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Out of all the questions I get asked around LinkedIn by far the number one question is, “What do I say to someone I don’t know to invite them into my network.” Following are a couple of examples you can use. Feel free to change them so they compliment your own personal style. Note that they are just a starting point but I find it is much better to work off of something than to try to create something from a blank page or screen.

The third sample is a script you can use if you choose to start a group on LinkedIn . . . also the subject of a future blog entry and something I highly recommend (starting your own group). But, for now, I hope you benefit from the following and let us  know your thoughts on good scripts. What has worked for you or your colleagues?

Example 1: Sample Invite Script for LinkedIn

Dear _________,

I came across your profile on LinkedIn and was very impressed with the work you do. I have been working in (IT, marketing, operations, etc.)

and at this time I am in a  job search mode. As such I would really appreciate the opportunity to talk  with you for 10 minutes or so to explore your insight

as to a potential job in (IT, marketing, operations, etc at your organization or perhaps in other organizations where you have LinkedIn connections.

I also am networking daily and meeting people who might be a strong addition to your network. I would be happy to make introductions and offer support

to you in any way I can. Let me know when might be a convenient time to call for a quick chat.

Best Regards,

Your Name

Example 2: Sample Invite Script to Invite Someone Into Your Network

Dear _________,

I would like to invite you to join my LinkedIn network. I am building a vibrant network  and am very happy to help you in any way I can. I

would appreciate it, though, if you choose not to accept my invitation that you click on “Archive” instead of “I Don’t Know.”

Thanks for your time and I look forward to connecting with you.

Best Regards,

Your Name

Example 3: LinkedIn Script to Send to Someone When They Join Your Group

Dear _________,

Thank you for joining the Driving Distribution Sales Beyond LinkedIn Group. I really value your participation and welcome you to join in on the current

conversations as well as offer new ones. Please also feel free to contact me at dirk@4thgenerationsystems.com with any questions or suggestions you

might have for making this group the best group you have joined on LinkedIn or any other online community (I hope!) Finally, please share this with others

who would benefit from the discussions and connections offered in the group. I look forward to your participation.

Best Regards,

Your Name

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I. Chapter One – November 11, 2011.  Reminiscing about our beginning days in the Innovation Center that opened the year before on October 10, 2010…  What did we set out to accomplish?  What were our motivations?  What resistance did we encounter?  Who encouraged us?  What people were instrumental to our early success?  What role did networlding play? What was it about the Innovation Center concept that truly caught people’s interest and passion?  How did we leverage outside ideas and our blogosphere community to help enhance our vision and accelerate our progress?

II. Chapter Two – A day in the life of the center as it is “today” (11-11-11) – The user experience.  What are the key differentiating attributes of the user experience?  How are people using the Center?  What value are they generating/receiving?  What makes the Center so successful?  How has this changed over the last year?

III. Chapter Three – Opening Day October 10, 2010.  What did the beginning structure look like the day it opened?  Did we have all 30 kiosks in there?  What was our business and revenue model?  What initial mistakes did we make? What fortuitous events helped make it happen?  What was the initial public reaction?  What near-disasters did we finesse?

IV. Chapter Four – The first week.  What happened during that first week of the center being opened?  What did we learn?  What did we commit to fix?  How did it change our assumptions or operating models?  What would we have done differently from the beginning of only we’d known…

V. Chapter Five – The early months.  What happened within the first 90 days?  What were our first 3 major initiatives?  How were they germinated?   how did we get them to the stage of moving to engagement with design engineers from a couple of the companies in the center (check out www.inventright.com or www.edisonnation.com for examples of companies).  Who were our first corporate sponsors?  What made them decide to participate?

VI. Chapter Six – Crisis!  What unexpected event happened ~ 4-6 months later that nearly caused the Center to collapse?  (A little dramatic effect that occurs in every good story…)  How did we rescue it?  What help did we get from an entirely unexpected source?  What sacrifices were we forced to make that turned out to pay huge dividends later?  What seemingly unrelated sub-plot first mentioned in the prologue and carried along at a low level of intensity in Chapters I-V suddenly emerges as an unexpected, vital component of our success?

VII. Chapter Seven – The Center – 2nd Generation.  How did the Center emerge better, stronger and with more innovative impact as a result of the events in Chapter Five?  How did we know that the Center was now completely out of danger and would be an extraordinary success?

VIII. Chapter Eight – Events in the Center.  What kinds of things went on during that first year – especially those that could only have taken place in the unique environment of the Center?

IX. Chapter Nine – Impact of the Center.  What tangible, measurable results has the Center produced in its first year?  What additional kinds of activities are there underway that will yield even greater impacts an dividends.  Where did we create unexpected value?  What didn’t we expect that happened?

X. Chapter Ten – What’s Next?  Having spent the first nine chapters in reflection mode, now we pivot and look to the future.  Sister Centers are now in various stages of opening in San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, London, Prague and Milan.  Interest has been expressed from unexpected sources – DARPA, DOE and other leading-edge US government agencies want to develop a similar concept to help drive early-stage innovation on government projects.  NASA wants to build a Center dedicated to establishing a manned base on Mars.  The World Bank and Gates Foundation want to fund the establishment of local Innovation Centers across Africa to help foster self-help solutions to the daunting problems of Aids, energy, food and tribal feuding — from the same people that these challenges affect the most.

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So, beginning with Chapter One, what ten companies do you think should be part of the center?  Would you choose any of the companies from this list of the twenty-five most innovative companies identified most recently by Business Week? Who would be your ten and why? Please comment and get your colleagues to comment. We’ll let the majority rule and off we go! Check out Business Week’s 50 Most Innovative Company list for 2009 to help with your choices.

Like all businesses, social networks will soon have to confront the balance sheets. However, if they can weather the economic storm, the future could be extremely prosperous. The real social networking boom may still happen.

By Dave Lee, Technology reporter, BBC News

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I believe that if social networks continue to build the audience and create useful ways for their members to give information and get information, the dollars will follow.

Michael J. Wolf is a former president and chief operating officer of MTV Networks.

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My bottomline is that social networking is a trend that is going to evolve for years, not a fad that will end anytime soon. The real trick is focusing on creating One-Degree or Two-Degree relationships grounded in trust with qualified prospects. Whether you have an organization in the B-to-C or B-to-B space you can grow larger networks than ever before much faster as you collapse what used to be more of a Tertiary Network of loose ties. Monetizing those relationships is just a conversation or two away than five or six or even seven cold calls.

Melissa Giovagnoli
CEO, Networlding