7 Steps to Building Extraordinary Relationships on LinkedIn

Photo via revolution-productions.com

LinkedIn is the #1 online platform for business networking. This article is designed to help you maximize your LinkedIn experience and create extraordinary relationships.
 
1.Figure out who you want to connect with.
The first step in building a relationship on LinkedIn is identifying who you want to reach out to and why you want to reach out to them. If you are in the job searching process, you might want to reach out to someone who works at a company you are interested in or who has the job you want. If you are looking to expand your network, you might connect with someone who is more experienced than you or someone you follow on another platform.

If you like this post and want to learn more about how to break into sports, click here and receive your FREE guide titled “A Quick and Powerful Guide to Breaking Into the Sports Industry.”  

2.Send a customized connection request
Once you’ve identified who you want to connect with, send them a customized connection request. ALWAYS make sure you customize your request. Why? Because it shows that you are personable and that you are willing to put in the time to authentically connect with someone. On the other side, it will make the person you are reaching out to feel more comfortable with you. Some people won’t even accept your connection request unless it is personalized.
 
Make sure when you send the custom request that you include why you are reaching out. Do you like their work? Do you want to learn from them? Do you have mutual friends in common?
 
The last thing you should mention or ask for is a job.  This is the start of your relationship and you need to build it before you can ask for favors… or a job.
 
3.Follow up asking for an informational interview / introductory meeting.
Sometimes in step 2 you may ask for an informational interview and that is okay.  However, sometimes people will forget to respond to you because they think it is just a connection request.
 
Other times, you will want to use step 2 just to make the initial connect. If you choose to do this, it is important to follow up. I like to send a connection request and then a few days later ask to set up a meeting or informational interview. Remember, networking is about building authentic relationships and you can’t build a relationship just by connecting with someone. You need to speak with them and interact with them and most importantly, get to know them.

Every once in a while, your connection may request that you continue to conversation via email so always be flexible and open. This is great because now you have their personal email which comes into play down the line.
 
In your ask for an informational interview, make it clear that you want to learn from them and that you are interested in what they do.
 
4.Conduct the informational interview/ introductory meeting.
The actual informational interview is where the relationship truly begins to develop. Up until this point all of your interaction has been through LinkedIn. Your informational interview whether it is an in person meeting, Skype session or phone call will set the stage for the future of your relationship.
 
There are 3 parts to every informational interview and while I won’t go into too much depth, the three parts are the intro, the convo, and the goodbye.
 
In the intro you want to make small talk, become comfortable with each other and thank them for taking time out of their busy day to speak with you.
 
In the convo you want to ask them all of the questions that will give you the information you need to learn more about their job, company or industry.
 
In the goodbye, you want to thank them for their time, ask the best way to communicate further, and let them know you will be in touch.
 
If you want a more in depth breakdown of the informational interview, please email me at [email protected]
 
5.Send a follow up email or handwritten note
After the conclusion of your informational interview / introductory meeting, you need to send a thank you note of some sort. It can be a thank you email or a thank you note, but I recommend sending either or both within 24 hours.
 
In your thank you note and/or email, you need to make sure you thank them, let them know something you enjoyed, let them know something you can take away and apply to your life, thank them again and let them know you will be in touch.
 
The purpose of sending a thank you note is two fold: show gratitude and continue to develop the relationship.
 
KELF KEY: Sending a handwritten note is an easy way to stay at the front of someone’s mind especially in the job searching process.
 
6.Connect on other social platforms.
Now that you’ve established a relationship with this key person, you will want to stay updated on what they are doing. Follow them on other platforms and use this as another way to add value and stay connected. You can do this by sharing their posts, liking their statuses or asking thought provoking questions.
 
People post different content on different platforms so this is a great way to really get to know them and their voice and vice versa.
 
7.Update your new friend/colleague with your progress.
Often times, relationships end before they can really even get started. Some people stop after connecting. Some people stop after the informational interview. Some stop after one follow up. Assuming you’ve done everything up to this point, you will have laid a great foundation. Now, you need to actually develop the relationship and build trust.
 
It is okay to reach out and update your connections every month or couple of months. Feel free to update them on your progress, share industry news, or ask if there is anything you can do for them. Better yet, go above and beyond and show them your value.
 
For example, if I want to be a scout in basketball and I just connected with a scout, I might send my new connection a scouting report on a player they might not have seen. Right away I am showing that I really want to help add value and I am getting a chance for my new connection to see my work without forcing it down his/her throat.
 
I will say, don’t be a pest. Understand the difference between being a pest and being persistent.
 
At the end of the day, LinkedIn is an incredible platform to build and establish relationships. It may take a long time, but in the end if you network with a genuine interest to add value and get to know someone, you are going to create a huge network that will lead to new opportunities.
 
If you like this post and want to learn more about how to break into sports, click here and receive your FREE guide titled “A Quick and Powerful Guide to Breaking Into the Sports Industry.”  ​

Jake Kelfer is a bestselling author, high energy inspirational speaker and founder of the Professional Basketball Combine. He aims to inspire millions of people on their journey to achieving their own definition of success. His first book, Elevate Beyond, provides a framework for gaining an advantage in school, work and life. You can connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn or by emailing him at [email protected]. ​​

​