Building the right network on LinkedIn helps you stack the deck in your favor and increases your chances of success.

But a strong network alone isn’t enough.

Whether you’re looking to generate leads for your company or land your next role, you also need to know how to start conversations and communicate in a way that gets people to respond.

In this article, we’ll show you how to build the right network on LinkedIn and how to reach out to people in a way that actually works.

(If you need help with your LinkedIn lead generation strategy and need for sales-qualified leads, hop on a free 15-minute strategy session with the CEO of SalesBread, Jack Reamer.

SalesBread is a LinkedIn lead generation agency that also offers appointment setting and LinkedIn content marketing.)

Tips from a LinkedIn expert before we dive in…

Insight 1: Look for pockets of influence

The smartest approach for LinkedIn networking right now, that I have seen, as a LinkedIn lead gen expert, is choosing who you network with very carefully.

Why?

So that you greatly increase your chance of success.

What does this mean?

Well, instead of just reaching out to CEOs across the board, the best networking campaigns that I’m seeing are “pockets of influence.”

Imagine, you’re a pavillion member on LinkedIn, or you belong to a network of people that are in a particular group already.

If this is sounding obvious, and you’re thinking, this is obviously going to work – That’s kind of the point.

For example, if you are in Pavillion you can reach out to every single member (and there are thousands there) who will gladly accept your connection request and most likely take a networking call with you, becasue you’re in their “club”.

I’m seeing the same thing with alumni of certain schools or alumni of certain startup incubators.

If you reach out to someone and say, “Hey, we were both in {{group}} i’d love to set up a call to learn more about what you’re doing, and share what we are working on our side…”

You’re going to get a yes.

So I suggest looking for those pockets, where you already have a foot in the door.

If you’re just starting out and don’t have any “pockets of influence,” you can reach out to people in your area or city.

This is a quick recipe to double your chances of success by just cutting your networking list a little bit sharper.

The “Pockets of Influence” Networking Framework

Here’s a simple framework to turn into a repeatable networking strategy.

Pick 1 pocket (Pavilion, alumni, city, YC, ex-company)

Start by choosing one group where you already have some level of shared interest or connection.

This could be a professional community like Pavilion, alumni from your university, people in your city, founders from YC, people from a previous company, or even attendees from a conference.

The goal is to focus on one pocket at a time.

Build list of 50 Targeted People

Once you’ve chosen your pocket, build a targeted list of 50 people inside that group.

These should be people who are relevant to your industry, interests, or professional goals. Your “dream clients”.

Because you share this common goal or group, they’re much more likely to accept your request and engage in conversation.

Send 20 connections per day for 10 days

Now start reaching out consistently.

Send about 20 connection requests per day over the next 10 days. This keeps your outreach manageable while steadily expanding your network within that pocket.

Also, by only sending 20 connections a day, you won’t get into lock into LinkedIn jail, by getting your account restricted.

Start conversations with a clear intent

Once someone accepts your request, start a conversation. Remember to speak about the person 90% of the time and only 10% about yourself for context.

Be clear about your intentions so that the prospect knows exactly why you’re reaching out.

For example:

“Hey, we were both in {{group}} I’d love to set up a call to learn more about what you’re doing, and share what we are working on our side…”

Because you already have something in common, the conversation feels natural rather than like cold outreach. And more often than not, you’re going to get a yes.

Insight 2: Be very clear about your intentions when reaching out to people

When you reach out to people in your network, I recommend being painfully clear about the intentions of that networking call, for 2 reasons…

1. You owe it to the person that you are asking for time to just kinda state your purpose.

2. For yourself… Let’s face it.. You’re not networking to chit-chat; Ultimately you do want to create business opportunities here, whether it’s career advancement, a job search, or looking for new clients. You want to call out what your intentions are.

You can do so in a way that isn’t salesy, but I believe in telling people what you want to discuss and why.

Here’s an example:

“Hey, I’d love to learn a little bit more about your company. From what I’m seeing, looks like you’re focused on building a CRM in the healthcare space. I’m curious about what you’ve got planned.

For context, we have been doing a lot of work in healthcare, and it might be interesting to share notes in terms of wins and connecting with hospital administration teams.”

What is LinkedIn networking?

LinkedIn networking is simply building professional relationships through LinkedIn. You can do this by connecting with similar industries, with your ideal customers, or hiring managers.

When done well, LinkedIn networking can help you build your reputation, expand your opportunities, and open the door to new clients, partnerships, or career growth.

Why LinkedIn networking matters

LinkedIn is the biggest professional networking platform in the world, with more than 1 billion users across 200+ countries.

That means the chances are high that the people you want to connect with, whether that’s potential clients, employers, partners, or industry peers, are already on the platform.

You have a huge pool of people to tap into.

But LinkedIn networking isn’t just about adding connections.

It’s about building relationships with the right people. Creating a profitable network.

When you consistently connect, engage, and start conversations, LinkedIn becomes a great way to create new opportunities for your career or business.

Another advantage is that LinkedIn makes it easy to learn about someone before reaching out. By looking at their profile, posts, and activity, you can quickly understand their experience, interests, and what they care about professionally.

A guide on how to network on LinkedIn for success

Step 1: Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile First

Before you start connecting with people on LinkedIn, take a moment to look at your own profile.

When you send someone a connection request, the first thing they’ll usually do is click on your profile to see who you are. If your profile looks incomplete or confusing, there’s a good chance they’ll ignore the request.

Your LinkedIn profile should quickly help someone understand what you do and why it might be useful to know you.

Start with a few key elements:

Use a clear profile photo

People are much more likely to engage with profiles that have a photo. Choose a simple, professional image where your face is easy to see, and the background isn’t distracting.

Write a headline that explains what you do

Your headline is one of the first things people see. Instead of only listing your job title, use it to briefly explain your role or area of expertise.

Add a short summary

Your summary gives people more context about your background and the kind of work you do. Keep it simple and easy to read. The goal is to give visitors a quick sense of who you are professionally.

Highlight relevant experience

Include roles and achievements that are most relevant to the type of connections you want to make. Focus on the work that best represents your expertise.

Add recommendations if possible

Recommendations from colleagues or clients help strengthen your credibility and give others more confidence in connecting with you.

Step 2: Find the Right People to Connect With – A profitable network

When it comes to LinkedIn networking, who you connect with matters just as much as how many connections you have. A smaller, more relevant network is often far more valuable than thousands of random connections.

Let’s say you’re looking to connect with influencers in your field who can offer career advice. One way to build a meaningful network is to approach it in three simple steps.

Start small

Begin with people you already know or who are closely connected to you. This could include colleagues, former classmates, people you’ve worked with, or professionals in your immediate circle.

These connections help establish the foundation of your network and make it easier to expand outward.

Use the low-hanging fruit

Next, look at second-degree connections, people who are connected to someone you already know. Because there’s a shared connection, it’s often easier to start a conversation or send a connection request.

You can also look for people who work in similar roles, companies, or industries.

Make your dream connections

Finally, start reaching out to people you genuinely admire in your field. These might be industry leaders, founders, or professionals whose work you respect. When reaching out, keep your message simple and explain why you’d like to connect.

By building your network in this way, you’re more likely to create a group of connections that are actually meaningful and useful, rather than just growing your numbers.

And that’s really it. Start small, connect with people close to your network, and gradually reach out to those you admire. Over time, you’ll build a LinkedIn network that can open the door to valuable conversations and opportunities.

Step 3: Personalize Your Connection Requests

Adding a short, personalized message can make a big difference when reaching out to people. Mind you, we have also had success with sending blank connection requests.

But it’s always good to send a personalized message becasue it tells people that you have done your homework.

It doesn’t need to be long or complicated. A simple sentence explaining who you are or why you’re reaching out is often enough. But you also want to mention something particular about the prospect. Your message should be 90% about the prospect and only 10% about you.

For example, you could mention:

• A post they shared that you found interesting

• A mutual connection

• A shared industry or role

• Something you noticed on their profile

This makes the request feel more genuine and shows that you took a moment to learn about them before reaching out.

The goal isn’t to sell anything or ask for something right away. It’s simply to start a conversation and make the connection feel natural.

Step 4: Start Conversations (Without Pitching)

Once someone accepts your connection request, it can be tempting to jump straight into a sales pitch or an ask. But this is where many people get LinkedIn networking wrong.

If the first message someone receives from you is a long sales pitch or an ask with no value, there’s a good chance they’ll ignore it.

Instead, focus on starting a normal conversation.

A simple message thanking them for connecting is often enough to get things started. From there, you can mention something you noticed on their profile, a post they shared, or something you both have in common.

For example, you might say something like:

Hi Sarah, thanks for connecting. I noticed you work with a lot of SaaS companies, that’s an area I’m really interested in as well.

The goal isn’t to sell anything right away. It’s to build a genuine connection and open the door for a conversation.

When you approach LinkedIn this way, people are much more likely to respond and engage with you. Over time, those conversations can naturally lead to opportunities, collaborations, or business relationships.

Step 5: Engage With Your Network Regularly

Next, you want to make sure that you regularly comment, post, and message your network.

If you notice that one of your connections posts something that stands out to you, comment genuinely on the post with your own thoughts. Don’t use AI for commenting on people’s posts.

Why?

People know when it’s insincere or when things have been written by AI.

If you notice that someone started a new role or is celebrating their business anniversary, congratulate them on it.

By doing this, it shows an interest in people and also positions you as a thought leader in your academy.

Step 6: Join Industry-Related LinkedIn Groups and Communities

Another way to expand your LinkedIn network is by joining groups and communities related to your industry, as we mentioned at the start of the article.

LinkedIn groups bring together professionals who share similar interests, roles, or expertise.

By joining these groups, you can connect with people who are already involved in the same conversations and topics that matter to you.

But simply joining a group isn’t enough. To get value from it, you need to participate.

You can do this by:

• Contributing to discussions

• Answering questions

• Sharing useful resources or insights

• Engaging with posts from other members

The key is to focus on being helpful rather than promotional. When you consistently add value to conversations, people are more likely to notice you, visit your profile, and connect with you.

Over time, these communities can become a great place to build relationships with professionals in your field and grow a more relevant LinkedIn network.

Step 7: Meet with connections outside of LinkedIn

I actually have clients who do lunch campaigns when it’s appropriate. Their first ask would be a Zoom meeting, and if they don’t reply there, they will send a message mentioning they can also meet for lunch.

They will then drop in at a place where they can meet, either a steak house or a coffee place near their office.

You can easily pull up Google Maps and make a few suggestions of where to meet.

This tends to work really well.

Mostly becasue your network isn’t getting these kinds of messages all day long. This is a message that’s a bit more unique than what every other salesperson across the globe is shouting at them.

We even know of others who, if they have a big enough deal size (we call this “get on a plane deals”), will reach out to 30 VIP prospects in a specific area and say:

“Hey, I’m planning a trip to Seattle next month, would you be interested in meeting while I’m in the area?”

If these people get enough positive responses, they will actually book the flight, and it works.

Step 8: Use LinkedIn content strategies

Posting content on LinkedIn is another great way to grow and strengthen your network.

When you regularly share useful insights, ideas, or experiences, it helps people understand what you know and what you care about professionally.

Over time, this can position you as someone who is knowledgeable in your field.

Content also gives people a reason to engage with you. When someone likes or comments on your post, it opens the door for conversations and new connections.

Your content doesn’t need to be complicated. Simple posts can work well, such as:

• Sharing a lesson you learned at work

• Commenting on a trend in your industry

• Offering a helpful tip or insight

• Reflecting on a project or experience

The goal isn’t to post perfectly polished content every time. It’s to share ideas that are helpful, interesting, or relevant to the people in your network.

The do’s and don’ts of LinkedIn networking

There are certain do’s and dont’s you want to consider before networking on LinkedIn. Here are some tips to follow.

Do focus on building real relationships

The goal of LinkedIn networking isn’t just to grow your connection count. Focus on building relationships with people who share your professional interests or goals. Take time to engage with their posts, respond to messages, and participate in conversations.

Do personalize your connection requests

Whenever possible, include a short message explaining why you’d like to connect. A personalized request feels more genuine and gives the other person a reason to accept.

Do engage with your network

Networking doesn’t stop after someone accepts your request. Comment on posts, share useful insights, and respond to messages. Consistent engagement helps strengthen your relationships over time.

Don’t pitch immediately after connecting

One of the fastest ways to damage a potential relationship is by sending a sales pitch as your first message. Focus on starting a conversation and building rapport first.

Don’t treat LinkedIn like a numbers game

Having thousands of connections doesn’t necessarily mean you have a strong network. A smaller network of relevant, engaged connections is often much more valuable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start a conversation on LinkedIn?

A good way to start is by thanking someone for connecting and mentioning something from their profile or content. Keeping the message friendly and natural helps make the conversation feel genuine.

Is LinkedIn networking only for job seekers?

No. While LinkedIn is often used for job searching, it’s also widely used by entrepreneurs, business owners, sales professionals, and industry leaders to build relationships and grow their professional networks.

Conclusion

LinkedIn networking can open the door to new opportunities, partnerships, and clients, but it works best when you focus on the right fundamentals.

Build a strong profile, connect with relevant people, personalize your outreach, and focus on starting genuine conversations.

If you’re looking to turn LinkedIn into a more consistent source of leads, the team at Salesbread can help. Book a strategy call to see how targeted outreach and personalized messaging can help you start more conversations with the right prospects.