LinkedIn really is a candy store for recruiters, but so often we get stuck just looking in the window.
We connect and then wonder how to engage further.
Here’s the secret sauce
Let’s think about dating (That’s a while ago for me! But I’ll do my best.)
You meet someone and you say “Hi, how are you?” (Light and simple)
They say “Hi, great thanks.”
You have light conversation as you get to know each other while in the back of your mind deciding if you’d like to hang around or not.
They seem OK, and you think you’d like to know more, so the questions and conversation goes from light to a little deeper and longer.
“Where are you from?” (Shows interest in them)
“I’m from Australia, I live in the hinterland not far from the ocean, great spot. What about you?
FAST FORWARD….
You meet the family and friends. (More time and emotional commitment)
When the time is right…
Someone pops the question. (The moment deeper commitment is what you both want)
It’s exactly the same in LinkedIn.
The question staircase
We start with short easy to answer questions and concentrate on giving value until the time is right to “pop the question.”
And popping the question could be anything to move towards doing business. Offering a call, a meeting, a great candidate etc. It will be different every time.
Avoid orchestrating or manipulating the conversation. Your prospects can sense it.
Instead, set the intention that when the time is right you would like to do business with this person.
Until then, be interested, give value and be relevant.
Think about when you get a message in your LinkedIn feed you’re probably wondering
- Is this automated
- Is this someone that could help me
Clearly, you want a “no” to the first and “yes” to the second.
The rules of engagement
Once you connect with a prospect, go lightly and don’t pounce all over them like you are desperate for their business.
You don’t want to be a “Pitch Slapper!”
A simple “Thanks for connecting Sam, I look forward to reading and engaging with your content” is the way to go.”
(Friendly and giving. Not asking for anything)
Then ask a short question when they respond or a day after you connect if they haven’t responded.
Match their depth and length of conversation. If they write a paragraph and you can see the engagement is there, you can then do the same.
Don’t overdo the mirroring; but meet them where they are.
Relate your question to something
– They’re posting about
– You can see if it is important to them
– Is unique to them.
For eg, “I see you have worked in several different countries Sally. Do you have a favorite?”
They might say something like “They were all great, but Munich was my favorite city.”
The Formula
Then you want to ACKNOWLEDGE their reply, ADD some value and ASK a question. This is the formula for moving the conversation forwards.
ACKNOWLEDGE – “Munich sounds great!”
ADD – “I’ve spent a little time there, but as a tourist and would love to go back”
ASK – Any favorite spots?
Keep the questions easy to answer. Don’t make it hard for your prospect to engage, or they won’t.
The below would be a bad response.
“What did you like about the culture in Munich?”
This it too early for a question that requires any thought. You haven’t earned their time yet and are still an interruption in their day.
Offer Value
Once you have a light conversation going, you can offer value; some advice, a connection to someone that can help them, someone you enjoy following on LinkedIn that they may enjoy too, a tool you enjoy using, some research you found interesting.Anything really that you think they would enjoy and if it’s an asset you have that’s relevant to your business such as a Salary Guide you have created, that’s even better.
Avoid being friend-zoned
Sometimes founders say to me, I end up being friend-zoned if I don’t pitch.
This is how you find the happy medium between being friend-zoned and Pitch Slapping.
Don’t go too far down the personal track before adding in a work/business question. For eg, after the Munich example I shared, I would ask something like “Did it make it tricky at work for you with German as a second language?”
Then you are moving in the right direction.
From here, enjoy the conversation, be interested and interesting, and you will be on a call or in a meeting in no time (If they are a match)
Hopefully, you’ve taken a few ideas from the above.
If you’d like to go a little deeper, check out my free 30 leads in 30 days challenge on LinkedIn and start turning more connections into clients
3 More to See
Follow the logic, not the habit
The Future of Hiring: AI Automation & What recruiters need to know
Next Expert Event: (Exclusive to Growth Club)
???? Join our $1 trial here
“SMB Cybersecurity Basics you Can’t Ignore”
???? Mon 6th 5pm PDT North America
???? Tues 7th 9am AEST
