At conferences, bypass traditional networking by filming speakers during their sessions. Sending them the video clip directly provides them value, gets you to the top of their DMs, and initiates a connection without a direct ask. The speaker gains content, and you gain a powerful contact.

Digital tools are powerful, but physical proximity remains key for networking. By making a high-value location your 'office'—even on a budget, like Jesse Itzler at the Beverly Hills Hotel—you create opportunities for repeated, casual encounters that lead to career-changing connections.

The LinkedIn mobile app contains an underutilized feature to record and send 60-second voice memos. Using your voice instead of a standard typed message makes your outreach more personal, memorable, and powerful, helping you cut through inbox clutter and build genuine professional relationships.

A simple, often overlooked setting—activating "Professional Mode"—instantly gives your LinkedIn profile powerful free features. These include the ability to publish a native newsletter and create a microsite-style landing page directly on your profile to showcase case studies, videos, and pitch decks.

Don't delay post-event follow-ups. Connect on LinkedIn the same day you meet someone at a conference. An attendee's memory and context are tied to the event itself. Waiting even a week or two means they've moved on mentally, and your connection request will likely be forgotten.

Demystify LinkedIn by treating it as a physical conference. Your profile is your professional attire, your content is your keynote speech, and commenting on others' posts is networking during the coffee break. This makes platform functions intuitive and purpose-driven.

Instead of a generic message, directly acknowledge the profile view. Use a script like, "I noticed you viewed my profile... I looked at yours and wondered why we aren't connected? Permission to connect?" This disarming honesty breaks patterns and encourages a response.

After a new LinkedIn connection is accepted, send a short video or voice message. The goal is not to pitch, but simply to introduce yourself and establish that you are a real person. This humanizing step breaks through the noise and builds rapport for a future sales conversation.

Contrary to common advice, avoid adding notes to most LinkedIn connection requests, as a blank request is often more effective. Reserve personalized notes for high-signal situations like a direct referral, a mutual connection, or a prospect who recently left a competitor's company. This makes your noted requests stand out more.