Have you ever received a connection request from someone you have never met?   Like most of us, I receive LinkedIn connection requests from those I have never met on a regular basis. Without a personalized message!  

I recently received a connection request from someone I didn't know.  Most of the time if the person has some information on their profile about who they are, a little information in their summary and even details about their current and past work experience I am happy to connect.  But then I send a message thanking them for connecting and ask how I can be of assistance. 

Sometimes however, I have to decide if this person looks suspicious and not accept the connection request.  Even if we have a lot of connections in common.   

In this example there are several areas of the profile that made me stop and think if I really wanted to connect with this person. Here are a few tips to help you determine if this person is legitimate or just looking to connect with you and tap into your connects to build up their connects. 

Ask yourself: 

1.  Does this person have a professional picture?  First impressions are very important.

2.  Are they using Capital letters for their name and title?  Again, first impressions! Improper use of sentence structure, style and grammar can quickly turn people away.  LinkedIn is a professional networking site and professionals should be willing to take a few extra minutes to represent themselves in a professional manner. 

3.  Is there information about who they are and what they do? Either in the summary section or in the experience section of their profile. Briefly describe what you do or what services you offer.

4.  Do they have contact information available?  Are they willing to share a link to their website, email or blog with you? This information gives credibility to who they are as a business professional.

5. How are they connected?  Just because they have a lot of in common connections doesn't necessarily mean that your connections actually know this person.  Reach out to a couple of your connections and ask how they know this person. 

Nothing says you have to accept all connection requests.  They will not receive an email saying that you ignored their connection request.  And, YES, it's ok to disconnect from someone you are connected to, again they will not receive a disconnect notification.  

Feel free to be open to making new connections, but use your best judgment when connecting with someone you do not know, and it's ok to send them a message asking them who they are.  

Do you have a LinkedIn question?  Contact me to schedule a complementary strategy session today. 

Happy Connecting! 
Sandy @ MoxzClicks

First Impressions really do matter.

Here are 5 proven steps to putting your best foot forward with your LinkedIn profile: 

1. Professional head shot.  Need I say more?  I prefer to do business with a well groomed, smiling, business professionals.  Not your dog, kids, spouse. Or even someone who hangs out at the bar. Believe it or not, I have seen all these types of profile pictures. Hiring a professional photographer is best, but having a nice photo taken with a digital camera can be just as effective. 

2. Maximize all 120 characters available for your headline.  Briefly say what you do. What key words would your next best client use to search for you?

3. Write a summary that is friendly, welcoming, brief and explains how you can help me. You want your summary to be client focused.  And don't forget a call to action. 

4. Connect with more than 499 connections.  I like to connect with business professionals who are well connected. Seeing that someone has 500+ connections helps me quickly determine if you are well connected. 

5. Customize your URL and website links. Having a customized URL shows that you are professional, make sure to include on your company marketing materials. Customizing links to your website is much more welcoming. Select "Other" as the type of site and type a name or short description.