Use LinkedIn to Accelerate Your Networking Results

Networking can be a tedious exercise. We meet people. We do lunch. We "explore synergies." We offer introductions and resources in the hopes that our generosity will be reciprocated. But new relationships rarely yield business right away. It takes months, sometimes years to build rapport and trust. We have to earn the reputation of a giver. We do this through regular communication with our contacts and by focusing on their needs first. Not everyone is willing to delay immediate gratification, but the deposits you make into your network will put you in a much better position to make withdrawals down the line. These withdrawals will connect you to prospective clients in fairly short order, and you can use LinkedIn as the conduit.

Follow these three steps to accelerate your networking results:

1. Search for the types of people with whom you want to do business (e.g., CEO, GC, CFO, ED, etc.). Limit your search to 1st and 2nd degree connections.
2. Identify targets where you have a strong mutual connection.
3. Call your mutual connection and request contact. Your call might sound something like this: "Bill, I was on LinkedIn and I noticed you are connected to Mary Jones, the GC of GoodTech. I would like to explore the possibility of doing business with her company. Do you know her well enough to facilitate an introduction or an in-person meeting?"

This strategy won't work every time. Bill may not know Mary very well. Mary may not be open to meeting you. But keep at it. After a few tries, you will find that this technique provides a shortcut to some valuable introductions. Then, over time, all that tedious networking will finally pay off.

Authored by David Ackert