The 31 Day LinkedIn Challenge – 4 Reasons You Should Do It & How to Follow Through On It

Each day during the month of August, I’m going to write a recommendation for one of my LinkedIn connections. Why? Because they deserve it!

But more than that, I want to increase the “humanness” of this very business-centric (and sometimes overly stuffy) social channel. What better way than by writing up some true and meaningful recommendations for some of my favorite contacts? That’s why I’m making a 31-day commitment to do just that, and I think you should do it, too.

Think about your favorite LinkedIn connections. Who comes to mind? But more importantly—what comes to mind?

If you’re anything like me, I don’t immediately think about a set of business skills (even though those are important). I think about the conversations we had, the projects we worked on and what I got out of it. Simple skills endorsements are lazy and not very meaningful. There’s a story behind each connection—tell it!

Still not convinced?

Here are 4 more reasons you should participate in the 31 Day LinkedIn Challenge:

1. You’ve Been Meaning to Anyways

Stop procrastinating! You’ve already written these tens of times in your head, so just do it already!

2. It’s Good Karma

Whenever someone helps me or whenever the universe shows me the way, I like paying it forward. LinkedIn recommendations are a great way to do just that in the business setting. Great bosses, unforgettable colleagues and business contacts—they’ve all helped us get to where we are, so let’s publicly share our gratitude.

3. It Helps You Reconnect

It’s too easy to lose touch with people, even when you’re connected through multiple social networks. And let’s be real—you’ve seen him or her hovering in your LinkedIn updates for weeks and you’ve been wondering how they’re doing. So—reach out! Reconnect and break the silence.

4. It Will Make You Feel Good

Especially if you just write the recommendation out of the blue, without the contact prompting you to do it. It just feels good, and at the end of the day, that’s the goal, right?

If you’re still reading, I’m confident that I’ve convinced you of the Why—so let’s go over the How.

Here’s are 3 tips and tools to keep you knocking out this challenge:

1. Make a List.

Take 20 minutes before starting this challenge to list out each of the people you intend to recommend. Use this great template we put together to keep you organized.

2. Use a Template.

No need to recreate the wheel. Find some good recommendations that you’ve already seen and model yours after them. It’s the content that counts—not the form. Plus, a few sentences are all you need.

3. Commit to a Time Slot.

Put 15 minutes on your calendar each day and write a post. If it’s the same time each day, you’ll get into a habit of doing it. Maybe plan to do it first thing each morning, right after lunch or just before you leave for the day.

LinkedIn is one of the most powerful recruiting, prospecting and sales tools—but it doesn’t have to stop there. We’re all humans—let’s bring the human back to LinkedIn. Take the challenge and connect with me to see how I’m keeping up.