LinkedIn is a professional networking tools used by millions of members throughout the world. The power of LinkedIn increases with the size of your network. Ask your friends and coworkers to join your LinkedIn network so you can stay in touch.

I am often asked for suggestions when it comes to connecting with others. To ask another person to connect with you in LinkedIn, use the “Add Connections” feature under “Contacts.” LinkedIn creates a standard template email that most people use without a moments hesitation. They quickly click on the “Send” button without much thought. To improve your chances of a reply and to make a positive first impression, I recommend you take the time to customize your message to the receiver.

The standard message created by LinkedIn is “I’d like to add you to my professional network.”

I recommend including a sentence or two about how you know the person and why they may want to connect with you. This additional information will jog their memory and increase your acceptance rate.