LinkedIn Networking: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn
After networking with several great people over the last several days, which have in essence been conversations that seem more like a veritable cross-breeding of ideas, I believe that more and more people are starting to see the potential value of meeting new people on LinkedIn. Now, just because you are open to doing this does not mean that you necessarily need to become a LinkedIn Open Networker, or LION.
There are many methods to the madness of connecting with new people. One of these great people that I met recently, Tim Tyrell-Smith, wrote a great blog post about his way of virtually meeting and then connecting with new people on his “The Art of Connecting on LinkedIn” post. By the way, his blog, Spin Strategy, is a must for anyone who is in transition and looking for wisdom. You can find out more about his blog in my Resources section.
My method for connecting with new people is using the vehicle of the LION brand, in contrast to Tim’s approach. You can find out more about my thought process concerning this in my recent blog post of why I am a LinkedIn Lion.
OK. As I mention to almost everyone I meet, if you are on LinkedIn and not meeting new people, stay off it and delete your account. If you just want to find old friends, find them, put their contact details in your personal address book, and you’re done! No need to login anymore.
LinkedIn is a Social Networking site…it is there for you to be Social and Network!
If you feel a little bit intimidated by connecting with new people on LinkedIn, here are my three favorite ways to help you find that perfect person to connect with, regardless of your objective.
- Join a Group and Participate. Come on, there are more than 300,000 LinkedIn Groups out there. You put a keyword in the Search box for Groups and voila! you shall find a Group that interests you. Join it. You can join up to 50. And after joining, check out the Discussions boards. Yes, there is a lot of spam out there. People selling their wares. Job posts. Skip over those and look for interesting discussions. Participate. And when you run across someone you respect or a “virtual” soulmate, ask them if they would be cool if you sent them an invite. Can’t find an interesting discussion? Start one! Participate. And if what you are discussing is on target for the Group mission but no one responds, try a different Group. You are bound to find one that “fits” you.
- Ask a Question. Answer a Question. LinkedIn Answers is awesome. Have you ever browsed around the different categories of questions they have there? You can do this by selecting Answers from the top of your Home Page and checking them out. I am sure there is a category that corresponds with your interests and/or objectives. Something that you’re curious about that you couldn’t find in the Answers database? Ask it! You will be pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity of people that will answer it, and there will be more virtual “soulmates” that you will find to connect with. Better yet, Pay It Forward and Answer a Question.
- Search for and Attend a Networking Event. Have you checked out the LinkedIn Events database recently? Do a search for actual networking events or “meetups” nearby you. I live in L.A. I did a search and found this great networking event, put on by the Rockstar Lewis Howes. There are almost 200 people attending this event. Plus, you can actually see the people (including myself) who have RSVPed for this event. I am sure that there is bound to be someone out of 200 people that you would like to connect to. Attend the event and physically meet them. If you mutually agree, connect with each other on LinkedIn.
There are many other ways to connect with people on LinkedIn, but hopefully this will get you out there connecting with and ideally meeting new people.
LinkedIn is the means, not the end.
Your objective with LinkedIn, like with any other Social Networking site, should be in connecting with and meeting new people.
Neal Schaffer is recognized as a leader in helping businesses and professionals embrace and strategically leverage the potential of social media. An award-winning published author, frequent speaker at social media events, and an avid blogger, Neal is President of 
Comments
Thanks for the info on Spin Strategy.
I am glad that you liked the Spin Strategy blog. Tim is a great guy and his site is highly recommended!
Great post. Very useful information that takes a while to find out unless someone tell a new Linkedin user ahead of time.
Hi Cush,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I felt the same way, and that is why I put together this blog. Glad you find it useful!
Cheers,
Neal
[...] This post was Twitted by WMSchoolofBiz [...]
[...] This post was Twitted by WMSchoolofBiz [...]
[...] This post was Twitted by nealschaffer [...]
[...] LinkedIn Networking: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn After networking with several great people over the last several… [...]
[...] Post still needs is stories: Any readers have a networking anecdote to share? Here’s a “link” to LinkedIn’s Network capabilities. Also CBS Money Watch offered these cautions for [...]
RT @NealSchaffer: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn. Networking on LinkedIn. http://budurl.com/neal52 #linkedin
RT @NealSchaffer: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn. Networking on LinkedIn. http://budurl.com/neal52 #linkedin
RT @NealSchaffer 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn. Networking on LinkedIn. http://budurl.com/neal52 #linkedin
RT @NealSchaffer: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn. Networking on LinkedIn. http://budurl.com/neal52 #linkedin
3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn. Networking on LinkedIn. http://budurl.com/neal52 #linkedin
RT @jwillie: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn. Networking on LinkedIn. http://budurl.com/neal52 #linkedin …
3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn. Networking on LinkedIn. http://budurl.com/neal52 #linkedin
RT @nealschaffer LinkedIn Networking: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn. http://bit.ly/FSVal
[...] you should have no fear in meeting new people. How to find them? You can read my advice on finding great people to connect with and meet on LinkedIn here. Connecting with others virtually is important, but most important is the ability to physically [...]
RT @nealschaffer LinkedIn Networking: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn | Windmill Netwo… http://bit.ly/FSVal
One of many concise, thoughtful and pragmatic articles Neal has published on his blog on using LinkedIn. I never noticed the Event section on LinkedIn until reading this.
Looking forward to the book Neal's preparing on LinkedIn.
As a result of reading this, I reached out to Neal “for real” and found him extremely knowledgeable and generous with his suggestions.
Thank you for your comment and compliment. There really is a lot on LinkedIn that a lot of people haven't realized yet, which is why I want my upcoming book on LinkedIn to be the most comprehensive one out there. Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for your comment and compliment. There really is a lot on LinkedIn that a lot of people haven't realized yet, which is why I want my upcoming book on LinkedIn to be the most comprehensive one out there. Hope you enjoy it!
[...] still needs is stories: Any readers have a networking anecdote to share? Here’s a “link” to LinkedIn’s Network capabilities. Also CBS Money Watch offered these cautions for [...]
[...] LinkedIn Networking: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn After networking with several great people over the last several… [...]
[...] LinkedIn Networking: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn After networking with several great people over the last several… [...]
[...] LinkedIn Networking: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn After networking with several great people over the last… [...]
Tanks for the roadmap for LinkedIn. I'm in it but didn't know how to go about really increasing my connections. This gives me a plan to work on
Thanks Mark! Glad you found value in the advice.
Tanks for the roadmap for LinkedIn. I'm in it but didn't know how to go about really increasing my connections. This gives me a plan to work on
Thanks Mark! Glad you found value in the advice.
RT @nealschaffer LinkedIn Networking: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedI.. http://bit.ly/FSVal