How to Connect with Outstanding People

About this episode

As a founder, you'll inevitably face the challenge of reaching out to people who are far beyond your usual network. Whether it's a potential investor, an experienced mentor, or an industry expert – the question remains the same: How do you get these individuals to actually take the time to respond to your message?

LinkedIn as Your Strategic Networking Tool

LinkedIn isn't just another social network – it's THE platform for professional contacts. While other platforms are often flooded with personal updates and cat videos, LinkedIn is the place where people consciously make themselves available for business conversations.

The true power of LinkedIn doesn't lie in the sheer number of users, but in the quality of connections you can build there. Top managers, successful entrepreneurs, and industry leaders are active there and – this is crucial – they expect business inquiries.

The Psychology Behind Successful LinkedIn Messages

Before we dive into concrete strategies, it's important to understand why most LinkedIn messages fail. The most common mistakes:

• –Generic messages that were obviously sent to hundreds of people
• –Immediate sales pitches without any relationship building
• –Messages that are too long and rambling that nobody wants to read
• –Lack of personalization or connection to the target person

My Proven Strategy for LinkedIn Outreach

When I reach out to outstanding individuals, I follow a clear structure that has proven effective over the years:

Step 1: Thorough Research Before I write even a single line, I invest time in research. I carefully examine the LinkedIn profile, read recent posts, and look for commonalities or interesting details from the person's background.

Step 2: The Personal Hook Every message begins with a concrete, personalized reference. This could be a mutual connection, an interesting post the person recently shared, or a specific experience from their career path that impressed me.

Step 3: Clear Value Proposition I make it clear why a conversation could be valuable for both sides. It's not about immediately selling something, but offering a genuine exchange.

Step 4: Concrete, Low-Threshold Request Instead of asking for a multi-hour meeting, I request a brief 15-20 minute phone call or video chat. This makes it easier for the other person to agree.

Practical Tips for Your LinkedIn Messages

Timing is crucial: Avoid Monday mornings and Friday afternoons. Tuesday through Thursday between 9-11 AM and 2-4 PM works best.

Brevity is king: Your first message should be a maximum of 3-4 sentences. If there's interest, you can go into detail in the response.

Authenticity beats perfection: An honest, direct message often works better than a perfectly formulated but impersonal text.

Use follow-up strategically: If you haven't received a response after a week, a polite follow-up is completely appropriate. After that, however, you should keep your distance.

What Makes LinkedIn So Powerful

The true strength of LinkedIn lies in the democratization of networking. Previously, you were dependent on industry events or personal recommendations to access important contacts. Today, you can reach people with just a few clicks who would otherwise be completely outside your reach.

At the same time, the platform offers transparency: You can see the career path, interests, and often the personality of your counterpart before you exchange the first word.

The Long-term Approach

Successful outreach via LinkedIn is a marathon, not a sprint. It's about building genuine relationships, not just collecting names. The most valuable contacts often emerge only after several interactions and when you yourself provide value – whether through interesting insights, relevant connections, or simply through attentive listening.

LinkedIn is a powerful tool, but like any tool, it only unfolds its effectiveness when you use it correctly and with the necessary portion of respect.