Last night on my way train ride home from the workshop I co-presented, I pulled out my smart phone, opened the LinkedIn app, and asked 3 attendees to connect with me.
I liked them, thought we had much to offer each other, and wanted to keep the contacts warm.
You know me, I really stress the importance of a well crafted, personalized connection request. I had the time, and initiated the effort.
In transit, I had to use the LinkedIn app. The LinkedIn app, flawed as it is (see earlier blog posts on this), does allow you to send a customized, personalized, warm connection request to another person. You just need to know where to look for this gem! Here’s how:
Key in a name on the search bar at the top of your screen.Tap the three dots to the right of the search field (I drew a red box around for emphasis).
Tricky huh? LinkedIn is {unfortunately} full of such hidden nooks and crannies!
The next screens you see allow you 1) to choose “Personalize Invite,” (among other things) and then 2) to write a personalized invitation to connect.
Notice in the second screen below that LinkedIn suggests you give the intended connection context: where you know that person, to which I will add: where you met, and/or what you spoke about, and/or a mutual connection, etc., in sum, useful clues who you are and what you offer him or her.
Do not always expect a prospective connection to open your connection request soon after you sent it. Sometimes it takes days/weeks, so you need to give context of who you are and what you offer, thus to refresh their memory, just to be on the safe side that your connection request will not go unnoticed or seem suspect.
I wish you more successful, and meaningful connections, and to start them out the right way!
