DM TEMPLATES: Volume 1

Connecting online has never been as important as it is right now. Your online presence is critical to your success and LinkedIn is the platform to be on for business purposes. When people talk about your “brand”, they are referring to your reputation and that reputation can hurt from the first interaction with someone else. Remember that old adage “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” These days a simple connection request on LinkedIn absolutely counts as a first impression. And it can make or break yu.

I receive a lot of connection requests from people I don’t know and have never met. 80% of them simply send the invite with no note as to why they want to connect or how they found me. In so many ways those type of requests feel like people are at a Halloween carnival trying to collect all the candy they can for the night, but without a great costume. Then, there are 15% of the people that send me a note that sound way to sales driven or sounds like they are writing from a 1950s IBM handbook. You know the ones that speak in a language from way back. However, it’s the 5% who take an extra minute or two to write an honest and genuine note as to how they found me and why they want to connect. Connection requests don’t have to be rocket science or something never said before. The 5% are the ones I remember every single time.

I am asked almost every week HOW to reach out to people and WHAT to say. For me to answer is almost impossible, as everyone has a different job, industry, path, history, etc. However, if we are being honest, I had the exact type of thinking back in my early career. Sometimes, all I needed was an example to help me guide my own voice. A few ‘street signs” so to speak. What I have learned over the years working in corporate America and running my own business, is that templates for regular types of emails or messages actually save time and help you know what to say at the right time with a few tweaks for each person you are messaging.

This PDF is meant to give you a starting point and framework. All of the templates can be used as Direct Messages in LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or even as an email. Feel free to make them your own and use your own voice. I hope these templates help you feel more confident and lead you down new paths to connect with more people critical to your networking goals and your business/job success.