How to Download your LinkedIn Connections

Backing up your data is a useful activity to protect your effort. When did you last conduct a ‘stock take’ of your LinkedIn connections?

Connections are those members who have a 1st after their name indicating a direct connection through sending or receiving and accepting a connection request.

DOWNLOAD YOUR LINKEDIN CONNECTIONS

1. Download your connections list as a CSV file.
2. Me – Settings & Privacy / Data privacy / Get a copy of your data
3. Select Connections – Request
4. Look out for the email or come back to the link in 15-20 minutes.

The file contains the following info from your connections LinkedIn profile;

First name, last name, URL, email (if shared), company, position and connection date.

CONDUCT A CONNECTION AUDIT

Determine what additional data could be useful in how you will categorise people.  Map out a network and nurturing process and decide how you will manage the actions and track progress.

Here is a simple way to get started;

• Open the Zip file, rename the file ( eg YYYY MM Connections Audit)
• Open the CSV file and start marking up.
• Add a column for category, relationship and priority or use colour coding.
• Rearrange columns if necessary.
• Add columns for action steps in network and nurture
• Remove the first 3 lines so headings are in row 1.
• Save as XLS or relevant file type to retain formatting and features.
• Use Data sort as relevant to make the task easier. (Default is via connection data)
• Schedule activity (activity tool or calendar)
• Conduct categorisation process.
• Schedule actions (possibly via a combination of category, relationship and Priority)
• Record action and outcomes

 Update the data by repeating the process and adding the connections made since the last download. These could be added to a master file, or on a tab by period of time, such as monthly, quarterly or yearly. Or you may separate categories into tabs.

I’d love to hear what works for you.

LINKEDIN MENTORING

If you need support, a discussion about what aspects are important and how to create your own process, or how to implement and manage the process, but a mentoring session.  The bonus is that you get a copy of the recording to revisit the process or share with your team.