To Connect Or Not To Connect

Hi everyone.

I’ve been working with some folks on LinkedIn and there seems to be a mad rush to get to 500 connections.  In this post, I’m going to share some of my thoughts about the magical 500 number on LinkedIn.

First, LinkedIn only shows 500+ connections, so if you have more, then it doesn’t really show how much more you have. So everyone wants to reach that 500+ mark. Mentally, it seems to convey that you’re connected and that you’re the bomb on LinkedIn (or a bomb). It’s almost like a popularity contest.

Second, I know people who have less than 100 connections that do quite a bit of business on LinkedIn, so is 500+ connections really necessary? The answer is really – it depends. It depends on what you want to accomplish using LinkedIn.

Third, I’ve had over 1000+ connections for while now and really, I haven’t got any more business than when I had about 350 connections.  Of course this isn’t because of my connections.  It’s because I haven’t worked my connections.  I’ve had some nice conversations with people and it hasn’t resulted into anything.   It really boils down again to using the tool and what are you using it for.

Whether you use it for exposure (then yes, get 500+ connections) or using it for referrals (then really connect with people and provide value and refer them as well) or just networking and relationship building (then again, same as referrals) or something entirely different, the bottom line is that getting a lot of connections really means squat unless you do something with it.

So whether you have 100 connections or 500 connections (and yes, from an image standpoint, I do recommend you get 500 connections), none of that makes a difference unless you use the tool on a regular basis and really reach out and connect with people, provide value, and build relationships.

All that said, if you want to reach 500 quickly, here are some suggestions.

First, I suggest first you invite everyone you know. Understand that LinkedIn only allows you to send 3000 invitations – to get around this, you can send emails and ask people to invite you. This is unlimited). So connect with the people you already know first.

Secondly, join groups where there are people in your industry OR people who are the target market for your industry. Post discussions and tell people that you’re open to invitations and they’ll connect with you. Join a discussion where someone says, “I accept all invitations and if you do too, post on this discussion”. Then you’ll get a lot of invites.

And third, for the secret (not-so-secret if you’ve been on LinkedIn for a bit) ninja trick, join the LION’s group. LION stands for LinkedIn Open Networkers. They accept all invitations. When you join their group, you can basically connect with anyone in that group and they’ll accept your Invitation.

There are a few more tips and tricks and ninja strategies to get you to that 500 mark (I got about 1000 connections in about 24 hours using one – which I don’t really recommend doing even though it works), and the tips above will get you there within a week if you spend a few hours a day doing it.

And when you do get to that 500 mark, make it worthwhile and start building relationships with those folks you’ve connected to.

Celebrate Life!
Chaffee

P.S. Extra bonus tip. Start your own group. I run three groups on LinkedIn. The Schaumburg Open Networking Group and the Chicago Entrepreneur Meetup Group for business and The Hoffman Estates Jaycees for my no

t-for-profit group. I get people who invite me all the time to connect from these groups. It’s a great way to meet more people, build relationships, and get more visibility. ** SPECIAL NOTE ** Running a group takes time. Do not do it unless you’re wiling to spend the extra time to do so. Good luck!

P.P.S. LinkedIn only allows you to join a maximum of 50 groups. So if you are going to join a lot of groups, make sure you pick and choose the right ones for you.