How To Pass The Brick Wall On LinkedIn

Have you experienced the brick wall effect on LinkedIn? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, let me explain how it works:

You put in the work on LinkedIn finding that perfect person to make a connection with. You scour your newsfeed, post your own content, search for prospects and find mutual connections. At long last, you come across someone who you know would be a great connection to make since you both would benefit from a conversation. You send a request to connect with a personalized message aannnnddd…

… *crickets*

Getting no response always feels like a missed opportunity. Why does this happen? 

Oftentimes, the problem is the message itself. Finding a perfect match isn’t the whole battle, you have to reach out in a way that feels personal and human.

I took the time to compile a few of my best strategies for writing direct messages:

• Be genuinely curious about the person you are reaching out to. Find something you have in common or something interesting on their profile. Then, say it in your message. 

• Add your contact information, like email and phone number, to your direct messages. The goal of each conversation is to move offline so this reminds your prospects that you are available outside of LinkedIn.

• Don’t be afraid to play ping-pong. Great direct messages will lead to a conversation that requires some back and forth. Remember, you’re talking to a real person. 

• When you ask someone a question (which is a best practice because it elicits a response), place it on its own line to make it stand out. 

• Follow up, follow up, follow up. If you’ve only reached out once or twice, it's not uncommon to not hear back from your recipient. Don’t be afraid to send another message or pick up the phone and give them a call. You don’t have to be tied to LinkedIn to make a connection.

These tips have helped my clients secure hundreds of connections and open the door for countless opportunities that have generated millions of dollars. These tactics are not guaranteed, but they most definitely up your chances by making your interactions more genuine. After all, we are ALL in the human-to-human business, aren’t we?