The problem is, people think they deserve connection requests.
Unfortunately, that's just not the truth.
There are hundreds of people who think the platform is a scam or does not work because they are not getting the connections they want.
Typically when I see this, there are a few things immediately wrong.
One concept sticks out more than others.
Believe it or not, strategy plays a huge role in the growth and success of your digital profile.
I know that sounds strange, but it's the truth.
Strategy plays a huge role in the success of your digital presence.
With an incorrect strategy, you may not get the connections you want.
No one wants to connect with someone who does not provide value.
We build relationships with friends and family because we interact with them, but you don't build a relationship with people walking past you on the street.
Social media and LinkedIn are the same.
People are much more likely to connect with you on the street if a compliment is exchanged.
This principle goes for social media as well.
Think of LinkedIn as a sidewalk, and everyone is walking past.
If you don't talk to anyone, no one is going to talk to you.
I preach this quite regularly in my blogs and youtube videos.
If you do not add value to others, they are never going to want to connect.
There is a simple technique to resolve this issue.
Hashtags are a tremendous resource to find like-minded people.
Simply start searching hashtags on LinkedIn, and you will be surprised at what you find.
People are constantly posting positive messages, questions, and ideas they want to share. They also have a need to feel wanted and accepted.
Simply commenting something like "great post" or "this is a great read" is the easiest way for people to start wanting to connect.
If its an idea and you have insight on the topic, adding a few words that add value is going to build your credibility quite a bit.
The beautiful part is it can be done rather quickly.
When done on posts with higher engagement, it allows more people to see you and who you are.
Far too often, people have out-of-date profiles.
After LinkedIn's recent update, people can now add a background image.
If you do not have your profile updated with a welcoming image, no one is going to connect with you.
It's the nature of the beast.
When people present themselves openly and invitingly, others want to speak to that person.
This same goes for social media.
If you do not have a profile that welcomes people to connect, with a past history of adding value, you're not going to get the success you want to have online.
It is relatively easy to clean up your profile.
Doing that alone is going to help you start to build connections.
If you have a specific set of skills and knowledge in a particular area, you should leverage it.
There are millions on LinkedIn, and with the ability to search hashtags, you can find posts that are months and sometimes years old.
Get creative with hashtag research and you will be surprised by what you can turn up.
Adding your insight is a way to build people's trust and figure out if they like you.
If you add positive feedback to posts or ideas others don't think of, then your success is going to be great.
People want to connect because they realize you are an expert in an industry.
This goes back to adding value and being active.
If you go online frequently and add feedback to posts and blogs, you are going to get lots of connection requests.
Sounds strange, right?
There are always posts online saying things like...
"Hey I am looking to connect."
Or, "If you want to build a network, like and comment on this post."
Those are some of my favorite posts.
They demonstrate you are looking to connect with others.
Even if it's not you posting it and it's someone else, you can simply comment and like the post to get visibility.
You have to engage with others.
By letting people know you are actively looking to connect with others, they will be more inclined to want to connect with you.
Far too often, people are not connecting correctly or not letting people know they want to connect.
People cannot read minds, and on the internet, it's even harder to know what people want, because there is not body language.
If your goal is to connect with more people, you need to let them know that you want to connect with them.
Then, you can begin to get those valuable connections.
No one wants to create content because it takes time, energy, and effort.
The catch is... people consume content.
Even my worst performing video gets in front of my target viewer.
It speaks directly to them, and because of that, they know what I do and how I do it.
I encourage you to do the same.
It does not have to be a video, but a huge number can see a photo or a short post of people.
One of the most successful posts I have ever done was this:
I added 200+ followers/connections in the last week!✅ If you are looking for a job, recruiting, starting a business, or building your personal brand, you deserve and need more followers!🔥 Here's how you can do the same:
It's simple...
1. Put a like & comment on this post.
2. Follow anyone who also puts a like or comment.
We must work together to build Community. Remember LinkedIn's favorite expression, “a rising tide lifts all boats”🚢🛳️. People who comment on this post first will get hundreds of likes, hundreds of connections, and hopefully close deals.
I have to give Steve O'Dell credit for the idea!
hashtag#linkedin hashtag#marketing hashtag#connections hashtag#goalsetting2020 hashtag#personalbranding hashtag#business hashtag#goalsetting hashtag#socialmedia hashtag#personalbrand hashtag#knowliketrust
285 Likes/engagements and 132 Comments
Currently, it has 23,000 views and it keeps going up day after day.
It employs all the strategies I spoke about in this blog, and it has been highly successful.
At the time of writing this article, it brought me about 350 new contacts to my profile, with new connection requests still rolling in every day.
If you are struggling to make new connections, these tips should help you get more connection requests and develop better relationships online.
It may sound like an obvious strategy, but sometimes the best things are right in front of us, and we can't see them.
These strategies work, not only for myself, but thousands of others.
I encourage you to take the time to try them and see how your connections begin to grow over time.
For more tips on improving your social media presence, click here.