In the realm of B2B networking and professional growth, LinkedIn recommendations serve as powerful testimonials that can make or break your reputation. These recommendations are akin to online reviews and hold a unique significance for business owners and entrepreneurs.
LinkedIn recommendations are not just commendations from colleagues but vital endorsements from satisfied clients, partners, and collaborators. These testimonials underscore your prowess, vouch for your reliability, and affirm your contributions to the business landscape and your clients.
LinkedIn recommendations sit prominently at the base of your LinkedIn profile, acting as a beacon for your clients, partners and other businesses seeking to engage with you. They are distinct from LinkedIn endorsements, which are quick validations of your skills. For entrepreneurs and business owners, these recommendations form a repository of trust, a testament to your capabilities that can be leveraged to foster authority and attract potential clients.
While soliciting LinkedIn recommendations may present its challenges, it remains an indispensable element for cultivating a robust online presence. These recommendations not only differentiate you but also serve as tangible evidence of your competencies and achievements.
Below, we will delve into the pivotal role LinkedIn recommendations play in your journey toward becoming a respected influencer in the B2B arena, and how they can be harnessed to effectively promote your business to your ideal clientele, ultimately generating valuable leads.
Here’s a guide on how to request recommendations on LinkedIn:
Carefully Select who you ask for a recommendation: In the realm of LinkedIn recommendations, quality eclipses quantity. A few well-crafted recommendations from individuals who can attest to your specific skills and experiences carry more weight than a lengthy list of generic endorsements. Contemplate reaching out to former clients, partners or team members who can provide insights into your abilities and the value you bring.
Personalise Your Request: Avoid sending a generic request to all your network connections. Dedicate time to tailor your request, elucidating why you’re approaching this particular person for a recommendation. Mention specific projects you worked on together or skills you acquired from their guidance. This personal touch adds significance to your request and conveys your appreciation for their perspective.
Facilitate the Recommender’s Task: When seeking a recommendation, equip your recommender with all the requisite information to compose a compelling and detailed endorsement. Share your job title, responsibilities, and the duration of your collaboration. You may also provide examples of noteworthy achievements, skills, projects and outcomes you’d like them to emphasise in their recommendation.
Follow Up Respectfully: After sending your request, grant your recommender some time to respond. If there’s no reply within a week or so, it’s acceptable to send a gentle reminder. However, maintain a polite and non-pushy tone. Keep in mind that your recommender is extending a favour, so graciousness and respect are paramount.
Express Gratitude: Upon receiving a recommendation, don’t forget to convey your thanks to your recommender. A brief message expressing your appreciation goes a long way in nurturing a positive professional relationship.
In addition to adhering to these guidelines, there are certain pitfalls to avoid when requesting LinkedIn recommendations:
- Avoid Seeking Recommendations from Unfamiliar Contacts:
- Refrain from requesting recommendations from individuals with whom you have no prior working relationship or a weak connection. Such requests often result in insipid or generic endorsements that lack value.
- Steer Clear of Requesting Recommendations from Those with Negative Experiences.
- It’s inadvisable to solicit recommendations from individuals with whom you’ve had conflicts or adverse encounters. This can have a detrimental impact on your reputation.
Requesting recommendations on LinkedIn might induce some apprehension, but it remains an indispensable facet of cultivating and sustaining a formidable online presence. By adhering to these suggestions and sidestepping common pitfalls, you can confidently request and receive valuable endorsements that will set you apart in the eyes of prospective employers and clients.
To request a recommendation from your LinkedIn profile, follow these steps:
- Click on the “Me” icon located at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- Select “View profile.”
- Scroll down to the “Recommendations” section and click “Ask to be recommended.”
- Enter the name of the connection from whom you wish to seek a recommendation in the “Who do you want to ask?” field.
- Choose the appropriate name from the dropdown menu.
- Fill in the “Relationship” and “Position at the time” fields in the recommendations pop-up window, and click “Next.”
- You can include a personalised message along with your request by editing the text in the message field.
- Finally, click “Send.”
Why Offer a LinkedIn Recommendation?
Beyond the courtesy of acknowledging someone’s commendable work, it can also yield various advantages for you. Here are four ways in which providing a LinkedIn recommendation can prove beneficial:
- Reciprocity: While it’s essential to offer a recommendation without anticipating a return favour, reciprocity can come into play. Receiving an unsolicited recommendation can be uplifting, and it may sway a potential client in your favour, influenced by another person’s positive assessment of your work.
- Visibility: Your recommendation, along with your photograph and headline, becomes prominently displayed in the recommendations section. Consequently, anyone perusing that section on someone’s profile will encounter your image and headline, possibly prompting them to explore your profile further. Your next promising partnership could be just one click away.
- Brand Recognition: Furnishing an earnest, unsolicited recommendation can elevate your brand’s visibility. It signifies that the individual you’ve recommended will keep you in mind. Even if you don’t receive a recommendation in return, they’ll remember your effort in crafting a sincere testimonial, possibly leading them to endorse you to others within their network.
- Trust: Picture this scenario: you’ve provided an authentic recommendation for a highly collaborative individual. Thanks to your recommendation, they secured another project and delivered outstanding results. The person who hired them places trust in your judgement and may approach you for future collaborations, despite never having met you in person.
LinkedIn is often described as a community, and this communal mindset is especially apt when it comes to both giving and receiving recommendations.
P.S. Here are 5 ways we can help you accelerate your Lead Generation results:
- Follow Adam Houlahan’s LinkedIn Profile Now Click Here
- Join our FREE LinkedIn Group and connect with entrepreneurs who are scaling too
It’s our Facebook community where smart entrepreneurs learn to get more leads and smart ways to scale using LinkedIn — Click Here
- Take our FREE LinkedIn Productivity Assessment
Score your current presence and activity on LinkedIn against industry best practice benchmarks. Receive customised results instantly and as a BONUS you’ll get a FREE PDF download of Amazon’s Best-selling book “The LinkedIn Playbook” Click Here
- Join our Content Ninja Club Today!
This Club is a community of professionals who are dedicated to mastering LinkedIn engagement and seeing real results. In fact, members experience a 300% to 1000% increase in content traction!
The best part? You can join the Club accessing a comprehensive set of tools and resources for just $197 AUD/month with no lock-in contracts.
Join today Content Ninja Club Registration
- Learn more about the four most effective conversion strategies for LinkedIn success
When we analysed the most successful conversion campaigns amongst these, we found there are four very specific strategies that deliver the most consistent results year after year. We call them ‘The Magic Four’. Take the Questionnaire now to assess your suitability Click Here
