Social Media is clearly a great way to build connections and develop more meaningful relationships with people you would never have the opportunity to meet otherwise. Which is why it is so important to think about what you want, who you want to connect with and what outcomes you want from making a new connection. Here are ten tips to help you craft the perfect message on LinkedIn or any social media channel.
- Decide/know who your audience is before sending your message. This can include demographic information, job position, interests, groups to which they belong, etc.
- Know why you are reaching out to this person – what is your end-goal?
- Make sure you know how you are connected (are you both part of the same professional organization – online or offline, a LinkedIn group, in the same company or industry, a friend of a friend, etc.?)
- Know your top 5 keywords/keyword phrases that your target audience understands. Use these keywords in your message.
- Be clear about why you want to connect. What value do you bring to the relationship? What value do they add to your network? Is it to expand your network, share a resource, etc.
- Have a clear call to action. If you want an introduction to someone in another person’s network, be clear in your messaging.
- Present yourself as a professional – use spell check, don’t use jargon (unless you know the recipient of your message clearly understands the verbiage).
- When responding to a post or link another person shared, the rule of thumb is to follow up with a message within 24 to 48 hours. Don’t let too much time pass before reaching out or making a connection.
- Get to the point. When possible, keep sentences short – between 14 and 20 words is the sweet spot. Think text and twitter. Brevity gets you attention. Same with length of message, try to keep them to less than 7 sentences (5 is ideal). Remember that people have short attention spans. If you message is lengthy, the recipient may opt to read it later. (or not at all) .. and you and I both know that sometimes “later never comes.”
- Be positive. When you give someone a compliment on social media, never follow it with “but… have you considered this?” or “but, I disagree with abc… Save the buts for another conversation. The recipient of the message will be more open to it once they get to know you and value your opinion.
Heidi Richards Mooney and Christina Rowe are hosting the Leverage LinkedIn and Convert Connections into Clients Online Training Program ! “Attract More Clients and New Business from LinkedIn by Using the Little-Known LinkedIn Strategies Most People Do Not Know” This Intensive ONLINE TRAINING Certification Program will show you how!
The topics covered include:
- Week 1. Getting organized and mindset for success
- Week 2. Business Tools
- Week 3. Finding Your Team
- Week 4. Building Your Brand:
- Week 5. Lead Generation:
- Week 6. Sales and Conversion
- Week 7. Social Media Marketing
- Week 8. The System is the Solution
Learn more at www.SocialMediaBusinessTraining.com
