Why:
93% of purchase decisions are influenced by social media recommendations.[i] Recommendations matter—especially on LinkedIn. High-quality recommendations boost your digital reputation and are searchable, allowing prospects to easily find out what others are saying about you. Start thinking of yourself and your recommendations as a searchable product.
How:
- To access the recommendation page à view your profile à click the drop down arrow right next to the blue “view profile” button to see the “Ask to be recommended” link. I strongly recommend you contact (email, text, face-to-face) the person you are requesting a recommendation from prior to sending the recommendation request. Asking face-to-face is a nice courtesy and will increase your success rate of receiving the recommendation.
- Another option is to go to www.linkedin.com/recs/ask.
- Choose Wisely—Request recommendations from people who are able to validate your work ethic with detail and provide unique descriptions. Select three to five people from past jobs and volunteer experiences who you think will be able to highlight your different talents and industry background. Each recommendation should say something different, which accentuates on a variety of your skill sets.
- Avoid using LinkedIn’s default subject heading of “Can you recommend me?” Instead, consider personalizing your request by and pointing out how much you value their expertise and highlight the impact they had on you.
- Write the recommendation yourself. Acknowledge that the recommender may be strapped for time and it’d be convenient if you drafted the recommendation. Let them know they can add, change or delete any of the text to ensure it is a genuine reflection of their tone. See Tip #14 on how to write a good recommendation.
- Send a thank you note (both online and offline) immediately once you receive their recommendation!
Check out more tips on LinkedIn in Erik Qualman’s new book, How to Sell on LinkedIn.
[i] “Insight Report: Social Media Now Equals TV Advertising in Influence Power on Consumption Decisions.” CivicScience. June 8, 2015. Accessed June 30, 2016. https://civicscience.com/ourinsights/insightreports/social-media-equals-tv-advertising-in-influence-power-on-consumption-decisions/
