I’m so done with lazy <a class="saveLink" href="http://www.bizjournals.com/profiles/company/us/ca/mountain_view/linkedin_corp/406059">LinkedIn</a> users.

If you’re the consummate LinkedIn networker, I’m not talking about you, so how about just passing this along who’s not? There are more than enough folks who need to know!
<h4><strong>Lazy LinkedIn Behavior No. 1: Sending a pre-written connection messages</strong></h4>
If you met someone at an event, would you say: <em>“</em> <em>I'd like to add you to my professional network.”</em>

I hope not! So why would you say it on LinkedIn, when you want to make a great first impression?

If you want to avoid scripted invitation messages, there’s only one “Connect” button to use: The one located <em>below</em> a person’s picture when you open up his or her full profile. Read all about them, scroll through their bio, and then click <em>that</em>“Connect” button.

Once the customizable message box opens up, erase all of the standard content and write something personal. Here are some examples:
<ol>
	<li>I read about you in &lt;website, article,="" speech=""&gt;and you have a fabulous background. I would like to connect to your professional network. Thank you, .</li>
	<li>I found you on LinkedIn, and I’m applying to a job at your company. I would like to connect with you here. Thank you,</li>
	<li>We have a number of people in common such as &lt;name, name,="" and="" name=""&gt;and it would be great to connect here. Thank you,</li>
	<li>We met at on and I would like to follow up with you. Let’s start here on LinkedIn. Regards,</li>
</ol>
<h4><strong>Lazy LinkedIn Behavior No. 2: Selling something without building a relationship</strong></h4>
LinkedIn is a huge database that’s useful on many levels, but it’s awful for some interactions. Here’s a real solicitation that I received from someone who just connected with me on LinkedIn:
<blockquote><em>“Diana, thank you for connecting with me on LinkedIn. I work for <a>and would like to send you information on our offerings. What do you do, professionally? I saw an article about you in the Houston Business Journal. Please write me back with the best time for us to talk.”</a></em></blockquote>
<a>This person broke a number of sales and networking rules:</a>
<ul class="grayBullets">
<ul class="grayBullets">
	<li><a>Spelled my name wrong — bad start!</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li><a>Didn’t notice I don’t live in Houston; I’m not a prospect for them.</a></li>
	<li><a>Put the onus on me to write them back with a time to talk.</a></li>
	<li><a>Took the easy way out — I would expect to receive a professionally written prospecting letter to my direct e-mail (often found under “contact information” in LinkedIn profiles).</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

<a>I immediately dropped my LinkedIn connection with this person to save myself — and my connections — from further solicitations.</a>

<a>What you can do:</a>
<ul class="grayBullets">
<ul class="grayBullets">
	<li><a><strong>Study the prospect’s profile.</strong> Go to his or her personal website if they have one, and search out more information about them.</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li><a><strong>Write a formal business note using LinkedIn.</strong> Try something like this: “Dear Dana, thank you for connecting with me here on LinkedIn. I read about your successful background and am interested in asking you a few questions. I may be able to provide you services and I would like to explore the possibilities. May I have the e-mail address you prefer for business correspondence? Sincerely,&lt;name, title,="" company,="" phone=""&gt;</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

<a>Take the LinkedIn tutorials, buy a book on how to use LinkedIn, watch YouTube videos — whatever suits your learning style — but do something! Be more personal, more effective, and more formal, and you will get better results.</a>

<a>Don’t forget: LinkedIn is a tool for developing meaningful professional relationships. Use it as a launching pad to talk to people on the phone or meet face-to-face for the best results.</a>