Today's Roofer June 2015 | Page 21

Important – if you do not have their email it will be harder to connect. Check their profile to see if they included an email in the contact information. Never say that you do not know them – LinkedIn will lock your account if you try to connect to too many people at once or to people you do not know. Finally, when you are asking someone you don’t know to connect, review their profile and their groups, this will give you an idea of what their interests are and how you may be able to help them. Members appreciate the recommendation of a book, a website to visit or a group to join. Most LinkedIn members will probably respond with a thank you and information for you. Information is the currency of social media, sharing useful information is a tried and true way to become a valued connection. Once someone does accept you invitation to connect you can follow up with a message or an invitation to coffee if you are in the same city. Social Media is just like the “real world” not a database of hot prospects, it is a place to start and build relationships. Selling is a skill - there are no easy ways to create a loyal customer - do the work and reap t