Stop Pitching Strangers: How to Network Properly on LinkedIn | Adam Houlahan

Send us Fan MailWhat is the quickest way to destroy a potentially valuable LinkedIn relationship?Connect with somebody and immediately send them a sales pitch.In this episode, Peter Boolkah speaks with LinkedIn strategist and Prominence Global CEO Adam Houlahan about the behaviours that build professional relationships and the common mistakes that make people disconnect, block or ignore you.Adam explains why LinkedIn should be treated as a network of human beings rather than a database of prospects waiting to receive your offer.You’ll discover:Why unexplained connection requests are easily ignoredHow to write a short, genuine invitation that provides useful contextWhy pitching somebody immediately after they connect damages trustHow a simple thank-you message can help you stand outWhy the quality of your network matters more than the number of connectionsWhat your invitation-acceptance rate can reveal about your targeting, message or profileWhy you should track results instead of blindly increasing your outreach volumeHow offering to facilitate introductions can create goodwillWhy LinkedIn introduced restrictions and spam controlsHow desperation can lead people to repeat ineffective activity at greater volumeThe larger lesson applies well beyond LinkedIn:Networking is about earning trust, starting conversations and creating relationships—not collecting names or forcing premature sales conversations.ARCHIVE NOTEThis conversation was recorded in 2021, and some LinkedIn limits have subsequently changed.The advice to make invitations relevant and personal remains sound. However, LinkedIn currently limits personalised invitation notes to 200 characters. Basic accounts can add notes to a limited number of connection requests, while Premium arrangements differ.The relationship principles remain useful; the precise platform limits should be checked before applying them.Find Adam Houlahan:Website: https://adamhoulahan.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhoulahan/CONNECT WITH PETER BOOLKAHWebsite: https://www.boolkah.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boolkahInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pboolkah/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoolkahX: https://twitter.com/boolkahABOUT PETER BOOLKAHPeter Boolkah is a business coach, author and speaker who has spent more than 20 years helping business owners build stronger, more valuable businesses that do not depend on them for everything.He is the creator of The Hamster Wheel Trap® and author of Your Business Sucks: Build a Business That Works Without Destroying Your Life.Peter works with founders and leadership teams on the issues that ultimately determine whether a business creates freedom or becomes another job: leadership, founder dependency, people, profit, execution, scaling, exit readiness and enterprise value.His approach is direct, practical and built around one simple question:Do you own the business, or does the business own you?Learn more at https://www.boolkah.com