How To Build Relationships On LinkedIn Without Being A Spammy Jack@ss

(And why my favorite question isn’t about sales — it’s “Do you post on here?”)

You know the drill.

Someone connects with you on LinkedIn. You accept. And ten seconds later…

🚨 “Here’s my offer.”

🚨 “Let’s hop on a quick call.”

🚨 “I help people just like you scale 10x. Want to know how?”

No context. No relationship. Just an awkward pitch that makes you want to disconnect faster than a dropped Zoom call.

Here’s the thing: LinkedIn absolutely works for B2B. But it only works when you treat people like people.

Today, I want to walk you through how I use LinkedIn to build real, valuable B2B connections and why it has nothing to do with selling in the first message.

👥 The Tale of Two Connectors

Let’s say you’ve got two small business owners: Chris and Lauren.

Chris: The Spray-and-Pray Guy

Chris sends 100 requests a day and loads everyone into a sequence. The moment you accept, you’re dropped into a message funnel you never asked for.

By Day 3, he’s sending his Calendly link as if it were a coupon code. His acceptance rate is low. His response rate is lower.

Lauren: The Relationship-First Connector

Lauren targets 20–30 ideal prospects daily. She doesn’t pitch — she asks thoughtful questions. She comments before she DMs. She sends voice notes. She builds trust.

And instead of chasing sales… Lauren builds relationships that lead to referrals, invites, and, yes, clients.

🔧 My LinkedIn Prospecting Playbook (What Actually Works)

After years of trial and error, here’s what I’ve dialed in as my LinkedIn daily rhythm — the strategy that helps me grow without burning out or burning bridges.

✅ 1. Start with Consistent Posting

Your content builds trust before you ever send a message. I post about business exits, AI tools, marketing strategies, and real lessons from the trenches.

I post each and every day without fail. Most of the time, I work a week in advance from a 60-day content calendar that I create using ChatGPT; check out a recent article showing this strategy here.

Some posts teach. Some tell stories. Some just start conversations.

But they all show people who I am before I ever land in their inbox.

✅ 2. Targeted Connections Daily (Not Random Adds)

I reach out to 25–30 people per day — business owners, advisors, service pros, and local leaders. But I don’t just click “Connect.”

I look at:

• Their headline
• Their recent posts
• Shared connections
• What they actually talk about

If they seem like someone I’d have coffee with in real life, I send a personal message — not a pitch.

✅ 3. Use Dripify.io (But Keep It Human)

Yes, I use Dripify.io to help me stay consistent, especially when life gets busy.

But here’s the key:

• I write the messages myself
• I design sequences that start conversations
• And every single morning, I go into Dripify, check my messages, and respond manually, fast (And LinkedIn's messaging system is ATTROCIOUS for managing messages)

That one habit has helped me turn cold outreach into actual conversations. No bots. No spam. Just real human interaction.

✅ 4. Support My Network (Every. Single. Day.)

After Dripify, I go to my Notifications tab.

I scroll through posts from people I’ve connected with — and I take time to:

• Like
• Comment
• Share (if it fits my audience)

Why?

Because this isn’t just about lead gen. It’s about community building.

I also wish people a Happy Birthday, Congratulations on a Work Anniversary, or Congrats on a New Job. Why because it feels nice when someone does that for me...and they typically go over to my profile and check me out (you can see that in your analytics).

Since my profile is optimized for my ideal client, I have gotten business out from simply "being nice".

If someone I know is launching a book, running an event, or sharing a perspective that aligns with my audience, I support them.

Sometimes, that turns into a podcast invite. Sometimes, it leads to a referral. Sometimes, it just builds trust that pays off months later.

✅ 5. Ask This Simple Question in DMs: “Do You Post on Here?”

This one has started more valuable conversations than any clever copywriting trick I’ve ever used.

When someone connects, I ask:

“Do you post regularly on here? LinkedIn doesn’t always show me who I want to see — would love to follow your stuff.”

That one question:

• Opens a real conversation
• Invites them to share what they care about
• Builds goodwill
• And makes it clear I’m not here just to take — I’m here to connect

💡 Final Thought: You’re Not Building a Funnel — You’re Building a Reputation

Your goal on LinkedIn isn’t to sell. It’s to become someone people trust, remember, and recommend.

Real prospecting isn’t about cold-pitching 1,000 people. It’s about building 100 relationships that lead to 10 solid opportunities.

And that takes consistency. Curiosity. And yes — a little intentional automation that still feels human.

📘 Your Turn

I’m currently writing a book about how small business owners and professionals can grow their presence, audience, and pipeline on LinkedIn — without appearing spammy, robotic, or as the title states, a Jack@ss.

So I’d love to hear from you:

What’s something you’ve done on LinkedIn that sparked a real connection, not just a new contact?

Drop it in the comments 👇 — I might feature your insight in the book.