10 Tips To Improve Linkedin Connection Request Acceptance Rate

Consider a scenario where you're entering a party you don't know many of the attendees. You have two choices: either introduce yourself to everyone and initiate a conversation or remain by yourself and wait for someone to approach. You select option one.

Once more, you have two choices when introducing yourself to others: You can walk up to someone, introduce yourself, and strike up a conversation with them (assuming they will play along and converse with you). Or you could make an introduction, explain why you want to get to know them, and inquire about their job, upbringing, or experience.

The latter option appeals to you, but at this party, you don't know anyone who you might approach. You have no idea what they do for a living, who else they know, or how much experience they have. This makes it more difficult to introduce yourself and start a conversation.

For Linkedin the situation is different. Thanks to LinkedIn, you do know a little bit about the person you're trying to approach and start a conversation with. You can read their online profile to learn more about their background, aspirations, shared connections, and more. On their profile, you can find every piece of information you require to tailor your connection request.

Follow these tips when sending a LinkedIn connection request to improve the likelihood that the recipient will accept your invitation.

Linkedin Connection Request Tips: Top 10 Linkedin Tips For Sending Connection Request Messages

1. Personalize Your Connection Request Message

LinkedIn is not an exception to the noise on the Internet. Because they believe they will probably be one of many people who receive the same type of connection request message, users who receive impersonal and generic messages don't feel the need to respond because they crave meaningful connections.

We are aware of how alluring it can be to send the connection request on LinkedIn as is. But even five minutes could make a huge difference if you personalize it. Your connection request's likelihood of being accepted can be significantly increased if you include the lead's name, explain how you came to know them, and mention a noteworthy action they took.

According to 83% of Linkedin users, winning them over depends on treating them like everyday humans and not just another person on your "target list."

Making an effort to make a connection request more unique can mean the difference between getting accepted and not. Include your prospect's name, where you found them, and a call to action that is crystal clear (CTA).

2. Reason For Contacting Them

Your reason for contacting someone should be immediately clear in every connection request you make on LinkedIn. Your prospect will be more open to granting your request if you are honest with them about why you want to connect with them. A staggering 94% of consumers claim that complete transparency increases their likelihood of engaging with a brand.

Best-selling business author Josh Kaufman mentions an experiment done in 1970 at Harvard University by psychologist Dr. Ellen Langer. The task was straightforward: students used various ploys to ask people in line at a crowded copy machine if they could jump to the front of the line. To find out what would motivate participants to comply with a request, an experiment was conducted.

The results were astounding: 60% of the time, requests that were made directly were honored. However, giving a justification raised compliance to 95%. These findings indicate a strong relationship between a request's justification and the likelihood that it will be granted.

In your Linkedin connection requests, you should use a common copywriting tactic called "explaining the "why" behind a statement." In summary, having a clear reason for each connection request you make on LinkedIn can significantly increase the likelihood that it will be accepted.

3. Mention A Mutual Connection

Finding shared connections is facilitated by LinkedIn, which displays all connections that you and your prospect share. However, these mutual connections are drawing less and less trust from LinkedIn users. One of the causes is that name-dropping is now a popular strategy used by people who want to use their connections to well-known figures to their advantage.

We're not saying that you shouldn't try to send a connection request while name-dropping. Just be aware of how to use it wisely, is all we're saying. There are two approaches you can take: By LinkedIn InMail or email, request that the two of you introduce each other to the potential customer.

Users are more likely to interact with a professional acquaintance than they are with a third-party connection. If the person is unable to introduce themselves, at least let them know that you intend to connect with a prospect and ask if they have any advice on whether you should proceed. In a nutshell: Be judicious and sparing with name-dropping. Either request an introduction from your connections or get their permission to contact your lead.

4. Recommend A Solution To Their Problem

A great way to encourage a prospect to accept your connection request is by providing solutions to their problems. However, the solution you propose should come from a reliable third-party source in order to avoid coming off as a salesperson trying to meet their quota.

You need to demonstrate that you are familiar with the source and how the information can be applied to solve a problem that your prospect may be experiencing, whether you're using case studies from reputable organizations or blogs from well-known marketers.

To avoid appearing to be self-promotional, you should also take care to select resources that have absolutely nothing to do with your product or service. Again, no one enjoys the sensation of being "closed" during the initial meeting.

So just offer a remedy for your lead's problems in your connection request. At this point, stay away from selling your products yourself because doing so will turn off a lot of customers.

5. Compliment Your Prospect's Work

Highlighting the relevance of prospects' work to you personally or professionally is well recommended. When contacting such leads, being specific about how their product or service has benefited you strengthens the authenticity of your message.

Your connection request will be well-received if you can go one step further and specifically mention how your prospect played a part in creating this excellent solution.

Imagine contacting a specific individual who is a member of the development team for a tool you frequently use. You've used its new feature, which automates a process that used to take you several hours every week, firsthand. Additionally, you are aware that your prospect played a major role in the creation of that feature.

Because of their assistance in making this feature a reality, you can thank them when you create your connection request. But let's be careful here: there is a difference between genuine praise and using flattery to gain an advantage.

Remember that a brief message often lacks the nuance of spoken language, and your words could come off as being forced. We advise reading your connection request aloud before sending it to prevent this. If it seems fake to you, there's a good chance your prospect will feel the same way.

In summary, complimenting your lead on their professional accomplishments demonstrates your respect for your prospect's professional accomplishments.

6. Use A Call To Conversation

When communication is established, a connection is much more profound for both parties. If the conversation will make them feel like they want to contribute, you can entice your prospect to accept your connection request.

We discovered that starting a conversation with your CTC is an efficient way to accomplish this. You can make it into an invitation for a conversation where your prospect will provide you with more information if you follow it up with something specific that they have done that has caught your interest.

Giving praise for your prospect's professional accomplishments and being open and honest about the reasons for your connection request are two additional components of the above-discussed strategy.

Again, we should emphasize that there are approaches to establishing a conversation that will flow naturally in this situation. The same strategy of reading the message aloud before sending it can be used to determine whether it sounds natural. Your prospect will likely perceive your conversation request as robotic or rehearsed if it does so to you.

7. Follow Up

"The money is in the follow-up." If you're in the sales world you've probably heard this numerous times. One of the techniques that sets a sales professional apart from a "closer" is follow-up.

After sending their pitch, a person might believe that they have completed their task. But a closer is aware that often, the follow-up is what makes the sale. According to studies, 80% of sales require more than four follow-ups to close. The same reasoning holds true when attempting to create a valuable LinkedIn connection. You are not putting forth a good effort if you believe that sending the connection request is the end of your task.

Additionally, as we've previously stressed in this blog post, being lazy on your part will result in the same outcome. Users of LinkedIn are permitted to send up to 100 connection requests per week. Imagine having to go through each of those requests one by one after receiving even a small portion of them.

The truth is that a connection request from an unknown source is more likely to be declined. Your connection request might have been rejected for a number of reasons, including:

• Instead of a sincere request for a connection, it sounded more like

  a sales pitch.

• You failed to individualize the message

• You didn't make a proper introduction.

• Your welcome message was overly lengthy.

These factors---along with others---are sufficient to make a prospect decline your connection request. This does not, however, imply that you should give up. This merely means that when you write your follow-up, you should recognize your error and avoid making it. The final piece of advice is that savvy closers also know when to give up. This applies to job seekers too.

If you repeatedly connect with prospects, they might report you to LinkedIn, which could result in account restrictions or even permanent account blocking. We're trying to say that when you follow up, do so respectfully and thoughtfully. Learn to accept that there will be connection requests that fail and move on if your lead has not responded after several tries.

8. Don't Use Linkedin Message Templates

I know you're probably tempted to use Linkedin network connection request templates so the process can be easy for you. DON'T. That's the fastest way to get your account blocked. Many of your potential prospects have been inundated with different types of connection request messages from people trying to network on Linkedin that they can differentiate between an original message and a template.

So if you don't want your new connection request to be denied or blow up the chances of growing your professional network and striking up a conversation with a potential client don't use that template you copied from that marketing blog that tells you it'd improve your chances of getting accepted.

9. Connect With People In The Same Linkedin Group

Reaching out to someone that you're in the same group with and making a reference to it is one surefire way of getting your request connections on Linkedin accepted immediately. Also, one tip to note is that you can try and find out the groups they belong in and join them so you can have context for reaching out to them. This is one of the industry's elite strategies for finding and connecting with qualified leads.

10. Build Your Linkedin Profile

A LinkedIn invitation from someone without a profile picture or a complete profile is the definition of a loser. According to LinkedIn, including a profile picture increases the likelihood that your profile will be viewed by others. It's hard for someone to want to connect with you if you don't introduce yourself and explain why you might have something in common.

Conclusion: Network On Linkedin

When it comes to networking on Linkedin and sending connection requests, before you find your groove, you'll probably go through a lot of trial and error. Additionally, a technique that gets your connection request accepted right away from one prospect might not necessarily work with another lead.

These 10 tips, in our opinion, will give you the best chance of writing a successful connection request. When you consider it, they are basic and straightforward: build your profile, personalize your connection requests, explain why you want to connect, and follow up if your potential connections don't respond.

Making a connection online is no more difficult than doing so in person. We can even argue that establishing a connection in person may be slightly more challenging because it calls for spontaneity and quick thinking. You have all the time in the world to thoughtfully craft your message at every stage when sending a LinkedIn connection request.

One of the best things you've ever done for your LinkedIn connections will be to take the time to write your message according to these guidelines. You have the opportunity to reap huge rewards for every bit of work you put in.