I had seven invitations to connect on Linkedin yesterday. Each one said the same thing: “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.”

Another generic invitation. Now isn’t that special!

Generic invitations are my #1 Linkedin pet peeve. But not for the reason you might think. It hurts me that people are missing out on what I believe to be a major opportunity to grow their network and generate more leads by starting out on the right foot with a personalized invitation to connect.

It’s not that I don’t understand the draw of a generic invitation: It’s convenient., it saves time., and you don’t have to figure out what to say. That’s all sounds like good juju to a small businesses owner who is lacking both time and customers.

On the surface, it makes sense: You can issue more invitations in a given amount of time, so by using generic invitations, you can generate more new contacts. Right?

Wrong, I’m in the same boat as you… the owner of a “Not So Big Biz,” with too many hats hanging in my closet. But I’ve found a way to increase my acceptance rate without sucking up enormous amounts of time.

I’m not going to kid you, this method will take a little more time than issuing a generic invitation, but what it you could get a higher acceptance rate? Would it be worth a minute more to create a personalized invitation?

Templates: A low-tech tactic with high tech results.

You can save a lot of time on personalized invitations by creating a desktop document of cut-and-paste templates of short but powerful messages. You’ll still need to visit your prospect’s profile to personalize your invitation, but that extra bit of personalization will improve your acceptance rate and enhance new relationships in record time.

I’ve developed a list of templates that have served me well. Feel free to use the examples below to develop your own personalized templates. Once you have your desktop document, you can easily visit a prospects profile, and issue a personalized invitation by cutting, pasting and tweaking your message of 300 characters (not words) or less.

Template 1. Sweeten your LinkedIn invitations with a little sugar.

It’s hard to resist an expression of admiration. For example, here’s an invitation that really got my attention.

Dear Dumont,

I was in your How to Build a Better Brand for Solopreneurs workshop today, and you gave me a lot to think about as I consider my next best step. I’ve already started working on my personal brand statement. Could we connect on LinkedIn?

My response? You bet we can!

Template 2: Address a common challenge or problem experienced by your niche.

Hi (name)

I’m a personal branding coach specializing in Linkedin solutions for coaches, consultants and other professional service providers. I’ve been putting together a network of women who wear too many hats and have too little time but are changing the world anyway. Could we connect on Linkedin? We weren’t meant to do this alone!

Template 3: Thank them for the invitation and provide something of value.

When you accept an invitation to connect on LinkedIn, you have a golden opportunity to stand out from you competitors. Don’t waste it by just hitting, “Accept.” Use a targeted response with something of value to encourage further engagement and deepen your relationship.

Hi (name),

Thanks for inviting me to connect on LinkedIn. I took a peek at your profile and found that we both did our graduate work at the Florida State University. (Go Noles!)

I help small business owners generate more traffic, more leads and more clients on Linkedin. Would you like a free copy of my Linkedin Profile Checklist? If so, just hit reply and say “yes”. If not, no problem.

Thanks again for the invite!

Template 4: Invitations to a follower. Your followers on Linkedin are not necessarily connections. I think of them as warm leads, because they have already elected to follow my content, so we have a bit of a relationship. Customize the following example to establish immediate rapport.

Dear (name),

Thanks for following me on Linkedin. I always aim to provide content that’s relevant to the unique challenges of small biz owners who wear too many hats to build an online presence by trial and error. I’m building a network of women small biz owners over 50. Can we connect on Linkedin?

Template 5: Mention a group you share.

Customize the following example with an open-ended question of your own to encourage a response.

Hi (name),

I’ve been following your comments in the ___ Group about pushy sales tactics on Linkedin. I totally agree with you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve accepted an invitation and received an instant sales attack in return! I’d love to add you too my network on Linkedin.

I promise – no spam!

Here’s the bottom line, if you’re serious about building your LinkedIn network, take time to make time. Use these five examples to build your own customized templates today.

Dumont Owen, Ph.D. builds personal brands that help small business owners generate 100% right-fit leads, clients, and opportunities. A storyteller at heart, she puts her unique stamp on the process of personal branding and Linkedin marketing. A certified Master Personal Brand Strategist and Social Media (Linkedin) Analyst, she helps her clients promote their brands on Linkedin.

As a Certified Master Personal Brand and Digital (LinkedIn) Strategist, Dumont helps her clients build powerful brands that express who they are, what they do, and how they do it… better than their competitors.

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