How to use Linkedin to add cold contacts

How to use Linkedin to add cold contactsHow to use Linkedin to add cold contactsYour career is about who you know, sure. But its also about who you can get to know. Thats where LinkedIn comes in.With over 400 million users, theres no questionLinkedIn reigns supreme as thego-to professional network.From your former roommate to the stranger with your dream job, every savvy woman (and man) seems to have an active account where they regularly post references, professional recommendations, and recommended reads.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIf youre like most users, youve probably taken alaissez-faireapproach to LinkedIn networking up until now, accepting connection requests from friends orformer coworkers when they turn upin your inbox ormaybeusing LinkedIns recommendationsto add some people yourself. But that means youre missing a hugely underutilized opportunity the networkof pr ofessionalsin your fieldwho you just havent honigwein yet.Navigating that world of untapped connections with poise often brings uncertainty. After all, its arguably as hard to reach out to strangers online as it is in part. Thats exactlywhy were breaking downhow to use LinkedInto add cold contacts to three easy steps. Follow these and youll significantly up your LinkedIn game. Ready?HOW TO USE LINKEDIN TO ADD COLD CONTACTS (3 STEPS)1.Find a Shared Connection or Group2.Personalize Your Connection Request3.Send a Follow-Up1. FIND A SHARED LINKEDIN CONNECTION OR GROUPOne of the biggest benefits of using LinkedIn to make new contacts? You can visually see the connections that you share with others. For example, if you come across a profile of someone youd like to contact,LinkedIn offers a convenientchart of your mutual connections. Use this to your advantage by reaching out to one of these shared contacts to ask for a virtual introduction, either through LinkedIn orvia email.Obviously, youwont always have a direct personal connection with someone youd like to meet, but thats not the only way forward. Next up, check to see if youre part of any of the same LinkedIn groups as the person in question. Perhaps youre members of a professional association, or maybe you both graduated from the same university.Finding common ground can quickly evolveacold contact into a warm one. In fact, if you and the person are both members of a group, you can send them a message directly through LinkedIn without having to connect first. Think of it as cutting out the social media middle man.Charm cold contactswith a personalized connection request. LinkedIn limits you to 300 characters here, but thats still plenty of space to impress.2. PERSONALIZE YOUR CONNECTION REQUESTIfyou arent able to turn the cold contact into a warm one through a virtual introduction, your next step is to send a personalized connection request.LinkedIn allows you to send a connection request when youd like to ad d someone new to your network. These potential connections will then receive a notification asking them to accept or decline your invitation. Because the process counts on their approval, without any type of background or explanation, many people are likely to decline an invitation from a stranger.For this reason, under no accounts send the default Id like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn message. Trust us on this.Instead, charm them with a personalized one. LinkedIn limits you to 300 characters here, but thats still plenty of space to impress them witha short and sweet intro.The Classic ApproachHi Jane,Came across your profile and work at XYZ Company. Im a fellow aspiring marketing professional and would love to connect.Regards,Your NameThe Admirer ApproachIf youve seen the persons work elsewhere (i.e. a publication, conference, networking event, or even through social media),mention it. People love when someone appreciates their hard work. Try something like thisH i Jane,Saw your recent presentation at XYZ conference. I got a lot out of it and would love to chat with you to discuss some questions I had about your work.Regards,Your NameOnce youve successfully connected to someone, youcan nowsend the person a direct message- and you should take advantage of this opportunityevery time.3. SEND A FOLLOW-UPLINKEDIN MESSAGE OR EMAILOnce youve successfully connected to someone, dont call it a day. You can nowsend the person a direct message, and you should take advantage of this opportunity every time. Letherknow you admire herwork or would like to learn more about hercareer path.Ask for either an in-person or phone meetingwhere you can gain more information. Here are some approachesThe Classic Reach-OutHi Jane,Thank you for connecting with me on LinkedIn. I see that youve had a lot of work experience in corporate marketing, a field that Im hoping to break into. Ive done a couple of internships in the field and would love your advice on this topic. W ould you be willing to speak with me over the phone for 20-30 minutes in the next few weeks? Thanks for your consideration.Regards,Your NameThe Hybrid Reach-OutIn the case where youre able to send a message directly without connecting first (i.e., you both share a group), your initialmessage willlook a bit different. Think of it as a combination of Steps 2 and 3. Heres a good exampleHi Jane,Im a fellow Rice University alumnus who recently graduated with a degree in Marketing. I came across your LinkedIn profile through ouralumni group and was intrigued by your work experience in marketing. Id love to learn more about your career path and get your perspective on how to best break into the field as a new grad. Would you be willing to speak with me over the phone for 20-30 minutes in the next few weeks? Thanks for your consideration.Regards,Your Namenachschlag THE SINGLE BEST TIP WEVE GOTInno context shouldyour end goal of adding cold contacts beaskingfor a job.You read that right. Tha t part comes later, long after a cold contact warms up. Treat this asyour opportunity to ask instead for information and learn more about the person. Informational interviews are great relationship builders, whichboth expand your networkandprovide you with tons of helpful career advice and insight from others.Adding cold contacts on LinkedIn takes more time and effort than simply hitting the connect button over and over, but you reap what you sow. Put the time into turning a cold contact into a strong connection that you can keep in touch with over time.This article first appeared on Career Contessa.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people