Can you be a Linkedin Super Sleuth?

 

Can you be a Linkedin SuperSleuth?

Last week I raised the questions whether Linkedin had missed a trick?

In updating my old business connections using their business cards, I found that the old email addresses were not being picked up by Linkedin and therefore my reconnection requests were not getting through.

I would hope that Linkedin would take some steps to address this minor short coming in their otherwise excellent platform.

Is there another way to reconnect with your older network connections if you have their business card but they have moved job?

I thought I should be able to work round this.  So here are my suggestions for a bit of Linkedin Super Sleuthing to solve the problem.

I must stress that I am only advocating these strategies for people you Genuinely know and not as a SPAM tactic.

These suggestions are also alternatives to InMail (of which you may have a limited number) or sending indirect requests through your network which can be a bit tedious for them if done too often.

Using Groups

See if you have any Groups in common.  If so, it is relatively simple to go to their profile in the Group and on the right hand side you will see an option – Send Message.  It could not be more simple – click on that and send him/her a message explaining that you would like to get in touch again.  I would suggest that you explain that you have met when they were working at a previous firm (what ever is on the business card) and that you would like to be in touch again.

Then put in your email address and invite them to send you a connection or alternatively, if they would be kind enough to reply to the message with their current email, you will send them a Linkedin Connection invitation.

What if you have no Groups in Common?

Super Sleuth Tip number Two is to find an open group in which they are a member, join it, repeat the process above and then, gracefully, retire from the Group.

What if they are not a Member of a Group at All?

The next step is to see where they are currently working and check if there is a Company Page on Linkedin for them.  If there is and you can find a 1st Degree Connection who works at the company, this will enable you to identify the company’s email format and you can replace the names and send an invitation.  This sometimes is problematic if the email format uses secondary initials which you may not know.

No Common Connections?

Don’t stop there yet.  The next tip is to go over to the Company’s website and look for a news or press release which often has a contact name at the foot of the release.  This too will help you with the email format.

Often email details for the C-Suite are available openly and this is another way to solve the email format problem.

No Luck there either? Try Twitter or Google+

The next step is to go over to Twitter and search for them on Twitter.  Many professional people, but not all, have Twitter accounts and you can you can @ them a message saying you would like to connect with them again.  If you follow them and then they follow you back you can have a Direct Message (DM) exchange which is private.

If you do not have any luck with Twitter, the next Social Media Platform to try is Google+.  Go to your Google + Account and open up your Circles.  There is a tab “Find People” which you can click on.  Once you recognise the persons profile you can drag them to a new circle.  To reach out to them post a comment in your stream under “Share Whats New…” and reach out to them.

If all that does not work?

If this has not enabled you to reconnect, and presumably, you are pretty determined if you have not given up yet, then the simple solution is to call your contact at their company using the number from the company’s website.  Not very Web 2.0 but effective!

The last strategy I would suggest is trying their mobile phone as many people try to keep their mobile phone number even if they move companies.  You can start by trying a text message and, only if that does not succeed, try a call.

Have you got any suggestions for this issue.  If you have I would really like you to share them with me and the Six Minute Strategist Community.

If you want to connect with me on Linkedin – this is a link to my profile.  Send me a connection request at jbdcolley[at]aol[com].

Thank you for Joining the Conversation!

10