John Nemo — March 30, 2017 Follow @JohnNemoPROne of the sneaky features of LinkedIn’s massive new redesign and update is the ability to include a URL in the invitations you send to prospects on the platform.
And, while this is a great new feature, it’s also fraught with risk, as most of us online these days are reluctant to open or click on links from people we don’t know.
That’s why, if you do decide to utilize the opportunity to include a link inside any LinkedIn invitations you send out, you’ll want to make it abundantly clear what you’re linking to and how or why that person will want to click on the link from your invitation.
The Art of the (Personalized) Invite
LinkedIn literally offers us a treasure trove of information and opportunity when it comes to locating and engaging our ideal clients and customers.
One of the biggest mistakes I still see people making on LinkedIn is not taking the time to send a personalized invitation. Just trying to bang through the generic “I’d like to add you to my professional network” LinkedIn invites is not only ineffective, but it can also lead to you getting flagged as a spammer, which then restricts your ability to send people invites in the future.
The key thing on LinkedIn is to treat your prospects like human beings. Do not send them invites or messages or subject lines that sound like boring, work-related topics or offers.
Instead, take the time to look at each’s person’s profile for insights into how you can personalize your invite. Where are they from? What are their passions/hobbies/interests? Where did they go to school?
When you take this approach on LinkedIn, you will build that instant likability, credibility and trust that’s so critical to making a sale.
Note: Before you start inviting people to connect, make sure you’re LinkedIn profile is what I call “client-facing,” meaning it reads not like a virtual résumé but instead is all about how you help your ideal clients achieve their biggest goals.
How to Leverage a URL in an Invite
If you have a “Welcome to my LinkedIn profile” or “get to know me” type video of you on camera, you could create a LinkedIn script such as this one:
Hi [FIRST NAME] – came across your profile here on LinkedIn, was intrigued and would love to connect. Also, here’s a quick video introduction about who I am and the audiences I serve: [URL] Cheers! – [YOUR NAME]
Or you could use the link to send your prospect to a targeted piece of content that is specific to his or her job title or industry type, with a script such as this:
Hi [FIRST NAME] – came across your profile here on LinkedIn and would love to connect. Also thought that as a [JOB TITLE] you might find this [TYPE OF CONTENT] I created helpful: [URL] Cheers! – [YOUR NAME]
NOTE: LinkedIn limits your personalized invite to 300 characters or less, so use bit.ly or a similar service to shorten any URL you include.
Quality over Quantity
Important: Use Your LinkedIn Invitations Wisely!
Remember, the key to success on LinkedIn is personalized, 1-on-1 marketing.
It is not about volume.
It is about quality.
Don’t get lazy and just spam random people with impersonal invites to connect. Make sure you put some thought into the process:
– Are these my ideal, targeted prospects?
– Do I have a client-attracting LinkedIn profile in place?
– Am I sending a personalized invite to connect?
– Do I have a follow-up plan in place for 1-on-1, personalized messages I can use once that new prospect accepts my invitation?
It takes some thought and planning to set up, but once you do have a sales funnel in place on LinkedIn, you can generate some impressive results in a short amount of time.
Digital & Social Articles on Business 2 Community(48)
