How to find new LinkedIn connections

You joined LinkedIn. The question arises “How am I going to build LinkedIn connections?”

Here’s a tip! Stop thinking of them as LinkedIn connections. Just sit down with paper or an excel spreadsheet or your CRM and make a list of people you know. At this stage, you are simply brainstorming. You don’t need to check if they are on LinkedIn or not, that comes later.

Don’t think of them as LinkedIn connections

Rid your brain of limitations and think of people you enjoy and would like to stay connected with in the future. Those people can come from college, a former job, your present job, your neighborhood, your church, organizations you belong to, people you know on Facebook, Twitter, or someplace else. Look through your address book, Christmas card list, or business card collection.

As you add to the list, don’t prejudge and decide that they are not likely to want to connect. Once you build your list, start by entering names of people on the list in the search area of LinkedIn. Some people will be easy to find and others not so easy. Send personalized invites to those you find.

Expand your LinkedIn connections without setting limits

We set up limitations when we get scared. Just think of this exercise as brainstorming and it won’t be so hard. When you brainstorm, you use no filters, you just list. Sorting comes later.

After you get going on LinkedIn, LinkedIn starts suggesting people to connect with and it gets easier. Perhaps someone out there has you on their potential LinkedIn connections list, so you want to drop the fear and help them out! They need you as much as you need them.

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