Turning LinkedIn Connections into Real-Life Collaborations
Turning LinkedIn Connections into Real-Life Collaborations
LinkedIn has become the go-to platform for professional networking, but there’s a significant gap between making connections online and turning those connections into real-life collaborations. While sending connection requests and engaging in thoughtful conversations online can be incredibly useful, the true value comes from taking those digital relationships to the next level. I’ve spent years cultivating meaningful LinkedIn connections, and I can confidently say that the secret to turning those connections into real-world collaborations lies in fostering genuine relationships, providing value, and finding common ground.
In this article, I’ll share my experiences and strategies for turning LinkedIn connections into successful, long-term collaborations. I’ll also provide stories from my time working with Spudblocks, Tapbit, and BigONE Exchange to demonstrate how these principles have shaped my professional journey.
1. The Art of Making the Right Connections
When it comes to networking on LinkedIn, the first step is not to connect with everyone you come across but to focus on quality over quantity. Building meaningful connections involves identifying individuals who align with your professional goals, values, and aspirations. This is something I’ve learned throughout my career.
Personal Story:
In my early days working as a Business Development Manager at PlutusFi, I had a goal of expanding our DeFi platform and bringing in strategic partners. One of the first things I did was identify professionals in the DeFi and blockchain space who were either decision-makers or had influential roles in the companies I was targeting. But it wasn’t just about their titles—it was about their vision and values aligning with our goals.
Instead of sending generic connection requests, I personalized each one by referencing a specific post or article they had shared, or a recent accomplishment of theirs. This approach allowed me to start conversations that weren’t about selling or pitching immediately, but about building a foundation for mutual respect. Over time, these initial connections led to deeper collaborations, including a joint marketing campaign with one of the companies I connected with.
2. Provide Value Upfront
The next step in turning LinkedIn connections into real-life collaborations is offering value first. Many people view LinkedIn as a platform to immediately pitch products, services, or job opportunities. However, it’s more effective to first focus on how you can help your connections without expecting anything in return. Providing value is the best way to foster trust and demonstrate that you are genuinely interested in their success.
Personal Story:
During my time at Tapbit, I noticed a fellow professional, let’s call him John, who was working on a promising crypto project but seemed to be struggling with attracting the right liquidity providers. Instead of sending a sales message or pitching Tapbit’s services, I took the time to send him a message offering some of the insights I had gained over the years in liquidity optimization strategies.
A week later, John replied, thanking me for the valuable tips and suggesting a phone call to discuss his project further. That conversation eventually led to a fruitful collaboration between Tapbit and John’s project, where we helped them scale up liquidity on their platform, and in turn, Tapbit gained exposure to a new audience.
3. Move the Conversation to a Personal Level
While LinkedIn is great for initiating conversations, transitioning to a more personal mode of communication—such as a phone call, video meeting, or face-to-face meeting—can have a powerful impact on relationship-building. It’s essential to break the digital barrier and create an opportunity for deeper connection.
Personal Story:
One of my most successful LinkedIn collaborations came from a simple, yet personalized message. I connected with a project manager in the Web3 space at BigONE Exchange, and we exchanged a few messages about the latest trends in the crypto market. Over time, our conversations became more in-depth, and I invited him for a one-on-one Zoom call to discuss potential synergies between his project and BigONE Exchange.
During the call, we discussed not only our mutual goals but also shared insights into some of the challenges we were both facing. That call turned into several follow-up calls, and ultimately, we created a partnership that benefited both of our companies. We began promoting his project on our platform, which led to significant growth and recognition for both of us.
By taking that conversation off LinkedIn and into a more personal space, we were able to explore more ideas, build trust, and ultimately create a lasting, successful collaboration.
4. Create Collaborative Opportunities with Actionable Steps
Once you’ve established a relationship with your LinkedIn connection and have engaged in meaningful discussions, it’s time to move toward actionable collaboration. This is where things can get tricky, but if you approach it correctly, turning those online connections into real-life collaborations becomes much easier.
Start by identifying opportunities that benefit both parties. This could be anything from a joint webinar, a business partnership, a co-authored article, or even a cross-promotional campaign. The key here is to propose actionable steps that align with both of your professional goals.
Personal Story:
At Spudblocks, we were constantly looking for ways to expand our service offerings and collaborate with other professionals in the blockchain and fintech space. One day, I reached out to a LinkedIn connection who had experience in product development and marketing. We had discussed in the past the challenges of launching new products in the blockchain sector, so I proposed a collaboration where we would work together on a whitepaper about emerging trends in Web3.
The idea was not only to highlight our respective expertise but also to create a resource that could help both of our networks. We wrote and promoted the whitepaper, which received a great response from the community and helped both of us build authority in the space. The collaboration also led to a long-term working relationship that included consulting, joint projects, and sharing resources.
5. Nurture the Relationship Over Time
Turning LinkedIn connections into real-life collaborations doesn’t happen overnight. It’s essential to nurture these relationships continuously. This means staying engaged with your connections even after the collaboration ends, offering help when needed, and maintaining regular communication.
Personal Story:
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned during my time at PlutusFi is the value of long-term relationship management. After successfully collaborating with several companies, I made sure to follow up with each of my connections even when there was no immediate business opportunity.
For example, one of the strategic partners I worked with at PlutusFi—a DeFi protocol—reached out to me a year after our initial collaboration to discuss how we could expand our partnership. In the meantime, I had stayed in touch, shared relevant industry insights, and offered help when possible. This ongoing engagement resulted in a successful product launch and long-term strategic alliance, which likely wouldn’t have happened if I had only focused on the immediate collaboration and forgotten about the relationship after it ended.
Conclusion: Turning LinkedIn Connections into Real-Life Collaborations
In conclusion, LinkedIn is a powerful platform for connecting with professionals, but the true potential lies in transforming those connections into real-world collaborations. By focusing on making meaningful connections, providing value upfront, taking conversations offline, identifying collaboration opportunities, and nurturing those relationships over time, you’ll be able to create partnerships that are not only successful but also long-lasting.
From my experiences at Spudblocks, Tapbit, and BigONE Exchange, I’ve learned that the best collaborations are built on trust, mutual respect, and a willingness to help others succeed. If you want to take your LinkedIn relationships to the next level, start by focusing on these principles, and watch how they turn into real-life opportunities.
If you’d like to continue the conversation or learn more about how I turned my LinkedIn connections into real-life collaborations, feel free to reach out to me at:
Email: Ashik@Spudblocks.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ashik-the-knight