Our previous blog post explained the Build stage of our BEEP Method and how that initial stage will lay the foundation for success on LinkedIn.
The Build stage is all about getting the right people into your network. If you are still struggling to find enough people to connect to your business, take a look at that article for an in-depth explanation of how to initially find connections and ensure that they are all high-quality connections.
What do you do once you have made connections with the right people?
Strengthen your connections. Use your messaging and your overall presence on LinkedIn to make the move from connections just knowing who you are to knowing what you do and how your service can benefit them.
In this third article in our series about the BEEP Method, we will dive into the Engage step and how messaging can help you build rapport for your business and your services.
The Power of Keeping in Touch
Never underestimate the power of simply keeping in touch with your network.
Many people on LinkedIn may have tens of thousands of connections, up to the maximum amount of 30,000 connections, but have never had more than one interaction with them.
Any interaction has the potential to become a sales lead or create a business opportunity in a similar fashion to the butterfly effect.
In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the concept of how tiny changes in the original conditions of something can lead to unpredictable, large-scale changes and variations in the future of that system.
It’s called the butterfly effect after the idea that something as small as the flapping of a butterfly’s wings could influence the path of a tornado several weeks after.
Similar events can happen on LinkedIn if you take advantage of interactions with your connections.
LinkedIn Butterfly Effect
As an example, imagine that you notice someone has viewed your profile on LinkedIn.
Their profile indicates they have a job or other skills that would be an advantage to your services or that they could benefit from your services, so you send them an invitation to connect.
After exchanging a few messages, they become one of your customers.
As this person conducts their own business, your name comes up in conversation with one of their contacts. You meet the new contact, and they become another customer for your business.
This new contact invites you to a networking event, and the people you meet through that event lead you to additional events and other new opportunities to meet people and connect with potential customers.
Over time, you build up a range of customers and supportive business partners, all because of that one initial interaction with someone who viewed your LinkedIn profile one time.
Taking advantage of opportunities such as a profile view can lead to a huge increase in connections and revenue for your business over time. There are many strategies and techniques you can use to ensure success this way.
Engagement Tactics
There are countless benefits to connecting with people and setting off a series of events that could lead to lifelong friendships, business partnerships, and other types of success for your services.
These tactics are proven ways to increase the chances of a butterfly effect happening for your business.
Start a Conversation Right After Connecting
When someone accepts your invitation to connect on LinkedIn, you know that they have recently been active. This is the best possible time to send them a message and have that strong initial interaction with them.
Remember, relationships are not built by starting off with a generic sales pitch or coming across as too impersonal and sales-focused. Adopt and maintain your “connector” mindset and remember that your connections have to be genuine to really get someone’s attention.
Look for ways that you can help or add value when first messaging a new connection.
You could send them a message that acknowledges them and thanks them for connecting with you. Tell them that you will try to keep an eye out for their posts on your LinkedIn feed.
Another method would be to use an icebreaker question. Let them know that you are interested in learning more about them beyond what is visible on their profile. This is a great way to start a real conversation that goes beneath the surface level.
If you have a PDF book or other similar products, you could try offering them a free copy as a token of thanks for connecting. Be careful here: always be sure that you give this without any expectations or strings attached.
Always remember that LinkedIn is a social networking platform. Format your messages like a chat, not like an email.
You want to be polite but not too formal. Keep your messages short and conversational.
Pay Attention to LinkedIn Notifications
LinkedIn can send you notifications about things going on within your networks, such as birthdays, career changes, work anniversaries, and other important updates.
As your network grows, these are amazing opportunities you can use to stay in touch with the people you have already connected with and build rapport.
Try using a custom message to wish them a happy birthday or congratulate them on their promotion. You can still use icebreaker questions or humorous openings to try to start a deeper conversation and forge a stronger connection.
Use Recommendations and Endorsements
Recommendations and endorsements are two ways to send notifications to the people in your network on LinkedIn.
With the Recommendations feature, you can write and publish an honest testimonial about your firsthand experience working with someone in your network.
Use a recommendation to communicate your approval of someone and their professional capabilities.
Endorsements are a similar feature, but they focus more on acknowledging a person’s skills than endorsing them personally.
You can click on a skill on a connection’s profile and endorse it. LinkedIn will notify them of this.
It is also thought that LinkedIn uses endorsements to influence their content algorithms, so adding more to your profile will increase the accuracy of your algorithm.
People often respond to endorsements to say thanks, and this exchange of messages can easily lead to extended conversation and a stronger connection.
Send Check-In Messages
Try to check in with each of your contacts once every 90 days for a total of four check-in messages with each connection every year.
Keep them up to date on how your business is progressing and check in on their business and their professional goals.
Again, maintain your “connector” mindset. You aren’t trying to sell them anything. Focus on building and maintaining a genuine relationship over time.
Build Your Presence Today
Are you ready to build stronger connections with your network and take your LinkedIn presence to the next level?
It can take a lot of time and hard work to build your presence all on your own.
Our new Done For You service, LinCredible, is a flat-rate monthly service that will help you build and sustain your network and find new opportunities by using our four-step BEEP Method for your business.
Book a 30-minute discovery call today and see how we can help your business grow.
