I get so many cold reach-outs via DM on LinkedIn that I felt it necessary to write this post. I want to help you do this better.

First some hard truths:

You are extremely obvious.

First, you add me as a “connection” out of nowhere as if we’re friends.

Some of you then throw me an obviously templated greeting message. Some of you don’t even bother with that.

And then you dive straight into trying to sell me something. You try to elicit business from me, often with another clearly templated message, and often asking me to invest massive time and energy into you, either offering some transparent lead magnet or urging me to get on a call.

I have nothing against you trying to grow your business.

What frustrates me is that you’re using such a terribly ineffective approach, which I’m sure doesn’t work AND you don’t enjoy doing.

Everyone receiving these messages from you can feel how fake and manipulative it is. Please stop!

You don’t have to do this.

What to do instead:

Consider switching from quantity to quality.

Instead of adding a bunch of connections every day, then messaging them with your templates (yes, even those ones that add a little bit of something personal to hide the fact it’s a template), think about building relationships where you serve.

Before you even think of trying to sell me something, ask yourself, “Have I already improved this person’s life so effectively that they are dying to know how they can work with me?”

If the answer is No, then don’t try to convince me to do something for you. Don’t invite me, or sell me, or tempt me with some lead magnet. Don’t ASK anything from me.

Instead, do your research.

Find a way to improve my life. Look at what I’m doing, where I’m at, and what I probably need to make it to the next level.

Then come up with something you can GIVE to me that would be such a wonderful gift I wouldn’t dream of saying No to it.

Some examples:

• You provide SEO services? Create and send me 5 headline changes I could make to my most recent videos.
• You offer Virtual Assistants? Using my niche and skills, come up with 10 potential post topics that are hot in my field right now, and send them through, complete with hooks and bullet points.
• You want to help me get more clients? Refer an actual prospect through to me – connect us with a DM recommending me.

Then once I respond warmly and enthusiastically – and only once this happens – then you can escalate to talking about something more related to your service or product. But even then, you should be thinking, “How do I SERVE this person?” and NOT, “How do I convert this person into money for me?”

Or keep doing what you’re doing, and getting the results I know you’re getting.

More on how to sell in an authentic way that people appreciate and feel served by in this FREE podcast here