Tips for Building Connections with Cold DMs

My top 5 tips on how to get more interviews from strangers without acting needy. My client recently landed 3 interviews, and 1 was from cold emailing (not knowing them personally) a recruiter. 1. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 Bad: “𝘏𝘪, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘫𝘰𝘣.” Good: “𝘏𝘪 [𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦], 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 [𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵].” Start with their work, their company, and their problem. Give value before you ask for anything. 2. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻) Aim for 4–5 sentences max. Avoid big blocks of text and generic intros. Remember, you’re starting a convo. 3. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 Bad: “𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵?” Good: “𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 15 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘈𝘐-𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦?” OR “𝘞𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬?” Specificity = less noise = higher chance of reply. 4. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Mention: • Mutual connection • Something they’ve posted/shared • Relevant experience (“I’ve been following your work on X and built a project tackling the same problem.”) This makes you feel familiar even if they’ve never met you. 5. 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 Instead of “𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯” Try: “𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘺.” It shows respect, which builds trust. And if you're looking for a cold emailing template that works, use this: 𝘏𝘪 [𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦], 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 [𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵/𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵/𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬], 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 [𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵]. 𝘐𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 [𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦/𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥]. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 [𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥/𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦] 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 [𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢]. 𝘞𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 15-𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵? 𝘐’𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 [𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦]. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 [𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺]! 𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘭𝘺, [𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦] Be specific, respectful, and simply human. And most importantly, follow up once or twice if they don’t reply. They might be busy, not disinterested. Follow me, Jaret André for daily data job search tips. Share this post with your network if you found it useful.

STOP pitch-slapping people in the DMs. Here are 5 ways to kick off a conversation: 1️⃣ "Hey Eimri, Fully agree with you that AEs should pick a company that they can have content around. It's the future of sales, and X is a prime example of that at Y. Is that something that you push/promote internally?" 2️⃣ "Thanks for accepting my connection request, Eimri. Looks like you're a serious remote-working advocate 👏 Check out those creators. I think you will love them [Send 3-4 relevant creators]. Anyone who's not on this list you think I must follow?" 3️⃣ "Thanks for engaging with my recent post, John! It's a polarizing topic, but it's good to see that I'm not the only one who believes in XYZ. What's your stance on _____?" 4️⃣ " Loved your take on XYZ, John. Recently listened to a podcast that completely changed my mind about X. Thought you'd enjoy it as well. Here's the link... PS. Min 29 is a game changer." 5️⃣ "Appreciate your constant engagement with my mediocre content, John 🥲 I'm running an invite-only community of _____ leaders where we truly spill the beans about XYZ. Thought you'd find tons of value and be a great addition as a member. No strings attached. Only value and networking. Should I send the invite?" True social selling is about: + Sparking conversations. + Engaging genuinely. + Leading with value. + Building trust. One post and one message at a time.

It’s crazy that just two years ago I was an associate with the Vikings & just starting my sports career. I hope I can share some advice on here that can be helpful to those looking to get internships or just get into the sports business in general. (Disclaimer: this is from MY personal experience & perspective & might not work for everyone). My advice today is: copy & paste won’t win the race. Here’s what I mean by that: I know at some point, someone gave you a template for you to plug and play when you are reaching out. Here’s why you should NOT use it: 1. We can tell it is a template. I promise you we notice and plug & play doesn’t create results in our industry. 2. We are human beings and we would like to be treated as such versus treated as someone you would like to use to “pick their brain” (whatever that means). 3. It usually lacks authenticity, intentionality, and attention to detail. I couldn’t tell you the number of messages I have received where it is obvious the person has no idea what I do and, honestly, I don’t know if they even care to which is disheartening. 4. The sports industry is really busy, especially right now. If most folks are going to respond, it’s going to be with someone trying to build a relationship. Here’s what you should do instead: 1. Less sometimes is more. Sending out 100 cold messages is probably not a better method than reaching out to 10 people that relate to you or your career goals in some way (job function, schooling, identities, etc). 2. Be SPECIFIC in your ask. Saying you want to “hear about someone’s experience” is extremely vague. What EXACTLY do you want out of your interaction/relationship with this person (it should be more than just get a job because at the end of the day you have to do that yourself). Narrow it down to 2-3 specific things you would like to talk to them about. 4. Be PERSONABLE. Dont be afraid to make a joke. Share things about yourself. Find a connection that goes beyond just a similar field of interest. Explain why you reached out to them specifically. Again, this person is more than their job. I hope this helps at least one person!

A little over a month ago, two people from my network messaged me cold to strike up a conversation. Both UX researchers on the job hunt. Today, one of them joined the team at Key Lime Interactive!! I've been reflecting on what this one person did well that made them stand out. This might help anyone else who is on the job hunt: 1. Approached me like a human and chatted about mutual interests, and asked for advice (i.e., informational interview approach) -- This approach made it easy for me to respond in a non-transactional way, and generated interesting conversation that I was happy to engage in 2. Approached LinkedIn as a tool to communicate skills, experiences, and goals; not as a job board -- The winning candidate posted several quality posts on LinkedIn about their career and their experience, even drawing on some of the topics we discussed -- That kind of rapid synthesis made me think of this person as a real researcher; they showed that they were listening and thinking in a focused manner, and validated the conversation we had 3. Continued to check in and update me with questions and observations; did not stop at the first exchange -- Anyone on the internet can be fly-by-night, here today and gone tomorrow -- What is impressive is showing up consistently with enthusiasm and curiosity, and being courageous enough to reach out to people you've never met to build relationships ------ A bit of strategic planning and strong curiosity go very far in a job hunt. To summarize: - Advice is free and easy to give; ask for advice, listen, and apply what you learn - Go the route of enthusiasm and curiosity; show that you are eager to learn from others because you share the same goals they do - Practice writing and talking about what makes you uniquely you; this will help you present your best self during interviews Let me know if this resonates! What have you found that is effective? #careergrowth #mindset #uxresearch #uxdesign #linkedin

I spent 6 months studying how to network on LinkedIn Here’s what I learned in < 60s (without the "love to be in your network" templates) I went from: Clicking 'connect' → sending hyper-personalized requests Being scared of networking calls → now hopping on 3-4 monthly (still scared :P) Being clueless on seeking opportunities → now a weekly 'shoot your shot' hour To build an effective network, I focused on 4 things: 1. Profile stalking 2. Connection Requests 3. Networking calls 4. ‘Shoot your shot’ hours. 1. Profile stalking ↳ Study the profile like an exam sheet ↳ Identify commonalities such as ethnicity, hobbies, and career shifts ↳ If they actively post, find the 'secret sauce'—personal details, jokes ↳ Enagage with their posts. Use the 'secret sauce' to add value P.S - I reached out to someone with over 50K followers via email. When I sent my LinkedIn profile, he remembered me because I was consistently engaging on his posts. Not bad, huh? 2. Connection Requests ↳ Use templates for cold piches, doubts, meetings, etc. Do not abuse it ↳ Start with how you came across their profile ↳ Go onto to tell them what you liked about their profile. Be brutually honest ↳ Get to the point. What action do you want them to take? 3. Networking calls ↳ Get used to asking for a call in the DMs + Take adv of the free calls provided ↳ The more you explain your ‘what’, ‘why’, and ’how’, the more you understand it as well ↳ If those you seek something from charge for calls, consider taking it up. Knowledge is money ↳ Always research your questions thoroughly + follow-up with a thank you note 4. ‘Shoot Your Shot' Hour ↳ For one hour, ask for opportunities you might/might not have a chance at ↳ Do steps 1, 2, 3, and then aim high. Can you work with them, get a referral, get help? ↳ Be unhinged. Be shameless. Don't care about rejection. ↳ I've sent so many requests (so many!) and got 4 'yes's. Not much, but better than 0. P.S - Generic templates. Big no, yes? #linkedin #networking #learning #career

Unsolicited advice: When cold DMing someone on LinkedIn, don't ask them to DO anything. Don't ask them to: - Look at your profile - Review your deck - Visit your website - Book a call with you - Pick their brain - Provide advice requiring a Zoom - Give you an overview of themselves - Read your 1,000-word message - Reach out to you for help - Tell you how they're doing Here's what's going on in my head when I see these messages: The "Will You Look at My Profile/Deck/Website" Please just give me a direct ask without requiring me to look at something else. If you want my professional opinion on a document, you can book time with me using the link on my website. (Please note: unfortunately, I don't have the time to do it for free right now - my paying clients are keeping me very busy.) The "Book a Call/Pick Your Brain/Give Me Free Advice"  I am actively reducing my zooms from 4-5 per day to 1-2, so it's pretty unlikely I will click on your calendly. I need a very specific and compelling reason to zoom with someone, so tell me why I can be helpful to you AND what you can do for me. If you want advice, you can book my time (see above). The "I Want to Learn More About You" If you are genuinely curious, read my LinkedIn profile. It's one click away. If you want to go deeper, you can visit my website, which is a button on my profile. It's actually my biosite, which has links to my personal website, Power To Pitch, angel investment thesis, investment portfolio, deal flow for accredited investors, events I'm doing, recorded podcasts and speaking events, link to book a call with me, and even Blood Monkey Gin. I've spent a lot of time (and money) curating my online profile, so please go there first. The "Super Long Message" I will not read anything longer than three sentences—full stop. I just don't have the time or energy. The simpler you can be, the better. As I love to say: I'm an angel investor. Talk to me like I'm 5 years old. The "Don't Hesitate to Reach out to Me" I'm going to be honest here: I'm not going to "reach out" if I don't know you. I've worked hard to cultivate my network, so I'll call on them first. The "Hi, How Are You?" If I don't know you, you don't need to know how I am. You may think you're being polite, but I am not looking for small talk here. Let's get down to business. This may seem harsh, unfriendly, or unkind. But here's the thing: I ANSWER EVERY SINGLE DM. PERSONALLY. No virtual assistant, no bot. It's actually ME providing my own advice and resources. So, I reward brevity and people who respect me and my time.

Before firing off that connection request Before sending that DM Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Do they know who I am? 2. Have I engaged with their content in the past? 3. Have I made an effort to provide value to them? 4. Am I going in with an immediate ask/favor? 5. Am I making this more about me than them? 6. Would I respond to a message like this? 7. Do we have any mutual connections? If you answer "No" to any of these questions Don't send that DM or connection request If you decide to anyway Don't expect a response Just because you send a message to someone That doesn't mean you have earned a response I received nearly 100 messages yesterday Only 5 were from people I actually knew And guess who got a response? I'll give you a hint, it wasn't the other 95+ Think about what you've done to "earn" a response That sounds harsh, but let's be real here If I have no idea who you are That means you're a stranger to me And I have no desire in engaging with 95 strangers Especially when they're asking for something right off the bat Something that would take hours and days of my time -Focus on building the relationship -Comment/engage on their posts -Add value -Send them articles that you think they would like -Send a personalized connection request that's unique -Do this consistently for 2 weeks You'll be surprised at the results

5 Tips to boost your LinkedIn response rate.  Tired of your LinkedIn messages getting lost in the digital abyss? 📥 It's time to rethink your approach and increase your chances of making meaningful connections! 1. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: Instead of diving straight into the DMs with a sales pitch, take the time to engage with your prospect's content. Like their posts, leave thoughtful comments, and show genuine interest in what they have to say. Building rapport first increases the likelihood of your message being noticed and welcomed. 2. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗞𝗲𝘆: Avoid generic, one-size-fits-all messages that scream "spam." Take the time to personalize your outreach by referencing specific content or insights shared by your prospect. Show them that you've done your homework and tailor your message accordingly. 3. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗨𝗽𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁: Instead of immediately asking for something, focus on providing value to your prospect. Share helpful resources, insights, or relevant industry news that demonstrate your expertise and establish credibility. By offering value upfront, you lay the foundation for a more meaningful conversation. 4. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗜𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿: Clearly communicate the purpose of your message and why you're reaching out. Avoid vague or overly salesy language that can turn people off. 5. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝗽 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆: If you don't receive a response to your initial message, don't give up! Follow up strategically with a polite and friendly reminder. Acknowledge their busy schedule and reiterate the value you can offer. Remember, building relationships on LinkedIn is all about authenticity, engagement, and providing value. By taking a thoughtful and strategic approach to your direct messages, you can increase your chances of making meaningful connections and driving results. #LinkedInTips #Networking #DSO #DentalIndustry  

LinkedIn tips and tricks are everywhere— 99% of them are fluff. Try my formula instead: 1/ Define your target audience Find out your ideal buyer's: + Preferences + Needs + Demographics + Interests + Pain points These are pieces of the puzzle that help you form a clear picture of your target audience. 2/ Craft a magnetic offer for them: This step is critical— this is what makes you stand out. Develop a UVP (unique value proposition) that addresses the specific challenges or desires of your target audience. In other words, your offer should VERY clearly communicate the benefits and value you provide to your ideal customer profile (ICP). (Tip: Showcase exactly how your product or service solves a specific problem or fulfills a need for your audience.) 3/ Create content that speaks to them: Tailor your content to resonate w/ the interests and concerns of your ICP. (In other words, speak only to what THEY are interested in.) Spend some time uncovering their values and preferences. Ultimately, you need to provide helpful (and relevant) information via your posts. 4/ Keep connecting with ideal prospects: Lead gen is an active process— not a passive one. Stop scrolling mindlessly and start engaging w/ your ICP. + Regularly comment on their posts + Join some LinkedIn groups your ICP frequents + Send out connect requests to your ICP each week 5/ Reach out to them with personalized DMs: Don't just send generic DMs that have no personal touch. Instead, take a minute to show you've done your homework. Personalize the conversation by referencing something specific from their profile or previous interactions. Above all, the secret is to focus on building a genuine connection rather than immediately pushing for a sale. LinkedIn is a game of strategy— learn to play it well.

I wouldn’t call myself a networking expert. BUT I’ve landed my last 8 clients because of “networking.” Here’s what’s worked for me 👇 A disclaimer before I start: “successful” networking hinges on being as invested in other people‘s success as you’re in your own. It’s NEVER a matter of quantity (“send 20 connection requests a day!”), and always a matter of connecting with like-minded people. 1. Be genuinely nice and helpful — proactively. Someone landed a role at a company you’ve admired or a product you’ve thought is cool? Reach out and congratulate them. Go beyond LinkedIn’s recommend one-liner and add a personal note. Someone’s struggling with a task you could do in your sleep? For example, setting up Monday automations. Send them a voice note with instructions or screenshots. 2. Show up on both sides — people who you can help and people who can help you. It’s not “networking” if you’re only reaching out to people who have something to offer you. Connect with others in your industry, people who have your role in a completely different industry, and people who want to be where you are. 3. Listen before you talk. Listen actively, intently, and empathetically. Seek to understand before you comment or ask for something. Always always ask “how can I support you in your goals?” Give people an opportunity to tell you — unfiltered — what they need from you. 3 “Don’ts” which you…just don’t do pls. It’s gross. 1. Don’t bait and switch: it’s the worst. People don’t hate cold pitches as much as they hate this. With a cold pitch, people might ghost you. But bait and switch and they’ll mentally block you forever. 2. Don’t get emotional in business conversations. I once recieved a follow up where the person went on and on about how they’d stayed up at night waiting for my reply. It was an unsolicited cold pitch. I don’t even remember seeing the email, I was probably too busy. They went on to call me some rather rude names and I … blocked them. Point is, they burnt a bridge for no reason. 3. Don’t fake it till you make it. Don’t exaggerate your credentials. Even if the conversation is successful, you’ll never be able to form a real relationship. It’ll always be superficial. What do you think?