feel would help your business” or “This new change looks important to you so I thought I’d pass it along”.
Information moves and changes so frequently today it can be impossible to see everything so your connections may appreciate a heads up once and a while in case it’s something they may have overlooked in the past.
4. Endorsements
A simple way to begin a conversation is to endorse your connections. Endorsements will notify your connections and open up a chat window with an option to thank you for your endorsement. A simple, but effective way to find yourself in their mailbox and it grants you the ability to ask what they are currently working on, or if they would like to learn more about your ventures.
5. The Call
This is the risky one, which could win you an important conversation or shoot you down. This is simply a straight forward message…
“Hello John, thanks for being a connection. I’d love to give you a call, are you free on Tuesday?”
This could leave you with a “No thank you” or a “Sure I’ve got some time”. Either way, you’ve got your answer through one simple message. This usually works better after getting to know your connections and shouldn’t be used straight away if you’re looking for that “Yes”.
There are a wide variety of methods to get a message to the people you want to talk to, but many can lead to disappointment. If you’re looking for the right way to approach your target audience we offer a wide range of training options which will land you the connections you are looking for.
