Messaging via LinkedIn Be a Pal, Not a PITA!

Messaging via LinkedIn Be a Pal, Not a PITA! ShareShare1? The ways to do this and there are several arent immediately obvious. That may be a good thing, perhaps limiting how often we hear from Strangers with Potentially Annoying Messages (SPAM). (No, thats not *really* the origin of the word spam.) Who is this LinkedIn member you dont know, but want to know? If youre looking for a new job, he may be someone who is highly knowledgeable about your field and/or the companies in it. If youre looking for new clients/customers, he may be a prospect, or someone with whom you could have a mutual referral relationship. Rather than call this person your target because we dont want to be aggressive here Im going to call him your Prospective Professional Acquaintance through LinkedIn (PPAL). Be a pal, not a PITA (Pain In The Anatomy). Be courteous. Make it clear what you have in common and why they might find it interesting to be in contact with you. Here are four methods. Message the person through a group. If your PPAL belongs to any groups you belong to you can message them through that group unless they have switched this capability off in their Settings. If youre not a member of the group, why not join? You can always leave the group later if it doesnt suit you. Heres how to message a fellow group member: Click Interests at the top of your home page and select Groups. Click the groups name. Click the Members tab. Use the groups Search box to find the persons name in the list. Click the Send Message link. Write your message and click Send Message. Send an InMail. Little-known fact: You dont need to upgrade your membership to send an InMail! You can simply send a single InMail message for $10. Go to Privacy and Settings (by clicking your little thumbnail photo in the upper right corner of the screen). In the Inmails box (top row, near center), click Purchase. Invite her to join your network. Go to the PPALs profile and click Connect. You can include a very brief message in your invitation. Of course, if she accepts, you can then message her freely. In the form that opens next, youll be asked how you know her. The options are: Colleague Classmate Weve done business together Friend Groups Other I dont know (name) (The Groups option will not appear if you have no groups in common with her.) Remember: Your PPAL is not your Friend (at least, not yet)! If you click Friend and youre actually a stranger, this is likely to annoy her. If she rejects your request by clicking I dont know this person, you may be restricted by LinkedIn, which is not a pleasant experience. Ask to be introduced. This method involves asking someone for a favor. Use your judgment in determining whether its appropriate. Do you see a 2nd or 3rd icon near the target persons name? (Look for it in the upper right corner of the snapshot portion of the persons profile, which is the white box where their name and photo appears.) If so, you can proceed as follows. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Send InMail button in the snapshot. Select Get Introduced. Follow the instructions. Read carefully, for example where it states may get forwarded to (name of PPAL). You are potentially writing to both people at once here! A note about requesting introductions through a third-degree connection somebody who knows somebody else, who in turn knows your PPAL: Obviously you have less chance of success here, and a not-insignificant chance of being perceived as a PITA. Use this feature with great care or not at all! For screenshots related to some of the above techniques, heres a useful post on the Tech for Luddites blog. Messaging via LinkedIn Be a Pal, Not a PITA! ShareShare1? The ways to do this and there are several arent immediately obvious. That may be a good thing, perhaps limiting how often we hear from Strangers with Potentially Annoying Messages (SPAM). (No, thats not *really* the origin of the word spam.) Who is this LinkedIn member you dont know, but want to know? If youre looking for a new job, he may be someone who is highly knowledgeable about your field and/or the companies in it. If youre looking for new clients/customers, he may be a prospect, or someone with whom you could have a mutual referral relationship. Rather than call this person your target because we dont want to be aggressive here Im going to call him your Prospective Professional Acquaintance through LinkedIn (PPAL). Be a pal, not a PITA (Pain In The Anatomy). Be courteous. Make it clear what you have in common and why they might find it interesting to be in contact with you. Here are four methods. Message the person through a group. If your PPAL belongs to any groups you belong to you can message them through that group unless they have switched this capability off in their Settings. If youre not a member of the group, why not join? You can always leave the group later if it doesnt suit you. Heres how to message a fellow group member: Click Interests at the top of your home page and select Groups. Click the groups name. Click the Members tab. Use the groups Search box to find the persons name in the list. Click the Send Message link. Write your message and click Send Message. Send an InMail. Little-known fact: You dont need to upgrade your membership to send an InMail! You can simply send a single InMail message for $10. Go to Privacy and Settings (by clicking your little thumbnail photo in the upper right corner of the screen). In the Inmails box (top row, near center), click Purchase. Invite her to join your network. Go to the PPALs profile and click Connect. You can include a very brief message in your invitation. Of course, if she accepts, you can then message her freely. In the form that opens next, youll be asked how you know her. The options are: Colleague Classmate Weve done business together Friend Groups Other I dont know (name) (The Groups option will not appear if you have no groups in common with her.) Remember: Your PPAL is not your Friend (at least, not yet)! If you click Friend and youre actually a stranger, this is likely to annoy her. If she rejects your request by clicking I dont know this person, you may be restricted by LinkedIn, which is not a pleasant experience. Ask to be introduced. This method involves asking someone for a favor. Use your judgment in determining whether its appropriate. Do you see a 2nd or 3rd icon near the target persons name? (Look for it in the upper right corner of the snapshot portion of the persons profile, which is the white box where their name and photo appears.) If so, you can proceed as follows. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Send InMail button in the snapshot. Select Get Introduced. Follow the instructions. Read carefully, for example where it states may get forwarded to (name of PPAL). You are potentially writing to both people at once here! A note about requesting introductions through a third-degree connection somebody who knows somebody else, who in turn knows your PPAL: Obviously you have less chance of success here, and a not-insignificant chance of being perceived as a PITA. Use this feature with great care or not at all! For screenshots related to some of the above techniques, heres a useful post on the Tech for Luddites blog.