The LinkedIn Edge

28Social Proximity and the Best Path In

The most strategic use of your LinkedIn network is to create warm paths to reaching your ideal prospects through social proximity. Instead of relying only on cold outreach, you're leveraging existing connections to gain access and credibility.

Most often, you will be seeking warm introductions to second‐degree connections. These are people connected to your first‐degree connections but not directly to you.

First‐degree connections have a direct line of communication and, presumably, a level of familiarity with your second‐degree target. Your mutual first‐degree connection can facilitate introductions, vouch for your credibility, or provide valuable access into your targeted ICP prospects. This makes a warm introduction more likely to be accepted.

To see how your LinkedIn connections are connected to other people, you can use a few built‐in LinkedIn tools and features.

Look at Mutual Connections on Their Profile

When you visit someone's profile, LinkedIn will often display a list of mutual connections under their headline or in a dedicated section labeled “People You Both Know.” Click the number of mutual connections to see the list. From there, identify someone you know well who could potentially make a warm introduction.

Use LinkedIn Search and Filters

If you're targeting a company or specific person, you can reverse‐engineer how you're connected:

1. In the Search bar, type the company name or the person's name.
2. Click “People” > use ...